Arsene Lupin

I've had a long strange relationship with Arsene Lupin. My first brush with the gentleman thief was in the 1983 video game, Cliff Hanger, which featured animation from the Lupin III films `The Castle of Cagliostro' and `Mystery of Mamo'. Lupin III being the unlicensed grandson of Arsene Lupin created by Japanese Manga artist Monkey Punch. It wasn't until years later that I put the pieces together and discovered that Cliff Hanger WAS Lupin III and Lupin III was an homage to a famous literary French character. The original Arsene Lupin was first published in 1905 written by Maurice Leblanc. I was under the impression this was the first book in the series but now I'm thinking it's the third and the first does not appear to be available on Kindle.The book gets off to a very slow start. Lupin sends a letter to M. Gournay-Martin, a millionaire whom Lupin has robbed once before. The letter declares Lupin's intention to rob him again the following day stealing among other things his most valuable possession, the Coronet of Princess de Lamballe. Despite M. Gournay-Martin's best efforts Lupin makes good on his boast and most of the rest of the book is spent at Gournay-Martin's mansion as the Lupin obsessed Detective-Inspector Guerchard, Inspector Formery and Gournay-Martin's soon to be son-in-law the Duke of Charmerace try to piece together how the audacious crime was committed. The police and detectives comb the estate looking for clues, trying to determine if Lupin had help from the staff and figure out whether the crime was actually even committed by the actual Arsene Lupin.After some research I determined that this third novel was apparently originally written as a play which makes sense since the story would only require two sets which is good for a play with a limited budget. It also makes sense given how dialogue heavy the story is. The book picks up significantly in the final quarter. Early in the book the author totally gives away the identity of Arsene Lupin and at first I thought this was just a terrible attempt at hiding the surprise but it became apparent this was planned and the tension between Inspector Guerchard and Lupin in disguise is fairly riveting. Through most of the book Lupin is an enigmatic, preternatural criminal; an unstoppable thiefl who's planning defies any attempts at capture. When his identity is officially revealed the reader peers behind the curtain to see a real human being and the ending is actually quite moving.This is a book that builds slowly but gets better throughout. It probably worked better as a play but I don't regret reading it. I believe the previous book was Arsene Lupin vs Herlock Sholmes so I think I will continue with the series or I guess in this case take a step backwards.

I have read all of Maurice LeBlanc's Arsene Lupin books at least twice, but I read them all in French. In fact, I still have them in a few different formats. However, this is the first time in English. I'm usually skeptical about translations, but this book is excellent. Of course, it helps to be able to know French, but the writing emulates the style of the writer and of the times. After all, it was written in the early 20th century.What's interesting about Mr LeBlanc's character is that he grew to despise him... literally. Arsene Lupin was actually more popular than the writer and everyone wanted to know everything about the character. This annoyed the author to no end. Mr LeBlanc started with short stories at the request of his publisher as a response to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. In fact, his early works referred to Doyle's own character as "Sherlock Holmes" but eventually transposed a few letters around and started referring to the English detective as "Herlock Sholmes". There must have been some sort of copyright infringement at the time. Obviously, it was a laugh at the expense of the British as the detective invariably failed when in the presence of Lupin. However, Herlock Sholmes was only addressed in a few books.Mr. LeBlanc's Arsene Lupin evolved quite quickly. The author was already an accomplished writer and although had other literary preferences, they were never popular hits. Arsene Lupin, on the other hand, was a hit from 1905 to the early '40's when Maurice LeBlanc died. This is all the more interesting in that the author had always been a sickly person and was reported to only being able to write for one hour per day.The stories were usually based in Normandy as this was Mr LeBlanc's home region. But they also reflected the events of the times, for instance, the great war (WWI). As with other popular authors such as Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Mr. LeBlanc had a great flair for detective stories and one is highly entertained by how the stories evolve and of course, their exiting conclusions where Arsene usually solves the enigma, gets the girl (if there is one) and sometimes even manages to get the money or the jewels.Arsene is brilliant at the art of deduction, a fantastic planner and schemer, but he is also a great romantic, and he fights for justice as he defines it. He will sometimes act as judge and executioner. Things are not always perfect for Arsene and this may be a result of how Maurice LeBlanc felt about his character. Somehow, the author did try to kill him a few times, but he was somehow resurrected by popular demand.

the laconic and charming thief who often works hidden in plain sight, and the detective who just cannot catch him, makes up this wonderful perhaps introductory novel - many more follow on - he is really the gentleman thief and we find ourselves siding against the rich people he takes from - and, that's the other thing he is kind of an aristo french robin hood - who can not admire that? and then there's the girl he tries to help - she's a thief too and we wonder if there's a reliable soul among them ...

OK, so this is a novelisation of a play, and, as such, reading it is very much like watching a filmed play as opposed to a film. No less entertaining for that, say I, if the play is any good - and this one is.Lupin is an irresistible character much in the tradition of Raffles and, I suppose, the Scarlet Pimpernel (and even Robin Hood?).Will happily now seek out 'proper' original fiction by Leblanc.

Loved Raffles as a child, and finding this book was delightful, to me it was light hearted in some ways and serious in others. A delight to read. Class it as easy reading.

There seems to be a lot of confusion here. This book is NOT written by Leblanc and translated by Jepson, but is a "novelisation" based on a play written by Leblanc - but this book is written by Jepson himself [...]! Nor is it the first volume of stories by Leblanc - that is entitled "Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Burglar". It is not without interest, but neither should it be read before reading the excellent Leblanc novels.

Great book if a little... or very predictable.