The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar is the first of twenty volumes of stories and novels featuring the famous French gentleman burglar Arsène Lupin.  The charming and affable character chooses life on the wrong side of the law but nevertheless manages to be a force for the good. He was the creation of French writer Maurice Leblanc and would go on to achieve a popularity as strong and long-lasting as his British counterpart Sherlock Holmes.  Published between 1905 and 1907 in Je Sais Tout magazine, the stories in this volume are loosely related and narrated by an admirer and trusted friend.  The first story introduced the character to the French public to great success and encouraged Leblanc to write more.  The last story in this collection features a meeting between Lupin and Sherlock Holmes and prefigures a more substantial connection in the next book.  Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle turned to the courts to object to the use of the name of his character, prompting a change to “Herlock Sholmes”.  A solution worthy of Lupin himself.

Play sample: 

Download a PDF datasheet