"Arsène Lupin Intervenes" by Maurice Leblanc is a novel—more specifically, a work of detective fiction—written in the early 20th century. The book centers on the cunning and charismatic Arsène Lupin, a master gentleman-thief whose interventions unravel baffling mysteries that confound conventional detectives. Readers can expect cleverly plotted tales featuring Lupin's disguises, sharp wit, and his ongoing friendly rivalry with Inspector Béchoux, exploring themes of justice, deception, and the blurred lines between legality
and morality. The opening of "Arsène Lupin Intervenes" sets the stage with a foreword reminiscing about the more elegant, ingenious days of pre-war Parisian adventure, introducing the enigmatic detective Jim Barnett—soon revealed to be Arsène Lupin. The subsequent chapters dive into detailed cases, the first involving a baroness whose priceless pearl necklace is swapped for a fake within her own home under mysterious circumstances. Jim Barnett—disguised as a shabby yet brilliant private detective—outwits both the police and his wealthy clients, exposing hidden motives, family vengeance, and clever criminal techniques, all while challenging social expectations and maintaining his trademark ambiguity. As the narrative unfolds through further cases—such as a murder with a false alibi and a deadly game of cards—the reader is drawn into Lupin's world of unconventional sleuthing, where justice is as much about intellect and nerve as it is about the law. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Translation of: L'Agence Barnett & cie (with the addition of "The bridge that broke").
Note
Published in England under the title: Jim Barnett intervenes.
Contents
Foreword -- "Drops that trickle away" -- The royal love letter -- A game of baccarat -- The man with the gold teeth -- Twelve little nigger boys -- The bridge that broke -- The fatal miracle -- Double entry -- Arresting Arsène Lupin -- Afterword.
Credits
Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg
Reading Level
Reading ease score: 75.2 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
