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.
Who will love it
For readers who love classic detective stories, rogue heroes, disguises and puzzles with plenty of surprises. It also welcomes anyone curious about the roots of the gentleman thief.
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
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- 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
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- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
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813
by Maurice Leblanc · 1910
A murder in a Paris hotel draws Arsène Lupin into a puzzle of state secrets, disguises and a hidden enemy.
Medium level10–20 hours to read25 languages
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In short
813 is a detective adventure by Maurice Leblanc, the French writer who created Arsène Lupin, the gentleman burglar. It appeared in 1910, when Lupin was already a favourite with French readers, and it takes him into a darker and more dangerous world than his early tales.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
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.
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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.
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.
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