The Countdown of Monte Cristo
A daily podcast reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, one page at a time, every single day, over the course of four years.
Each short episode offers a focused, intimate passage from Dumas’ sweeping tale of betrayal, imprisonment, revenge, and redemption, accompanied by brief reflections, historical context, and the occasional detour into 19th-century oddities (and yes, the occasional mangled French pronunciation).
Never read The Count of Monte Cristo? Perfect. This podcast is designed for first-time readers, longtime admirers, and anyone curious about experiencing a literary classic as a daily ritual rather than a daunting tome. You can start from the beginning or jump in wherever you are, the story unfolds steadily, patiently, one page at a time.
Whether you’re a lover of classic literature, a podcast listener looking for a calm daily escape, or someone who just wants a few quiet minutes away from the noise of the modern world, The Countdown of Monte Cristo invites you to live with one of the greatest novels ever written.
New episodes every day. No skipping. No rushing.
Subscribe on your favorite podcatcher or watch along on YouTube.
Support the project at https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod and help keep the countdown alive.
Episodes
Episodes
2 days ago
2 days ago
9 min
The Count of Monte Cristo hears Bertuccio’s account of his journey to Nîmes in 1815, where he hopes to reunite with his brother.
Delayed on the Rhône, Bertuccio arrives amid the massacres in southern France and discovers that his brother, a Bonapartist officer returning from the army, has been murdered. With no one willing to name the killers, he turns to the king’s attorney for justice.
Grief gives way to a desperate search for answers.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
3 days ago
3 days ago
8 min
The Count of Monte Cristo listens as Bertuccio finally begins the story he has long concealed, starting in 1815.
Looking back to his childhood in Corsica, Bertuccio recounts his devotion to his older brother, a soldier of the emperor whose journey home after Waterloo would change both of their lives. The tale begins with a letter sent from the road to Nîmes.
The confession turns from mystery to memory.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Oct 4, 2026
Oct 4, 2026
14 min
The Count of Monte Cristo demands that Bertuccio reveal the secret he has guarded for years in the garden at Auteuil.
Fearing dismissal more than confession, Bertuccio agrees to speak and identifies the man at the center of his story as Villefort, whose celebrated reputation he denounces as a lie. Intrigued, the Count sits down to hear the full account.
The confession is no longer avoidable.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Oct 3, 2026
Oct 3, 2026
9 min
The Count of Monte Cristo presses Bertuccio to explain why the house at Auteuil fills him with such terror.
Bertuccio admits that his act of vengeance was carried out at this very house, describing the garden, the staircase, and the grave where a child had been buried. Monte Cristo listens without interruption and orders his steward to tell the entire story.
The long-hidden confession is finally about to begin.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Oct 2, 2026
Oct 2, 2026
14 min
The Count of Monte Cristo confronts Bertuccio in the garden, refusing to let his fear and secrecy go unexplained.
Invoking the Abbé Busoni’s recommendation and the French law’s punishment for assassination, the Count steadily presses his steward toward an admission. Bertuccio insists he has served faithfully, but his shaken appearance betrays a conscience burdened by the past.
The silence between master and servant can no longer hold.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Oct 1, 2026
Oct 1, 2026
9 min
The Count of Monte Cristo presses deeper into the garden at Auteuil despite Bertuccio’s desperate warnings.
Under a moonlit sky, the steward tries to steer his master away from one particular spot, finally revealing that it is where a man fell. Monte Cristo dismisses Bertuccio’s fears, but the steward insists that the terrible truth can no longer be hidden.
The garden becomes the stage for a long-buried confession.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Sep 30, 2026
Sep 30, 2026
9 min
The Count of Monte Cristo explores the newly purchased house in Auteuil, following a private staircase into the garden.
As they descend, Bertuccio’s fear becomes overwhelming. Unable to go any farther, he finally reveals that he recognizes No. 28 Rue de la Fontaine as the site of an assassination that still haunts him.
The silence surrounding the house is finally broken.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Sep 29, 2026
Sep 29, 2026
9 min
The Count of Monte Cristo questions the concierge about the history of the house at Auteuil and its former owners.
The mention of the Marquis of Saint-Méran and the Villefort family leaves Bertuccio visibly shaken as the Count quietly gathers every detail. With a carriage lamp in hand, Monte Cristo prepares to explore the house for himself.
The estate begins to reveal the history hidden within its walls.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.