By Maurice Leblanc; translator and editor: Nicolae Sfetcu
Arsene Lupin, The Gentleman Burglar is a collection of nine stories, written by Maurice Leblanc, who constitute the first adventures of Arsene Lupin. The color cover of the original edition is designed by Henri Goussé.
The first story in the collection, The Arrest of Arsene Lupin, was published in July 1905 in the newspaper Je sais tout. This is the first story implementing Arsène Lupin. It has a real success, Maurice Leblanc is encouraged to write the sequel by his editor. Or, as the author is perplexed on how to continue the adventures of a hero who has been locked up, the publisher ordered to him to escape. The saga of the gentleman thief was born. Several new appeared in Je sais tout, at irregular intervals, until 1907, before being grouped in volume.