Maurice Leblanc was a French novelist best known for his creation of the gentleman thief and detective Arsène Lupin. His Lupin series combines elements of mystery and adventure. In 1908, Leblanc was awarded the Légion d'Honneur for his contribution to literature.
Born in Rouen, France, Maurice Leblanc initially pursued a career in law before turning to writing. Leblanc was born to Émile Leblanc, a shipowner, and Mathilde Blanche. He attended Lycée Corneille in Rouen, meeting notable figures such as Gustave Flaubert and Guy de Maupassant.
In 1888, he moved to Paris to pursue writing, initially working as a journalist. His first novel, Une Femme (1893), gained some success, but Arsène Lupin made him famous.
Leblanc's most famous creation first appeared in a series of short stories serialised in the magazine Je sais tout in 1905. The character, a witty and charming thief, quickly captivated readers. The first collection, "Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar" (1906), introduced nine stories, establishing Lupin as a French cultural icon. Leblanc's inspiration for Lupin may have been influenced by Octave Mirbeau's works featuring a gentleman thief.
By 1907, Leblanc had transitioned to writing full-length Lupin novels. Arsène Lupin versus Herlock Sholmes (1908) showcased a playful rivalry with a character resembling Sherlock Holmes. This book's title change resulted from legal pressure from Arthur Conan Doyle. Leblanc continued to develop the Lupin character, publishing The Confessions of Arsène Lupin (1912), The Eight Strokes of the Clock (1922), and Arsène Lupin Intervenes (1928).
Despite his success with Lupin, Leblanc sometimes expressed frustration with being typecast. He experimented with other genres, including science fiction, but ultimately returned to Lupin. He lived in Étretat, Normandy, in a house he named Clos Lupin, where he wrote many of his later works.
Maurice Leblanc passed away in Perpignan in 1941.
In January 2021, Netflix premiered the Lupin series, a French mystery thriller. The series has been a huge success, with all three episodes ranking in the streamer's international top ten. The third part debuted in October 2023 and topped the international (non-English language) television charts with nearly 11.6 million views in its first four days.
