Rupert of Hentzau (1898) by Anthony Hope is the sequel to The Prisoner of Zenda. Set three years later in the fictional kingdom of Ruritania, the story follows the charming rogue Rupert of Hentzau, who has obtained a love letter written by Queen Flavia to Rudolf Rassendyll, the Englishman who once impersonated her husband, the King. Rupert uses the letter for blackmail, threatening to expose the Queen and shatter the throne. Rudolf returns secretly to Ruritania to recover the letter and protect Flavia's honor. The novel builds toward a tragic climax of swordplay, sacrifice, and betrayal, ending in the deaths of key characters and Flavia's heartbreaking fate.
