# Prince Rénine — The Eight Strokes of the Clock character guide

> Prince Rénine in The Eight Strokes of the Clock by Maurice Leblanc.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Serge Rénine, Prince Serge Rénine, Prince

**First appearance:** 0001-the-eight-strokes-of-the-clock

## Snapshot

A magnetic stranger whose arrival at a country château coincides with a thwarted elopement, he turns idle curiosity into a talent for unraveling other people's secrets.

## Who they are

Rénine drifts into the Château de la Marèze as a guest nobody can quite place, and by the time Hortense Daniel tries to flee her marriage he has already taken an interest in her predicament. He is unhurried, faintly amused, and impossible to read — a man who seems to know more about the company than he lets on. His habit of turning up exactly when a mystery needs solving makes him the engine of the book's investigations.

## In the story

### [Author's Note](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/chapters/author-s-note)

The friend to whom Lupin attributes the adventures; possibly an alias of Lupin himself.

### [The Eight Strokes of the Clock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/chapters/the-eight-strokes-of-the-clock)

Central figure, likely the protagonist orchestrating adventures.

### [I: On the Top of the Tower](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/chapters/i-on-the-top-of-the-tower)

Confronts the Comte d’Aigleroche, forces restitution of Hortense's fortune, and proposes a series of adventures to Hortense.

### [The Water-Bottle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/chapters/ii-the-water-bottle)

Duels Rossigny; takes charge of the Aubrieux case, questioning Madeleine and calling the police.

### [The Case of Jean Louis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/chapters/iii-the-case-of-jean-louis)

Takes on the case of Jean Louis at Geneviève's request, travels to Brittany, and challenges the family's accepted story about the children's identities.

### [IV: The Telltale Film](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/chapters/iv-the-telltale-film)

Observes the butler's obsession in the film, tracks Rose Andrée, orchestrates Dalbrèque's rescue, and reflects on his relationship with Hortense.

### [V: Thérèse and Germaine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/chapters/v-th-r-se-and-germaine)

Investigates the murder, watches the Astaings, and retrieves a key letter from d'Ormeval's blazer pocket.

### [The Lady with the Hatchet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/chapters/vi-the-lady-with-the-hatchet)

Desperately searches for Hortense after her disappearance, realizing his love for her; deduces the killer's identity and confronts M. de Lourtier.

### [Footprints in the Snow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/chapters/vii-footprints-in-the-snow)

Receives Hortense's letter, investigates the Manoir-au-Puits mystery, and deduces the truth about Mathias de Gorne's death.

### [At the Sign of Mercury](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/chapters/viii-at-the-sign-of-mercury)

Explains his deduction about the Mercury statuette and the hidden clasp; orchestrates the final moment with the Halingre clock.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/characters/prince_renine
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eight_strokes_of_the_clock_se/characters