Viviane Janouin-Benanti

A Very Pious Marquis

The Marquis de Nayve Affair

He was an honorable Marquis, equipped with all the best qualities. So good, so pious… In the town of Bourges, only good things were ever said about him. And the praise he received, the Marquis loved that.

At a time when illegitimate children had no place in the high society of French château life, secrets and lies protected reputations. Château de Sidiailles and Château de Presle were no exceptions—what really went on behind those walls? And what did the very pious Marquis do about it?

His story leaves us wondering: does the perfect crime exist?

Once again, Viviane Janouin-Benanti draws us into an extraordinary true story in this exciting novel that may leave the reader with the bitter taste of profound injustice…

Read an excerpt from Such a pious marquis - de Nayve case on:

A book of high-quality, written in French.

Paperback book: 304 pages, Euros 10

E-book at: Euros 3.99

E-book, EPUB file at: Euros 3.99 available from:

3E éditions

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Apple Books

KINDLE file at € 3.99: Amazon Amazon.fr

PDF file at € 3.99: 3E éditions

Paperback at € 10 available from: Amazon Amazon.fr

Some photos from the book

Ménaldo, 12 ans — Hippolyte Ménaldo
The victim

Marquis de Nayve, profil — Marquis de Nayve

Articles published on Such a pious marquis:

[…] "With the management of his two estates, the Marquis was not lacking in work; all the more so as he spared no effort for his parishes. Thus he offered the bishopric a beautiful church... Also, the Bishop did not stop praising such a great man.

But for his loved ones, he was far from being a saint. Years earlier, after failing the entrance exam to Polytechnique, with no future and no money, he married Hélène Massé de Baudreuil to make himself a situation. She had brought him a fine dowry and two castles; but also a hidden, illegitimate child, Ménaldo. She had sinned. The child was placed in the seminary of Pont-de-Beauvoisin to become a priest. However, by the time he reached the age of adolescence, Menaldo was asking himself too many questions. He was becoming embarrassing...

So much so that it will end badly.

To be read in one go: terrible, but instructive and captivating.

CDL 44, January 2018.

A Marquis So Pious - The de Nayve Affair