The Hollow Needle by Maurice Leblanc (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of The Hollow Needle by Maurice Leblanc. It provides a thorough exploration of the novel’s plot, characters and main themes, including theft, fraud and mystery. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 42-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of Maurice Leblanc
• Presentation of The Hollow Needle
• Summary of The Hollow Needle
• Character study
  • Isodore Beautrelet
  • Arsène Lupin
  • Raymonde de Saint-Véran
• Analysis of The Hollow Needle
  • Multiple narrative threads: a mark of the serialized novel
  • The issue of verisimilitude
  • Arsène Lupin: a new type of hero

About The Hollow Needle 

The Hollow Needle is one of the French author Maurice Leblanc’s best-known novels. It features his celebrated gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, who finds himself playing a tense game of cat and mouse with a talented schoolboy who sets out to reveal the truth about his latest exploits. In a gripping story centered around theft, deception and murder, the ingenious criminal manages to stay several steps ahead of the authorities, until a thrilling final showdown has terrible consequences for one of the characters.

About Maurice Leblanc

Maurice Leblanc was a French novelist and short story writer, best known for his stories about the fictional gentleman thief Arsène Lupin. After studying law and working as a journalist, he decided to devote himself to fiction, and capitalized on the immense popularity of serialized fiction to write a number of detective stories featuring Lupin.

Leblanc was awarded the French Legion of Honour for his services to literature, and is one of France’s best-known writers of detective fiction. He died in 1941.