Arsene Lupin Gentleman Burglar

by Maurice Leblanc

The inspiration behind the smash-hit Netflix series, Lupin. Meet arsène Lupin: a charming gentleman… and the greatest burglar in the world. An enemy to the rich; a friend to the poor - arsène Lupin will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants. One of the best tropes of the gentleman thief and master of disguise along with raffles, Lupin was created in 1905 by French writer Maurice leblanc and first introduced in a series of short stories.

These tales of derring-do sparkle with wit and adventure and are often considered the early template of the cool caper genres. Fans of Holmes, raffles, the saint, blackshirt and Norman conquest will be delighted to discover the original witty confidence man and burglar. This first volume begins with lupin’s arrest and the authorities have him behind bars… but the adventure is only just beginning.

198 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

About the author

Maurice Leblanc (1864 - 1941) was a French novelist, best known as the creator of gentleman thief (later detective) Arsène Lupin.

Leblanc began as a journalist, until he was asked to write a short story filler, and created, more gallant and dashing than English counterpart Sherlock Holmes.

Reviews

[John Bradford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until I read "The Cat Who Saved the Library," I had never heard of this series. This is a collection of short stories that introduces everyone to the shady, nuanced character named Arsene Lupin who was developed as France's answer to Sherlock Holmes. It is a collection of short stories. Since they were written in the early 1900s, the writing is slightly archaic and somewhat cumbersome to muddle through at times. However, once you start, the prose is not hard to navigate. The nine short stories in this edition are entertaining and engaging. I prefer ambiguous characters and situations. Lupin's criminal exploits serve a greater good in most cases, though his motives are not always to serve a greater good, highlighting his dual role as both crook and detective. I enjoyed the stories and fully intended to read more in the future.

[Nikolaj Lindholm · Rating 5 out of 5]

8.9 - A perfect introduction to Arsène Lupin: I loved pretty much every single short story in this collection. The character of Arsène Lupin is clever, charming, and fun to follow, and the stories are enjoyable little puzzles. The only one that didn’t really click for me was the one where he was on the train—it felt a bit off compared to the others. Overall, a really fun and engaging read that makes you want more.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun to listen to as a family. It was fun to root for the burglar - he is like a French Robin Hood.