The Monomaniac (La bête humaine)

About the book

"The Monomaniac (La bête humaine)" by Émile Zola is a novel published in 1890. This psychological thriller follows Jacques Lantier, a railway engine driver plagued by hereditary madness that transforms his desires into violent urges against women. Set among railway workers operating the Paris-Le Havre line in the late 1860s, the story weaves together murder, obsession, and betrayal. When Lantier witnesses a killing on a passing train, he becomes entangled with the perpetrators—leading to a passionate affair and a web of deadly consequences that culminate in tragedy.