<b>The Slaves of Paris</b> was first published in 1868 and is the fourth book in &Eacute;mile Gaboriau&#39;s Monsieur Lecoq series. The novel follows the famous detective <b>Monsieur Lecoq</b> as he investigates a complex case involving the disappearance of a wealthy young woman and a mysterious organization known as &quot;The Slaves of Paris.&quot; The novel is considered one of the earliest examples of detective fiction and helped to popularize the genre in France.<br /><br /><b>&Eacute;mile Gaboriau</b> (1832-1873) was a French author and journalist who is often credited with being one of the founders of the modern detective novel. He is best known for his series of novels featuring the detective <b>Monsieur Lecoq</b>.