The Trail of the Serpent · Character

Laurent Blurosset

A French chemist moving through the Marolles orbit, useful for his science and his discretion, and far too comfortable with schemes that ruin other people.

supporting

Also known as Monsieur Blurosset, Monsieur Laurent Blurosset, Blurosset, Laurent, Monsieur de Blurosset

First appearance: book iii holy institution

As a supporting figure in The Trail of the Serpent, Laurent Blurosset is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The fortune-teller who reads the cards with a mechanical, passionless demeanor, predicting a violent death.

In the storyV: The King of SpadesOpen this moment free

Blurosset belongs to the shadowy machinery that surrounds Raymond Marolles — the sort of associate a man keeps when he needs chemistry, silence, or a name that carries no fingerprints. His value lies in what he knows and what he is willing to overlook, which makes him both an asset and a quiet liability. In the early-to-middle arc he helps give the Marolles intrigues their plausible surface, and the reader learns to watch him the way one watches a door left slightly open.

See Laurent Blurosset in V: The King of Spades Book page

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Character Web

5 connections

A slice of how Laurent Blurosset sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Supporting Cast and Subplots
Protagonist
French Mystery Entanglement

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This chapter marks the dramatic climax because it presents the emotional and psychological peak of Valerie’s s…

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In the story

Laurent Blurosset appears across 5 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

V: The King of Spades
The fortune-teller who reads the cards with a mechanical, passionless demeanor, predicting a violent death.
Bad Dreams and a Worse Waking
Mentioned in Valerie's delirious memories of the lamp-lit apartment where the poison plot was arranged.
X: Animal Magnetism
Seated at his green table, studying cards and algebra; listens to the breathing of a man in his bedchamber; refuses Valerie's request for poison; discusses animal magnetism.
IV: The Captain, the Chemist, and the Lascar
A pale, studious chemist and pseudo-magician, studying ancient texts and charts. He believes he can achieve immortality through forgotten science and refuses payment for his knowledge.
IX: Captain Lansdown Overhears a Conversation Which Appears to Interest Him
The chemist and physiologist, confronted by Valerie; admits he knew Marolles was an Englishman and a murderer, but claims he only tested a poison and was Marolles' dupe.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Laurent Blurosset unlock in the free preview.

See Laurent Blurosset in book iii holy institution

See Laurent Blurosset in V: The King of Spades