1910. Leblanc is the French author and journalist known as the creator of Arsene Lupin, French gentleman-thief turned detective, who is featured in more than 60 of Leblanc's crime novels and short stories. The book begins: It was a strange ending to a voyage that had commenced in a most auspicious manner. The transatlantic steamship La Provence was a swift and comfortable vessel, under the command of a most affable man. The passengers constituted a select and delightful society. The charm of new acquaintances and improvised amusements served to make the time pass agreeably. We enjoyed the pleasant sensation of being separated from the world, living, as it were, upon an unknown island, and consequently obliged to be sociable with each other. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.