L'Atlantide

by Pierre Benoît

"L'Atlantide" by Pierre Benoît is a novel published in 1919. Two French officers on a Saharan expedition become captives of a mysterious kingdom ruled by Queen Antinéa, who claims descent from the lost Atlantis. This enigmatic femme fatale collects her lovers in a macabre mausoleum, filling niches with their remains. One officer falls under her spell and commits an unthinkable act, then years later confesses his dark secret to a fellow lieutenant in an isolated desert fort.