The Library
of Alexandria
8 h 1 minAudiobook8 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
StandardLarge printLarge print · bigger, clearer type
Arsène Lupin, paperbackPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soon
Arsène Lupin, hardcoverHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soon
About this book

What if the thief is the man you root for, and the detective is the obstacle in his way?

In Maurice Leblanc’s nine linked stories, Arsène Lupin steals from the rich, changes faces and treats the law as a challenge. The Arrest of Arsène Lupin opens aboard La Provence, where a wireless message warns that the thief is among the passengers. Nelly Underdown joins the hunt, while Lupin’s identity becomes a puzzle for everyone on board.

Arsène Lupin in Prison and The Escape of Arsène Lupin turn confinement into another test of wit. The Mysterious Traveler brings a stranger and a nervous woman into a train compartment. Across Paris, country châteaux and the sea, Lupin’s daring meets Inspector Ganimard’s stubborn pursuit. Each tale stands alone, yet each adds another face to this charming rogue.

What you’ll discover

  • A gentleman outside the law Meet a thief whose charm, jokes and private code make loyalty feel surprisingly complicated.
  • Disguise as a weapon Follow a master of changing faces, where knowing whom to trust becomes part of the pleasure.
  • A detective who persists Watch honest, stubborn Ganimard pursue a rival who delights in outwitting the police.
  • Treasures under threat Visit Baron Nathan Cahorn’s château, where a warning puts his prized collection at stake.
  • Quick plots, clever puzzles Enjoy short, complete tales that build a portrait of one man with many faces.

Is it for you?

This book suits you if you like clever puzzles, quick plots and a rogue you cannot help rooting for. It also suits anyone curious about the roots of the modern crime story. If you want deep psychology or realistic police work, it may feel light.

What’s inside

The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary

  1. A thief who is also a gentleman
  2. Caught at sea, yet never beaten
  3. Prison walls are only another puzzle
  4. Heists built on a clever trick
  5. Charm, justice and the thrill of the rogue
  6. How the stories are told and built

Who’s who

  • Arsène LupinA master thief and quick-witted master of disguise who steals from the rich, loves a challenge and always keeps his own code.
  • Inspector GanimardA stubborn, honest Paris police detective who has spent years hunting Lupin and cannot stop, however often he is outwitted.
  • Nelly UnderdownA young woman on the Atlantic crossing who befriends the narrator and is drawn into the hunt for the thief on board.
  • Baron Nathan CahornA wealthy collector who lives in the château of Malaquis and is warned that Lupin will come for his treasures.
  • The narratorA friendly chronicler who follows Lupin's career and tells the stories with wonder, curiosity and a wish to explain him.
  • Sherlock HolmesThe famous English detective who comes to France to test his skill against Lupin in the final story.

Read the first chapter free

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
8 h 1 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
15-minute summary
The key ideas in about 8 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
  1. Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

Start the yearly plan free · Start the monthly plan free

25 languages, side by side

Mystery & Crime

Arsène Lupin

by Maurice Leblanc· 1907

A gentleman thief uses disguises and deception to outwit police.

Excellent

  • Read or listen
  • 25 languages, side by side
  • Print and large print at cost
  • The whole household
Format: eBook
Type size: Standard

Starts right away, on any device

Read free60-day money-back guarantee

Renews every yearCancel anytimeHow it works

We accept Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay.
Arsène Lupin by Maurice Leblanc, the cover

From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 6

A thief who is also a gentleman

The book opens on a simple idea. What if the criminal were the hero, and the detective his rival? Lupin is a cambrioleur, a burglar, but he behaves like a man of the best society. He dresses well, speaks with wit and treats his victims with a kind of mocking courtesy.

Read all 6 key ideas free

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.

Start freeRenews every year · Cancel anytime
  • 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side170 USDFREE
  • Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device120 USDFREE
  • 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages60 USDFREE
  • Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print60 USDFREE
  • The whole householdUp to 5 readers170 USDFREE
  • A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for allFREE

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 Arsène Lupin

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 Arsène Lupin Gentleman-Burglar about?

It is a set of nine linked stories about Arsène Lupin, a charming French thief and master of disguise. He plans clever robberies, outwits the police and clashes with Inspector Ganimard, and even with Sherlock Holmes.

Is Arsène Lupin a real person?

No. Lupin is a fictional character created by Maurice Leblanc in 1905. He is a made-up figure, though Leblanc was likely inspired by the newspaper tales of daring French criminals and anarchists of his day.

Who is Inspector Ganimard?

Ganimard is a Paris police detective who is Lupin's chief rival. He is honest, stubborn and brave, and he keeps chasing Lupin despite many defeats. Their contest gives the stories their human side.

Arsène LupinThis book + free gifts · FREE
Read free