Riassunto
Trama e riassunto di Arsène Lupin
A chi è rivolto
You will love this if you enjoy clever detective duels, comic rich people, disguises and quick dialogue. It also suits readers who like a love story tucked inside a daring heist.
Che cos’è questo libro
Who dares to threaten a millionaire's treasures with a letter that names his next theft? Maurice Leblanc's Arsène Lupin is a fast, funny novel set at a Brittany château and a Paris mansion. It follows a vain millionaire, a famous detective, a lonely Russian girl and a duke who finds everything extremely interesting.
In questo riassunto
- 1A Millionaire's Daughter and a Thief's WarningFree
- 2Four Visitors Who Come to Buy a Car
- 3Kindness From the Duke Reaches Sonia
- 4A Second Letter Sends Everyone to Paris
- 5The Paris House Has Been Robbed
- 6Guerchard Reads What the Room Hides
- 7A Missing Pendant Puts Sonia Under Suspicion
- 8Sonia Faces More Questions
- 9How the Story Plays With Disguise and Class
Punto chiave 1 di 9
A Millionaire's Daughter and a Thief's Warning
The story opens on a September afternoon at the château of Charmerace in Brittany. Germaine Gournay-Martin, the spoiled daughter of a millionaire, is about to marry the Duke of Charmerace. Her gentle companion, Sonia Kritchnoff, addresses the wedding cards while Germaine paces and complains. Her father, a collector who loves a bargain more than beauty, is away at lunch with a minister.
Small things are wrong. A silver statuette has moved from the cabinet to the piano, and a pane of glass has been cut neatly out of a window. Germaine tells the Duke, who returns after seven years away, about Arsène Lupin. Three years earlier, this thief wrote to her father to name the pictures he meant to take. Soldiers sent to guard the house were drugged on the road, and Lupin emptied the rooms and signed the wall in chalk.
The Duke listens with amusement and asks sharp questions. The scene sets the rules of the game: Lupin warns his victims, and still wins.
That’s 1 of 9 key points.
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
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Who’s who
- Arsène Lupin
- A charming master thief with his own code, Lupin delights in matching wits with the police.
- Inspector Ganimard
- A stubborn, honest Paris detective, Ganimard pursues Lupin despite his rival's talent for outwitting him.
- Nelly Underdown
- A young passenger on the Atlantic crossing, Nelly befriends the narrator during the hunt for Lupin.
- Baron Nathan Cahorn
- A wealthy collector at the château of Malaquis, Cahorn receives a warning that Lupin wants his treasures.
- The narrator
- A friendly chronicler of Lupin's exploits, the narrator regards the thief with curiosity and admiration.
- Sherlock Holmes
- The celebrated English detective visits France, bringing his powers of deduction into rivalry with Lupin.
About this edition
Every format is free to start, and print and large print are at cost.
- LengthAbout 72,000 words
- Reading timeAbout 4 h 50 min
- FormatseBook, large-print eBook, audiobook, 15-minute summary
- LanguagesEnglish and 11 other languages
Questions about Arsène Lupin
What is Arsène Lupin about?
It is about a charming thief who sends letters announcing his robberies, and the detective Guerchard who tries to stop him. The action moves from a Brittany château to a Paris mansion, with a love story woven through.
Who is Arsène Lupin?
Lupin is a master thief and actor of disguises created by Maurice Leblanc. He steals from the rich, warns his victims in advance, and has fooled the French police for ten years.
Who is Guerchard in the story?
Guerchard is the Chief Inspector of the detective department at the Paris Prefecture of Police. He is quiet and observant, and he has made catching Lupin his life's task.
Who is Sonia Kritchnoff?
Sonia is a young Russian woman who works as the companion of the heiress Germaine. She is gentle and lonely, and her friendship with the Duke gives the story its romantic thread.
Is Arsène Lupin easy to read?
Yes, in the sense that the story moves fast, with short chapters, lively dialogue and plenty of humour. Clear scenes and a strong plot make it easy to follow from start to finish.