File No. 113

8 hrs. 16 min.

Language Russian

Author Émile Gaboriau

Narrator Irina Yerisanova

Émile Gaboriau was a French writer, one of the founders of the detective genre. His early domestic and historical books did not find success, but his very first attempt in the detective genre sparked a lively response in society, which was searching for an “angel of mercy” in the form of a clever and resourceful sleuth. That is exactly who became the hero of nearly all of Gaboriau’s works: police inspector Lecoq. Gaboriau’s influence on European literature is undeniable: his novel “Monsieur Lecoq” served as the basis for Collins’s book “The Moonstone”; Stevenson imitated him in detective novellas (especially “The Rajah’s Diamond”); the celebrated Conan Doyle grew entirely out of Gaboriau’s work, and Sherlock Holmes was only the essence of the type of detective he drew; Edgar Wallace also made use of Gaboriau’s legacy, not to mention the countless minor imitators.

The novel “Case No. 113” is typical of Gaboriau. Where the crime is committed—whether in city quarters or in remote countryside—absolutely does not matter. The important thing is who investigates it. Criminals cannot hide from justice once Inspector Lecoq takes the case. His sharp mind, refined logic, and deductive method help the detective uncover even the most unlikely crimes.

1. Monsieur Lecoq (narrated by Irina Vorobyova) 2. The Mystery of Orcival (narrated by Evgeny Ternovsky) 3. File No. 113 5. The Slaves of Paris (narrated by Ksenia Shirokaya)