"The Purloined Letter" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe featuring the detective C. Auguste Dupin. The story revolves around a compromising letter stolen from a high-ranking lady, likely a member of royalty, by the Minister D—, a government official with intellectual prowess. The Minister uses the letter to exert power over the lady.

The Paris police, led by the Prefect G—, are aware of the letter's importance and know that Minister D— possesses it. They thoroughly search his apartment while he is away, leaving no stone unturned. However, they find nothing. Frustrated, the Prefect seeks the assistance of Dupin, who agrees to help for a fee.

Dupin deduces that the police failed because they only searched in places where they themselves would hide something, underestimating the Minister's intelligence and audacity. Dupin understands that the Minister would hide the letter in plain sight, anticipating that no one would suspect it to be so openly displayed.

Dupin visits Minister D—'s apartment and, under the pretense of discussing business, observes the surroundings. He notices a letter, crumpled and dirty, stuck conspicuously in a card rack. He recognizes it as the purloined letter, cleverly disguised to appear unimportant.

Knowing he cannot simply take the letter, Dupin arranges a distraction. During a return visit, he engineers a gunshot outside the Minister's window. As the Minister rushes to the window, Dupin swaps the purloined letter with a replica he had prepared.

Dupin explains to the Prefect that he retrieved the letter by understanding the Minister's psychology and anticipating his actions. He also reveals that he left a note in the swapped letter, hinting at his triumph and referencing a shared history between himself and Minister D—.