The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar

Maurice Leblanc introduced one of France’s most enduring characters in these nine linked tales: Arsene Lupin, the impeccably dressed thief who robs the rich with wit rather than menace. He slips out of handcuffs, empties safes under the noses of the police, and turns every arrest into a fresh chance to humiliate his pursuers. Leblanc wrote him partly as a French answer to Sherlock Holmes, and the two even cross paths here in a battle of egos. The stories move at a brisk pace, full of disguises, coded messages, and last-minute reversals that reward Lupin’s nerve. Charming and clever, the collection launched a series that ran for decades. This free PDF and EPUB edition gathers the adventures that started it all.