The long arm of Fantômas

"The Long Arm of Fantômas" by Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain is a detective novel written in the early 20th century. This work is part of a series that follows the exploits of the elusive criminal Fantômas and his adversaries. The story revolves around a series of mysterious events that include a bank collector’s murder, a corrupt advocate, and the entanglement of several dubious characters, all set against the backdrop of Paris. At the start of the narrative, we meet M. Moche, an advocate-turned-businessman who is involved in less-than-legal activities. After a bank collector is brutally murdered in a flat upstairs, Moche's greed leads him to steal the banknotes that were meant for another. Meanwhile, we are introduced to Paulet and Nini, a young couple engaged in questionable dealings, as well as Jérôme Fandor, a journalist who is on a quest to investigate the truth behind Fantômas. The opening sets up a complex web of crime and deception, with Moche's opportunism and the impending danger of Fantômas's return creating a suspenseful atmosphere that pulls readers into the unfolding intrigue. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Pierre Souvestre was a French lawyer, journalist, writer and organizer of motor races. He is mostly remembered today for his co-creation with Marcel Allain of the fictional arch-villain and master criminal Fantômas.