The Lerouge Case by Emile Gaboriau

Name: The Lerouge Case
Author: Emile Gaboriau

The story revolves around a wealthy businessman, Monsieur Lerouge, who disappears mysteriously. His wife reports him missing to the police, and an investigation ensues. The case becomes complex when a decomposed body is found in a forest, which is later identified as Lerouge's. Suspicion falls on his wife and her lover, but they have solid alibis. The detective, Monsieur Leco, takes over the case and uncovers a web of deceit, revealing that Lerouge was murdered by his nephew, who had been embezzling funds from his uncle's business.

By Emile Gaboriau · First published 1866 · Genre: Detective Fiction, Mystery, Crime Fiction · 20 chapters · 152,039 words

First lines

On Thursday, the 6th of March, 1862, two days after Shrove Tuesday, five women belonging to the village of La Jonchere presented themselves at the police station at Bougival.

They stated that for two days past no one had seen the Widow Lerouge, one of their neighbours, who lived by herself in an isolated cottage. They had several times knocked at the door, but all in vain. The window-shutters as well as the door were closed; and it was impossible to obtain even a glimpse of the interior.

What this Textopian page supports

The Lerouge Case is listed on Textopian as a novel by Emile Gaboriau, dated 1866 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Emile Gaboriau
Date: 1866 CE
Language: English
Genres: Detective Fiction, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Legal Drama
Length: 152,039 words
Structure: 20 chapters, 3,065 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Detective Fiction — The plot revolves around a murder investigation led by a detective.
Mystery — The story involves solving the mystery of a crime.
Crime Fiction — The narrative focuses on criminal activities and their investigation.
Thriller — The book contains suspenseful and thrilling elements.