Customer Reviews

Arsene Lupin vs Sherlock Holmes: The Blonde Phantom

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This translation/adaptation of Maurice Leblanc's classic Arsene Lupin/Sherlock Holmes tales (Black Coat Press, 2005) also includes two additional stories by Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier. The two extra stories are put in context with the Leblanc tales, in chronological order, and makes the continuity of the original Leblanc stories flow more smoothly.

Black Coat Press puts a lot of these "value-added" extras (extra pastiche stories, timelines, etc.) in a lot of their books making them that much more worth purchasing, in my opinion.

Bottom line: if you appreciate crossovers, you can't go wrong with this volume.

And for even more crossovers, and more Lupin and Holmes pastiche tales, try Black Coat's TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN.

Actually, this book should have preceeded The Hollow Needle. The World's Greatest Detective faces off with the World's Greatest Gentleman Thief in a struggle to recove a fabulous blue diamond! The Gentleman Thief has a new sidekick-- the woman known as The Blonde Phantom, suspected of murder, known thief, and half ghost to judge from her appearences and disappearences! What's up?

To top it off, Holmes has told Lupin he will have him arrested in ten days. Lupin is no fool, he knows the detective only too well. Poor old Watson pays the price-- a broken arm, which Holmes, caught up in the heat of the chase almost callously ignores.

But despite all Lupin's artifice, Holmes keeps his promise. He just forgot one small detail-- Arsene Lupin. The Gentleman Thief isn't going quitely to prison for anyone-- not even a dear friend and opponent like Sherlock Holmes! Quoth the Raven...

While this book (as with most Lupin v Holmes tales penned by Leblanc) is a little too hard on the English Detective, it doesn't go to the extremes to which The Hollow Needle does. I find that in The Blonde Phantom Lupin and Holmes actually come to the mutual respect one would expect from the two prodigious enemies. Exceedingly funny and interesting, as any tale involving the insane Lupin would be. In short, the best tale of Lupin v Holmes I've read so far. I highly recommend it to fans of either thief or detective.