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Audiobook editionPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout 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.
Who will love it
You will love this book if you enjoy clever heists, witty banter and a detective duel with a rogue who plays fair. It suits readers who like disguises, hidden passages and a romance tucked inside a crime story.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- The thief announces his visit
- Small disturbances reveal a hidden visitor
- Unchecked details overturn the household’s plans
- Careful observation beats confident guessing
- The investigation turns toward Sonia
- Trust can become a disguise
- Kindness matters more than social rank
- Conversation carries both comedy and danger
- Polished manners prove very little
Who’s who
- Arsène LupinA famous gentleman burglar who writes warnings before his thefts and enjoys outwitting the police.
- The Duke of CharmeraceGermaine's fiancé, back from the South Pole, mocking, quick and kind, with a surprising ease around thieves.
- Sonia KritchnoffA gentle Russian orphan who works as Germaine's companion and hopes someone will one day send her a letter.
- Germaine Gournay-MartinThe millionaire's vain daughter, eager to become a duchess and careless of everyone who serves her.
- M. Gournay-MartinA loud millionaire collector who values everything as an investment and fears Lupin more than anything.
- GuerchardThe patient chief inspector who has hunted Lupin for ten years and trusts no appearance.
- M. FormeryA self-satisfied examining magistrate who is sure Lupin has nothing to do with the crime.
- VictoireThe Paris housekeeper, large and cheerful, who is found asleep in a fireplace.
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Arsène Lupin
by Maurice Leblanc · 1907
A millionaire's daughter, a statuette that moves by itself and a thief who announces his burglaries in advance.
Medium level2–5 hours to read20 languages
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“The first thing to remember when dealing with Lupin is to distrust appearances.”
In short
What would you do if a thief sent you a letter naming what he means to steal, and the very night he will come? That is the problem of M. Gournay-Martin, a millionaire who values a picture by its price.
Arsène Lupin at a glance
- Reading time
- About 4 h 30 min3 h 35 min fast, 5 h 25 min slow
- Length
- 64,600 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1907by Maurice Leblanc
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A château where small things are out of place
The story opens at the château of Charmerace in Brittany, on a September afternoon. The great hall is packed with armor, tapestries and porcelain, jumbled together by a rich man who values things by their price. At a table sits Sonia Kritchnoff, a pale and gentle young woman of Russian birth, writing wedding cards for her employer. She is paid to be patient, and she is.
That employer is Germaine Gournay-Martin, the millionaire's daughter, who is about to marry the Duke of Charmerace. She is vain and restless. Five times she asks whether to wear pink or heliotrope, and five times Sonia gives the same quiet answer.
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Details
- First published
- 1907
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 5 h 10 min
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Leblanc, Maurice. Arsène Lupin. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/arsene-lupin.
Leblanc, M. (2026). Arsène Lupin. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/arsene-lupin (Original work published 1907)
Leblanc, Maurice. Arsène Lupin. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/arsene-lupin.
@book{leblanc2026arsene,
author = {Leblanc, Maurice},
title = {Arsène Lupin},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/arsene-lupin},
note = {First published 1907}
}
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What is Arsène Lupin about?
It follows a wealthy collector, M. Gournay-Martin, who receives a letter from the thief Arsène Lupin announcing a burglary. Guerchard and a magistrate investigate, and a duke, a companion named Sonia and a stolen coronet draw everyone into a duel of wits.
Who is Arsène Lupin?
Lupin is the gentleman burglar created by Maurice Leblanc. He writes polite warning letters, uses a thousand disguises, steals from the rich, and has outwitted the police for ten years, as the characters describe him.
What is the coronet of the Princesse de Lamballe?
It is a jewelled diadem the millionaire bought at a sale, valued at half a million francs. Lupin names it in his letters, and much of the plot turns on where it is kept and who will guard it.
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.
“The first thing to remember when dealing with Lupin is to distrust appearances.”
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