Title: steal this book--please
Product review: Reminded me of an episodic TV detective show--interesting premise (gentleman burglar) executed poorly, without much verve. Leblanc is more interested in going on and on about how great his hero is--a matter of reputation--than in showing us how he works in any sort of interesting way--a matter of dramatic tension. Most of these tales have the transparent dramatic devices (how many "It's Lupin in disguise!" tricks can you pull in one book?) and anti-climactic conclusions of Grimms' fairy tales. Usually it's more important to Leblanc that Lupin did a crime than it is HOW he did it, which isn't nearly as interesting. There are a few exceptions, but basically this is thin melodrama, striking concept though it may be.--J.Ruch
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