The Purloined Letter

C. Auguste Dupin is an extraordinary private investigator (at that time the term detective didn´t exist), who solved the case of The Murders in the Rue Morgue and came close to the solution of The Mystery of Marie Rogêt (based on a case of the real life, which could not be resolved by the authorities). However, his merits are not recognized, and he is envied by other inspectors, who rarely ask for his collaboration. So much so that the police prefect hasn´t spoken to Dupin for years and goes desperate to him, expecting his support. Dupin is already upset with the police chief because he knows that his efforts are not and will not be recognized in the police department. The prefect recounts that a compromising letter was stolen from a lady of the nobility, in her presence, and she could not complain, at that time, because there was another person in that room. And precisely, the rogue is a minister, who skillfully exchanged one of his letters for that one, and now uses that letter to blackmail the noblewoman. Even this document is so important that a large reward has been offered to recover it, but the prefect has broken into the minister’s residence, assaulted him by sending his men as false criminals, and hasn´t been able to recover that letter. That´s why he has no choice but to go to Dupin, even if he doesn´t get along with him.