Rasputin the Rascal Monk

"Rasputin the Rascal Monk" (1917) is a work of historical nonfiction by Anglo-French writer William Le Queux. Published at the height of Le Queux’s career as a leading author of popular thrillers, Rasputin the Rascal Monk indulges in the paranoid atmosphere of the First World War to weave a sinister tale of espionage and political conspiracy. Toward the end of the First World War, William Le Queux turned his attention from Germany to the looming threat of Russia. In this dedicated—though factually loose—recreation of the life of Rasputin, Le Queux investigates one of history’s great anomalies: the ability of a rough, Siberian peasant to ascend to the highest echelon of Russian society. In Rasputin the Rascal Monk, which incorporates years of research and experience to weave a tale of fear and intrigue, Le Queux makes his case for the possibility that Rasputin was not only a confidant of the Tsar and Tsarina, but that he was a spy for Kaiser Wilhelm himself. Ever paranoid about the threat of German political influence worldwide, Le Queux provide the reading public with violent, disturbing, and fanatical tales of the infamous Rasputin while forwarding his own agenda. While not much is known about the author, it is possible his claims of firsthand knowledge regarding the murky movements of spies and diplomats throughout Europe and Britain were true. One thing, however, is certain: his paranoia was far from unfounded.