Crime · Gentleman thief
Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar
Reading level: we suggest CEFR B2 for reading Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar in English (it was first written in French). Length: nine short stories.
- Suggested levelB2
- Lengthnine short stories
- Original languageFrench
The story
Arsène Lupin robs the rich, but he does it with manners, jokes and a calling card. The first story opens on a transatlantic liner where everyone learns that Lupin is on board — under a false name, and possibly sitting at their table.
In the stories that follow he steals from inside a prison, slips out of the Santé on the day of his trial and crosses paths with an English detective who looks suspiciously like a certain resident of Baker Street.
Themes: disguise, wit versus force, justice and the law, Belle Époque Paris.
Why it's a good book for language learners
Each story is short and self-contained, which makes Lupin ideal for steady, low-pressure practice: one story, one sitting. The narration is playful and full of twists, so you stay curious enough to push through unfamiliar words. If you are learning French, the original text by Maurice Leblanc is one of the most readable classics of its era.
How hard is the English in Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar?
- Flesch Reading Ease83.7
- Flesch–Kincaid grade4.0
- Words per sentence9.6
Measured by PageWalker on the full English text of the book. Flesch Reading Ease runs from 0 to 100 (higher is easier; 60–70 is plain English) and the Flesch–Kincaid grade is a US school grade. These formulas only count sentence and word length, so they miss old-fashioned vocabulary, wordplay and style. That is why our CEFR level, which takes those into account, can be higher than the formula suggests.
What you'll practise
- Narrative past tenses (passé simple vs. passé composé in French)
- Vocabulary of crime, police and prison
- Polite and ironic register
- Describing people and disguises
Reading tip
Before each story, write down who you think the culprit is after the first page. Lupin stories reward guessing.
Did you know?
Lupin first appeared in 1905 in the magazine Je sais tout; the stories were collected as a book in 1907.
The PageWalker adventure
In the adventure you plan the heists yourself — pick the wrong move and the police win. You can try the first page in your browser, and the adventure is available in 13 languages with click-to-translate.
Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar in other languages
- EnglishArsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar
- العربيةأرسين لوبين، اللص الظريف
- DeutschArsène Lupin, der Gentleman-Gauner
- EspañolArsène Lupin, caballero ladrón
- FrançaisArsène Lupin, gentleman-cambrioleur
- हिन्दीआर्सीन ल्यूपिन, सज्जन चोर
- ItalianoArsène Lupin, ladro gentiluomo
- 日本語怪盗紳士アルセーヌ・ルパン
- 한국어괴도 신사 아르센 뤼팽
- PortuguêsArsène Lupin, o Ladrão de Casaca
- РусскийАрсен Люпен, джентльмен-грабитель
- TürkçeKibar Hırsız Arsène Lupin
- 简体中文亚森·罗平，绅士怪盗
Questions about Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar
What reading level is Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar?
We suggest CEFR B2 for reading Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar in English (it was first written in French). Each story is short and self-contained, which makes Lupin ideal for steady, low-pressure practice: one story, one sitting. On readability formulas the English text scores a Flesch Reading Ease of 83.7 and a Flesch–Kincaid grade of 4.0, with an average of 9.6 words per sentence.
How long is Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar?
Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar by Maurice Leblanc (1907). Length: nine short stories.
Can I play Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar as an interactive adventure?
Yes. In the adventure you plan the heists yourself — pick the wrong move and the police win. You can try the first page in your browser, in 13 languages.
Updated 16 October 2026
