In my last post, I mentioned that the "Penguin Book of Gaslight Crime" didn't include any of Laurice Leblanc's "Arsene Lupin" stories, about the granddaddy of all gentleman-thieves. If you haven't met that interesting character yet, let me refer you back to "Arsene Lupin, Gentleman-Thief ," with an excellent introduction and notes by Michael Sims, the same critic responsible for the "Penguin Book of Gaslight Crime." I reviewed it last year on the "Classic Mysteries" podcast, and you can still listen to the review here. Sims calls Lupin "the most entertaining felon in literature," and I would have to agree with him. This collection contains a dozen stories showing Leblanc and Lupin at their best.
If you prefer your hijinks at novel length, you might want to try "813," which I reviewed earlier this year - again, you can listen to my review here. It's more than just a collection of episodes - it deals with a vast and complicated plot, several murders, and a scheme hatched by Lupin to shift the balance of power in Europe. It's another delightful read, and it is generally considered one of the best of the novels featuring Lupin.
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