intrigue
n. C / Un. the feeling of being very interested in something because it seems mysterious or unusual. It can also mean a secret plan to do something dishonest.
n. the quality of being fascinating or arousing curiosity through mystery; alternatively, the practice of engaging in secret schemes or underhanded plots.
The mystery of the old house filled him with intrigue.
The political thriller is full of intrigue, with characters constantly making secret deals behind each other's backs.
While the scientific community was initially skeptical, the sheer intrigue of the anomalous data led several independent labs to attempt a replication of the experiment.
Borrowed from French intrigue, from Italian intricare, from Latin intrīcō (“I entangle, perplex, embarrass”). Doublet of intricate.
Uncountable when referring to the quality of being interesting; often countable when referring to specific secret plots or schemes.