Arsène Lupin intervenes

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

75896

Title

Arsène Lupin intervenes

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In pre-war Paris, private detective Jim Barnett solves the mysterious disappearance of Christiane Veraldy and the wrongful accusation of Jean Desroques. Uncovering a tragic secret hidden within a police baton, Barnett clears the general's son and exposes a banker's jealousy. A witty tale of clever deduction, poetic justice, and the enduring legend of Arsène Lupin.

Summary up to 500 words

Set in pre-war Paris, *Arsène Lupin Intervenes* by Maurice Leblanc presents a collection of short stories centered on Jim Barnett, a flamboyant private detective who operates outside conventional police methods. Barnett is a mysterious figure whose true identity is eventually revealed to be the legendary Arsène Lupin. The narrative focuses on the high-stakes Desroques case: the disappearance of Christiane Veraldy and the subsequent arrest of her husband's political rival, Jean Desroques, for kidnapping and murder. Inspector Béchoux, a dandyish but capable police officer, partners with Barnett to solve the case. They investigate the scene of the accident where Christiane died, the missing photograph that could prove Jean's innocence or guilt, and the suspicious behavior of Constable Rimbourg, the officer who stopped Jean during his flight. Through a series of clever ruses, Barnett infiltrates the investigation, posing as a gypsy fortune-teller and even disguising himself as the General's servant to access the crime scene. The climax occurs when Barnett reveals that the crucial evidence—a photograph of Christiane with her child and letters explaining the tragedy—was hidden inside the hollow handle of Constable Rimbourg's police baton. The documents reveal that Christiane committed suicide out of grief after her child died, and that her husband, the wealthy banker Veraldy, had concealed her past relationship to frame Jean for murder out of jealousy. With the truth exposed, Jean Desroques is vindicated, and Veraldy is exposed as the true culprit. Barnett accepts a reward from the grateful General but refuses fees from the guilty, adhering to his agency's motto of working for glory. The story concludes with Barnett's playful revelation that he is Arsène Lupin, having successfully intervened to restore honor and justice, earning the admiration of Inspector Béchoux and securing the inspector's promotion.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Adventure
• Fiction
• Mystery