Arsene Lupin

By Maurice Leblanc

Arsene Lupin is a fictional gentleman thief who appears in a series of detective fiction and crime fiction novels by the French writer Maurice Leblanc. A contemporary of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Maurice Leblanc was the creator of the character of gentleman thief Arsène Lupin who has enjoyed a popularity as long-lasting and considerable as Sherlock Holmes.

Arsène Lupin is a literary descendant of Pierre Alexis Ponson du Terrail's Rocambole. Like him, he is often a force for good, while operating on the wrong side of the law. Those whom Lupin defeats, always with his characteristic Gallic style and panache, are worse villains than he. Lupin shares distinct similarities with E. W. Hornung's archetypal gentleman thief A. J. Raffles.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookRix
• Release date: Jun 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9783736805170

Maurice Leblanc

Maurice Leblanc (1864-1941) was a French novelist and short story writer. Born and raised in Rouen, Normandy, Leblanc attended law school before dropping out to pursue a writing career in Paris. There, he made a name for himself as a leading author of crime fiction, publishing critically acclaimed stories and novels with moderate commercial success. On July 15th, 1905, Leblanc published a story in Je sais tout, a popular French magazine, featuring Arsène Lupin, gentleman thief. The character, inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, brought Leblanc both fame and fortune, featuring in 21 novels and short story collections and defining his career as one of the bestselling authors of the twentieth century. Appointed to the Légion d'Honneur, France’s highest order of merit, Leblanc and his works remain cultural touchstones for generations of devoted readers. His stories have inspired numerous adaptations, including Lupin, a smash-hit 2021 television series.

Reviews for Arsene Lupin

[alv_29 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Each of the independent stories hinges on a delightfully concocted rocambolesque chaining of events. Light and fun. I only regret having got acquainted to M. Lupin so late in life!

[cmbohn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This one was lots of fun. It makes an interesting comparison with Raffles. This one was more fun to me as I found Lupin a more likable character than Raffles. Not always believable, but still great fun. My favorite story was "The Queen's Necklace." I liked the introduction of Sherlock Holmes. Looking forward to reading more.

[rosa.mill · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a great read. A funny mystery story where the protagonist is actually the bad guy. I loved the Holmlock Shears joke. Everytime I read that name I laughed out loud.

[garrison0550 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Hello? Is anybody here? Anybody?

Wow.

Okay so now I'm thinking, what's the point of leaving a review? None, I guess. But then I do have the place all to myself, nice! Man, I'm going back here whenever I need a break. It's so quiet, I almost hate to leave...

[electrascaife · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A series of exploits told by the gentleman burglar himself (and then retold via the narrator/his friend), in which he pulls off impressive thefts in cool disguises, cleverly eludes the coppers at every turn, and charms the heck out of everyone around him. Think Sherlock Holmes, but on the other side of the crime, and French. In other words, this one was a hoot. Definitely recommended.

[katcoviello · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Amusing. Good to procrastinate cleaning rooms.

[jeb1981 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A highly entertaining introduction to Arsene Lupin. My only complaint with this particular translated edition is that it does not appear to have been edited... there are some embarrassing typos and other errors throughout the text. Still, quite a fun read.