The Hollow Needle · Character
M. Massiban
An elderly expert whose historical learning helps Beautrelet read the old Norman coast as a map of royal secrets.
supporting
Also known as Massiban, this elderly Massiban
First appearance: vi an historic secret
As a supporting figure in The Hollow Needle, M. Massiban is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Provides Beautrelet with a passage from Voltaire's manuscript linking Louis XIV to the Larbeyrie affair.
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Massiban belongs to the world of archives and erudition that Beautrelet must consult when deduction alone runs out, an elderly authority on the deep history of the Havre estuary and the old centres of French power. He…
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The fuller portrait of M. Massiban sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See M. Massiban in vi an historic secretCharacter Web
12 connectionsA slice of how M. Massiban sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Professional
- Other
Character groups
- Primary Investigation Circle
- Protagonist
+7 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Isidore reaches his emotional and psychological nadir here, having been utterly defeated and humiliated by Lup…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Isidore Beautrelet
professional · positive
Massiban, an archivist, collaborates with Beautrelet by providing historical clues about… How this plays out →
- Arsène Lupin
professional · ambivalent
- Isidore Beautrelet
professional · positive
Massiban, an archivist, collaborates with Beautrelet by providing historical clues about… How this plays out →
- Arsène Lupin
professional · ambivalent
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See M. Massiban in vi an historic secretIn the story
M. Massiban appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for M. Massiban unlock in the free preview.
See M. Massiban in vi an historic secret