La Fausse Maîtresse

La Fausse Maîtresse
Illustration from 1897 edition
AuthorHonoré de Balzac
LanguageFrench
SeriesLa Comédie humaine
Publication date
1843
Publication placeFrance
Preceded byÉtude de femme 
Followed byUne fille d'Eve 

La Fausse Maîtresse (often titled Paz in English translation) is an 1843 novel by French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) and included in his series of novels (or Roman-fleuve) known as La Comédie humaine (The Human Comedy) which parodies and depicts French society in the period of the Restoration and the July Monarchy (1815-1848). The plot is subtle and complex, and the true explanation is carefully hidden until the end of the book.