Within An Inch Of His Life

by Emile Gaboriau

Overview

Emile Gaboriau (1833-1873) is an important figure in the history of detective fiction. A French journalist and novelist, he created the "roman policier" with a series of books involving private detective Monsieur Lecoq, who works logically. Lecoq was based on a real-life thief turned policeman named Francois Vidocq (1775-1857), whose memoirs mixed fiction and fact. Gaboriau's huge following was eclipsed by Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Interestingly, Holmes may have been at least partly based on another of Gaboriau's characters, consulting detective Father Tabaret, whose methods Monsieur Lecoq adopts in the first Lecoq book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789358595291
Publisher:	Double 9 Books
Publication date:	07/01/2023
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.93(d)

About the Author

Emile Gaboriau, a French author, novelist, journalist, and father of detective fiction, lived from 9 November 1832 to 28 September 1873. Gaboriau was born in the Charente-Maritime village of Saujon. He was the son of Marguerite Stéphanie Gaboriau and Charles Gabriel Gaboriau, a public figure. After working as Paul Féval's secretary and publishing a few novels and other works, Gaboriau discovered his true talent in L'Affaire Lerouge (1866). Le Siècle published the work, which immediately established his reputation. When Sherlock Holmes was invented by Arthur Conan Doyle, Monsieur Lecoq's international notoriety waned, and Gaboriau attracted a sizable following. In 1872, the tale was performed on stage. The police court's history was the subject of a protracted series of novels that quickly gained popularity. Gaboriau died from pulmonary apoplexy in Paris. In 13 years, Gaboriau produced 21 novels (originally published in serial form) thanks to his fertile imagination and astute observation.