The Clique of Gold

by Émile Gaboriau

There is not in all Paris a house better kept or more inviting-looking than No. 23 in Grange Street. As soon as you enter, you are struck by a minute, extreme neatness, which reminds you of Holland, and almost sets you a-laughing. The neighbors might use the brass plate on the door as a mirror to shave in; the stone floor is polished till it shines; and the woodwork of the staircase is varnished to perfection. In the entrance-hall a number of notices, written in the peculiar style which owners of houses affect, request the tenants to respect the property of others, without regard to the high price they pay for their share. "Clean your feet, if you please," they say to all who come in or go out. "No spitting allowed on the stairs." "Dogs are not allowed in the house."

Genres: Mystery

172 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1871

About the author

Gaboriau was born in the small town of Saujon, Charente-Maritime. He became a secretary to Paul Féval, and after publishing some novels and miscellaneous writings, found his real gift in L'Affaire Lerouge (1866).

The book, which was Gaboriau's first detective novel, introduced an amateur detective. It also introduced a young police officer named Monsieur Lecoq, who was the hero in three of Gaboriau's later detective novels. The character of Lecoq was based on a real-life thief turned police officer, Eugène François Vidocq (1775–1857), whose own memoirs, Les Vrais Mémoires de Vidocq, mixed fiction and fact. It may also have been influenced by the villainous Monsieur Lecoq, one of the main protagonists of Féval's Les Habits Noirs book series.

The book was published in "Le Siècle" and at once made his reputation. Gaboriau gained a huge following, but when Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes, Monsieur Lecoq's international fame declined. The story was produced on the stage in 1872. A long series of novels dealing with the annals of the police court followed, and proved very popular. Gaboriau died in Paris of pulmonary apoplexy.

Gaboriau's books were generally well received. About the Mystery of the Orcival, Harper's wrote in 1872 "Of its class of romance - French sensational - this is a remarkable and unique specimen". A film version of Le Dossier n° 113 (File No. 113) was released in 1932.

Reviews

[Philip Lewis]

A most excellent melodrama/mystery set in C19th Paris (& briefly, Vietnam). Romance, intrigue, deeper intrigue, cads, an adventuress, and flawed heroes, as well as an interesting description of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) at that time. What more could you want. This is the first book I’ve read by Gaboriau, and I shall certainly read more. I managed to get hold of a lovely copy by Scibners (1913) to read, with beautiful paper and several illustrations.

[P.]

A French sensational novel written in 1871. It is a bit long, with more detail than I wanted to know, and only picks up at the 50% mark, when it becomes interesting, although this leads to another ocean of detail, which in turn leads to the long heralded denouement, really just a pat on the head. Fine translation.

[arg/machine]

Vintage crime/mystery that's in the public domain, with a free electronic copy available here.

[Emily]

I love this book, a little slow at first, but so worth it.