The forty-five guardsmen

While France is at war with itself, a lady of the court plots an assassination. Set against the backdrop of the War of the Three Henrys, this is the enthralling third part of Dumas' "Valois Romances". Continuing the action from "Chicot the Jester", it finds Diane de Meridor planning revenge on her husband for his betrayal of Bussy d'Amboise. But that's only one of this drama's many threads. We also follow France's campaign against the Netherlands, and are introduced the noble soldiers of the title. As only he can, Dumas weaves together real events with romance and action set-pieces. "The Forty-Five Guardsmen" is a great read for lovers of grand historical fiction. Alexandre Dumas (1802 - 1870) was a hugely popular 19th Century French writer. Born of mixed French and Haitian heritage, Dumas first rose to prominence in Paris as a playwright, but later gained international fame with his historical fiction. Often co-authored with other writers, these stories wove together swashbuckling adventure, romance, and real events from France's past. Among the best known are "The Three Musketeers", and its sequels "Twenty Years After", and "Le Vicomte de Bragelonne: Ten Years Later". Set across four decades, this trilogy follows the rise of the dashing D'Artagnan--from hot-headed soldier to trusted captain under Louis XIV. Dumas' other novels include "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Black Tulip". His works have been adapted into more than 200 movies, including The Man in the Iron Mask starring Leonardo DiCaprio.