Emile Gaboriau wrote "The Widow Lerouge" or "The Lerouge Case" as a mystery novel. The rich widow Marie Lerouge is brutally murdered in her house in the French hamlet of La Jonchere, where the narrative is set. Detective Lecoq is in charge of the investigation as he begins to uncover the secrets and goals of the suspects, who also include the victim's boyfriend, her stepson, and a spiteful neighbor. Lecoq deciphers a convoluted plot including relationship drama, treachery, and retaliation via a series of turns and turns. Justice is carried out when the real offender is ultimately discovered to be an unexpected person. The detective fiction genre was greatly influenced by Gaboriau's book, which is regarded as one of its first instances. Due to the book's popularity, Lecoq appeared in a number of further books, which helped develop the structure of the contemporary detective fiction.
On November 9, 1832, a French writer named Emile Gaboriau was born in Saujon. He attended law school in Paris before deciding to focus on writing. He worked as a journalist before turning to write, contributing to publications including Le Pays and Le Petit Journal. The detective novels that Gaboriau is most known for are "The Widow Lerouge" and "The Mystery of Orcival," both of which had tremendous acclaim when they were first published. His books were known for their complex narratives, well-crafted characters, and meticulous attention to detail. One of the first writers to create a formula for detective fiction that would be adopted by many writers in the genre, he was one of the first. Detective fiction became a well-liked genre thanks in large part to Gaboriau's efforts. At the age of 40, Gaboriau passed away on September 28, 1873, leaving behind a legacy as one of the founders of detective fiction.