12 h 31 minAudiobook7 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
A rich man dies in a Paris hotel, and a gentleman burglar hunts a secret worth killing for.
In Maurice Leblanc’s 813, wealthy businessman Kesselbach fears pursuit even inside his guarded hotel suite. His death draws Arsène Lupin into a mystery of dangerous knowledge and state secrets. The charming thief wants to solve the crime, but a hidden enemy matches his cunning.
The hunt leads through hotels, country houses and police offices, with a puzzle built around the number 813. Kesselbach’s widow, Dolores, searches for the truth about her husband’s secrets. Meanwhile, veteran detective Ganimard wants both to catch Lupin and to solve the crime by lawful means.
What you’ll discover
- A thief turns detective Follow Lupin as he pursues the truth while remaining firmly outside the law.
- A number full of questions Explore a mystery built around 813, where clues lead into secrets others will kill to protect.
- Masks and shifting identities Meet a master of disguise in a story that questions identity, truth and power.
- A rival in the shadows Watch Lupin face a hidden enemy whose cunning makes the hunt more dangerous.
- Quick scenes, sharp turns Move through a chase whose short scenes and chapter turns keep the questions coming.
Is it for you?
This book suits readers who like classic detective stories, rogue heroes, disguises and puzzles with plenty of surprises. It is also good for anyone curious about the roots of the gentleman thief. If you want a quiet, realistic study of character, it may feel too busy.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A rich man is killed in Paris
- Lupin enters the hunt
- A secret that others will kill for
- The detective and the thief trade places
- What the story is really about
- How Leblanc tells it
Who’s who
- Arsène LupinThe gentleman burglar and master of disguise, who wants to solve the mystery and outwit every rival, official or criminal.
- KesselbachA wealthy foreign businessman who holds dangerous secrets and fears pursuit, and whose death sets the whole story in motion.
- ChapmanKesselbach's secretary, who is close to his employer's affairs and stands near the centre of the early mystery.
- Dolores KesselbachThe widow of Kesselbach, who is drawn into the search for the truth about her husband's secrets.
- GanimardThe veteran police detective and long-time rival of Lupin, who wants to catch him and solve the crime by lawful means.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet, computer or Kindle, with the type as large as you like.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 12 h 31 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 7 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
eBooks and audiobooks open right away. Download EPUB or PDF, or send the book to your Kindle. Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout.
How it works · 60-day guarantee
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, for the whole household.
- We remind you first. We email you 7 days before your first payment. Then your first year is 50% off: 0,14 USD a day, then 0,27 USD a day, never raised. Or 0,66 USD a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
60-day money-back guarantee. If the library is not for you, ask within 60 days of your first payment and we refund it in full.
25 languages, side by side
Read and hear 813 in 25 languages and switch at any time. Or read two side by side, paragraph by paragraph: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
Read it side by side
813
by Maurice Leblanc· 1910
A gentleman burglar faces murder, state secrets and a hidden enemy.
Excellent
- Read or listen
- 25 languages, side by side
- Print and large print at cost
- The whole household
Starts right away, on any device
Read free60-day money-back guaranteeRenews every yearCancel anytimeHow it works
Language: Deutsch
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 6
A rich man is killed in Paris
The story opens in Paris, in the world of grand hotels and wealthy travellers. A rich foreign businessman named Kesselbach is staying in a luxury hotel suite, guarded and careful, because he fears someone is after him. He has secrets, and he knows that other people want them. His secretary Chapman is close at hand, and the suite is meant to be a safe place.
Then the unthinkable happens. Kesselbach is found dead, killed in a room that should have been secure. The crime is bold, and it is baffling, because nobody seems to have been able to get in or out unseen. The police are called, and the hotel is thrown into confusion.
Renews every year · Cancel anytime
The author
Maurice Leblanc
1864–1941 · French mystery novelist
Maurice Leblanc was a French writer born in Rouen in 1864. He wrote novels and short stories, including the Arsène Lupin series, which began in 1905. His books include The Hollow Needle, published in 1909, and The Crystal Stopper, published in 1912. He died in Perpignan in 1941.
Free gifts
580 USD in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, for the whole household. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
170 USDFREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
120 USDFREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
60 USDFREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
60 USDFREE - The whole householdUp to 5 readers
170 USDFREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
More by Maurice Leblanc
All 15 books
Free
More like this
Free
Free
Free
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
Questions about 813
Can I read it free?
Yes. The beginning, from the first page to the end of chapter 1, and the first 5 minutes of the audiobook are free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 90 days, with the eBook to keep. After that, your first year is 50% off. You also get 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy the printed book?
Soon. The paperback, hardcover and large print editions are being prepared. Choose Paperback or Hardcover above, leave your email, and we tell you the day you can order it, printed at cost.
Can my family read too?
Yes. The whole household reads and listens: up to 5 readers, each with their own shelf and their own place in every book.
What if it is not for me?
Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. If you have paid and the library is not for you, ask within 60 days of your first payment and we refund it in full.
What is 813 by Maurice Leblanc about?
It is an Arsène Lupin adventure that begins with a murder in a Paris hotel. Lupin investigates the crime, which is linked to a secret of national importance, while the police and a hidden enemy work against him.
What does the number 813 mean in the book?
The number is a mysterious clue left near the murder. It drives the search for answers, and much of the story is about working out what it points to. Its meaning is part of the puzzle.
Do I need to read other Arsène Lupin books first?
No. The book can be read on its own, since it explains who Lupin is through his actions. Knowing his earlier tales adds some fun, especially his rivalry with the detective Ganimard.
Popular in mystery and crime
See all
Free
