The Hollow Needle

The Hollow Needle written by Maurice Leblanc chronicles the exploits of gentleman thief Ars?ne Lupin. This was first published as a serial in the French magazine Je sais tout from November 1908 to May 1909, just like the first two volumes of Ars?ne Lupin's stories. With a few changes, it was published in June 1909 and the book has a plot of Isidore Beautrelet, a youthful but talented amateur investigator still in high school but who is ready to cause Ars?ne Lupin a lot of trouble, is Ars?ne Lupin's opponent this time. The second secret of Marie Antoinette and Alessandro Cagliostro, the secret wealth of the French monarchy, is given to Ars?ne Lupin by Josephine Balsamo in the book The Countess of Cagliostro. This is the world of Ars?ne Lupin (1924). Since the time of Julius Caesar, the Kings of France have been passing down a secret, which Ars?ne Lupin has now learned, in The Mystery of the Hollow Needle. The fabled needle has the most incredible riches one could conceive, including the money of the French monarchs and a collection of pearls, diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and queens' dowries.