"813"

Our master detective on this week's Classic Mysteries podcast isn't really a detective - he's a thief. Meet Arsene Lupin, the world's greatest thief (and a character dearly beloved for more than a century now in his native France), and the mystery is "813," by Maurice LeBlanc. You can listen to the full review here.

In "813," Lupin is suspected by police of a brutal murder - a crime he has never committed in his career. He finds that the only way to clear his name is to take over the investigation from the police and find the killer himself. But the murder quickly becomes a series of crimes, and the motivation behind the events of the novel threatens the foundations and royal houses of Europe, as they existed in 1910, when the story was written.

And one thing you should consider, as you begin reading the book: what is its title? "813" are digits. How would you read the title? "Eight hundred thirteen"? "Eight-thirteen"? "Eight one three"? There's a reason the title is presented that way - but you will have to read the story to find out. You may also find out why Lupin has been - and, we are told, remains - so enormously popular at home in France.

Comments

[Les Blatt]

Xavier Lechard, who is a regular commenter on the Golden Age of Detection mail list, has sent me an email making two points. The first is that I have managed to miss the starting date of World War 1 - it began in 1914, not 1917, which was the date when the U. S. finally entered the conflict.

His second point is that "813" could be considered Arsene Lupin's "A Scandal in Bohemia," one of the very few (only?) times Sherlock Holmes was outwitted. That parallel had not occurred to me, and I think it is an excellent argument.

Lechard also has an excellent post on Lupin and "813" at http://atthevillarose.blogspot.com/2008/01/larsne.html and I commend it to you as very much worth reading!