The Habits Noirs, or the Black Coats, are a powerful international crime syndicate. They began as the Camorra in southern Italy and the Veste Nere in Corsica, the Brothers of Mercy, The Companions of Silence, and in England, The Gentlemen of The Night. Notorious members include (in the actual Habits Noirs series) Colonel Bozzo-Corona, The Il Padre Diogni/Pere-A-Tous (The Allfather), a seemingly immortal ruler, Lecos de la Periera (aka Toulonnias L’Amitie), the Colonel’s right hand man who also runs a corrupt detective agency, Margurite Sadalous la Comtesse DeClare, a notorious Femme Fatale, Coyatier, and The Marchef, the order’s top assassin, whose hand even other criminals are afraid to shake. The Habits Noirs series of novels were written from 1863 to 1875 by French author Paul Féval. The books chronicle the history and exploits of an all-powerful criminal network (possibly the first of its kind in fiction) known simply as Les Habits Noirs or The Black Coats. The original books in the series were The Parisian Jungle (1863), Heart of Steel (1865), The Sword Swallower (1867), Salem Street (1868), The Invisible Weapon (1869), The Companions of the Treasure (1870-72), and The Cadet Gang (1874-75). In Salem Street, however, four earlier Paul Féval works, Gentlemen of the Night, Bel Demonio, The Companions of Silence, and John Devil, were retroactively added to the saga’s continuity.
Alias Les Habits Noirs (The Black Coats)
Real Names/Alt Names Colonel Bozzo-Corona, Lecos de la Periera, Margurite Sadalous, Coyatier, Saladin, etc.
First Appearance Les Mystères de Londres (1843–44)
First Publisher Le Courrier Français
Appearance List Novels: Les Mystères de Londres (Gentlemen of the Night, serialized in Le Courrier Français, 1843–44; rep. Comptoir des Imprimeurs Réunis, 1844), Bel Demonio (serial. in Le Pays, 1850; rep. Permain, 1850), Les Compagnons du Silence [The Companions of Silence] (serialized in Le Journal Pour Tous, 1857; rep. Cadot, 1857), Jean Diable (John Devil, serialized in Le Siècle, 1862; rep. Dentu, 1863), Les Habits Noirs (The Black Coats: The Parisian Jungle, serial. in Le Constitutionnel, 1863; rep. Hachette, 1863), Cœur d’Acier [Heart of Steel] (serial. in Le Constitutionnel, 1865; rep. Hachette, 1865), L’Avaleur de Sabre [The Sword Swallower] (serial. in L’Époque, 1867; rep. Dentu, 1867), La Rue de Jerusalem [Jerusalem Street] (The Black Coats: Salem Street, serial. in Le Constitutionnel, 1867–68; rep. Dentu, 1868), L’Arme Invisible [The Invisible Weapon] (The Black Coats: The Invisible Weapon, serial. in Le National, 1869; rep. Dentu, 1869–70), Les Compagnons du Trésor [The Companions of the Treasure] (The Black Coats: The Companions of the Treasure, serial. in Le National, 1870, then after the war 1871-72; rep. Dentu, 1872), La Bande Cadet [The Cadet Gang] (The Black Coats: The Cadet Gang, serial. in L’Evènement, 1874–75; rep. Dentu, 1875). Film: Les Habits Noirs (1914).
Sample Read ○
Description The Habits Noirs, or the Black Coats, are a powerful international crime syndicate. They began as the Camorra in southern Italy and the Veste Nere in Corsica, the Brothers of Mercy, The Companions of Silence, and in England, The Gentlemen of The Night. Notorious members include (in the actual Habits Noirs series) Colonel Bozzo-Corona, The Il Padre Diogni/Pere-A-Tous (The Allfather), a seemingly immortal ruler, Lecos de la Periera (aka Toulonnias L’Amitie), the Colonel’s right hand man who also runs a corrupt detective agency, Margurite Sadalous la Comtesse DeClare, a notorious Femme Fatale, Coyatier, and The Marchef, the order’s top assassin, whose hand even other criminals are afraid to shake. The Habits Noirs series of novels were written from 1863 to 1875 by French author Paul Féval. The books chronicle the history and exploits of an all-powerful criminal network (possibly the first of its kind in fiction) known simply as Les Habits Noirs or The Black Coats. The original books in the series were The Parisian Jungle (1863), Heart of Steel (1865), The Sword Swallower (1867), Salem Street (1868), The Invisible Weapon (1869), The Companions of the Treasure (1870-72), and The Cadet Gang (1874-75). In Salem Street, however, four earlier Paul Féval works, Gentlemen of the Night, Bel Demonio, The Companions of Silence, and John Devil, were retroactively added to the saga’s continuity.
