The Hollow Needle

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

The Hollow Needle

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

In this classic mystery, a brilliant gentleman thief battles a young detective to protect a legendary royal secret. Featuring a battle of wits between Arsène Lupin and his nemesis Holmlock Shears, the story unfolds with suspense, high-stakes chases, and emotional depth as Lupin sacrifices his legendary status for love.

Summary up to 500 words

In Maurice Leblanc's *The Hollow Needle*, the narrative begins at the Château d'Ambrumesy, where a mysterious gunshot shatters the night's peace. Raymonde de Saint-Veran and her cousin Suzanne discover the Count de Gesvres and his secretary, Jean Daval, seemingly murdered in the drawing room. However, the Count survives, revealing that the theft of valuables was not the primary motive, as the room remained perfectly undisturbed. The investigation shifts to Isidore Beautrelet, the Count's son and a former schoolboy of Arsène Lupin. After weeks of fruitless searching, Beautrelet receives a letter from his father, written from a castle in Cuzion, Indre. The letter reveals that the Count is being held captive but is treated well. Beautrelet tracks the kidnappers to Port-Lupin, a hidden gorge where Lupin has retired to live as a farmer named Louis Valmeras. There, Lupin has abandoned his criminal past to live peacefully with Raymonde, whom he loves deeply. He has sacrificed his treasures and his identity to become an honest man worthy of her. This peace is shattered by the arrival of Holmlock Shears, a ruthless Englishman and Lupin's arch-nemesis. Shears arrives with a gang intending to capture Lupin and his mother, Victoire. A tense confrontation ensues at the farm's gate. Shears threatens Raymonde, but Lupin, driven by love and desperation, shoots Shears in the arm to save her. The conflict escalates as Shears orders his men to fire. Lupin dispatches them, but in the chaos, Raymonde is shot and killed by Shears' bullet. Overcome with grief and rage, Lupin attacks Shears, who is already dying. In a final, tragic act, Lupin carries Raymonde's body to the sea, ending his adventure. The story concludes with Lupin walking into the darkness, a broken man who lost everything for love, leaving Beautrelet to mourn the end of the Hollow Needle's legend.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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