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Arsene Lupin vs. Sherlock Holmes: The Hollow Needle
By Maurice Leblanc
Adapted by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier
Black Coat Press
Reviewed by: Kevin Tipple Collins
In this first volume of a planned three-volume set, the reader is introduced
to Arsene Lupin, the Gentleman Burglar of France. Maurice Leblanc made the
fictional character famous in a series of short stories and novels just
after the turn of the century approximately 100 years ago. Arsene Lupin, in
a sense, was France's answer to the exploits of the legendary Sherlock
Holmes. Various meetings between the men on opposite sides make up the two
short stories and the novel The Hollow Needle found in this book.
The Hollow Needle opens with Raymonde de Saint-Ve'ran being awoken by
sounds of intruders below her room in the country castle. She discovers they
are being robbed and with the count unconscious, takes matters into her own
capable hands. As the last person flees away from her home, she manages to
shoot and wound him at long range. The intruder goes down, and then begins
to crawl away as she goes downstairs to begin the pursuit. Once outside she
quickly goes to the place where she last saw him and discovers that he has
vanished. A search of the grounds and surrounding farmland is commenced by
the servants with no success and by dawn the gendarmes are called in.
An investigation is launched by the local magistrate and numerous clues are
discovered. Also found is a note threatening the young woman's life if she
has managed to fatally wound the boss. The media, in the form of two young
reporters, is allowed total and complete access to the case and every detail
discovered. It quickly becomes apparent that one of the reporters isn't a
reporter after all. Instead, he is a young high school student who is using
the situation as a learning experience. Isidore Beautrelet is his name and
he quickly puts together several of the clues leading the investigation
towards Lupin and his gang. What follows is a cat and mouse game as Isidore,
with Sherlock not available due to being kidnapped, leads the investigation in a pursuit of Lupin, on behalf of the authorities. Lupin, master of
disguises and plans, constantly eludes the authorities and Isidore while a
fascinated nation watches and reads all about it in the papers.
Also present in this first volume is the short story Sherlock Holmes
Arrives Too Late. Originally written in 1906, it features the first clash
between Sherlock and Lupin. The book is concluded with a short story
entitled Escape Not The Thunderbolt which is an original story penned by
Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier for this volume. In it, by following the
writing style of Maurice Leblanc, they bring several story threads from The
Hollow Needle together to provide a conclusion to the rather open ended
read.
Unlike many mystery novels today, this novel does not feature gratuitous and
graphic descriptive violence. While there are violent moments, they are
limited and are used to move the story forward on a new track. Instead, what
drives the novel forward is the mental process where deduction and reasoning
are used to solve an ever-changing puzzle thanks to the constant efforts of
Lupin. His answer is not to kill the pursuers and others that are witnesses.
Instead, his answer is to publicly celebrate the chase, his ability to
elude, and his ability to plant new false clues for Isidore and the
authorities to chase. In this case, all trails eventually lead to the
revelation of The Hollow Needle and its legendary secret involving the
Kings of France.
While Sherlock Holmes rarely makes an appearance in the novel, the book and
accompanying short stories provide a highly entertaining read. The book as
a whole combines a strong mystery, a villain that is so dastardly he becomes
likeable, and--in Isidore--a protagonist worthy of Sherlock. In the end,
Beautrelet proves that two can play at this game and win.
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