Dr. Mabuse

"Dr. Mabuse, Master of Mystery" by Norbert Jacques is a suspenseful novel about a master criminal who utilizes disguise, blackmail and manipulation to control others.  He rarely commits his crimes in person, instead operating primarily through a network of agents enacting his schemes, thus remaining a shadowy figure. Mabuse is a prototype super-villain whose sinister incantations still resonate in fiction and film today.