Two Crimes

Fortuné Du Boisgobey (1821-1891) was the chief of the followers of Émile Gaboriau, creator of Monsieur Lecoq. He was a prolific writer, with more than sixty works to his name, and one of the most popular French feuilleton writers. His novels dealt with crime, the police, and Parisian life. They had a high circulation, and many of them were translated into English. Two of his best classic mysteries are represented here in new translations by Nina Cooper: The Omnibus Murder (1881): A young Parisian artist, returning to his studio by the midnight omnibus, witnesses the death of a young girl. He at first thinks she's been murdered, but dismisses the idea. Fortunately, his friend solicits the aid of the mysterious Piédouche to bring the killer to justice. The Ferry Murder (1882): The Vignemal family perishes when their small ferry boat capsizes in a freak storm. Who inherits depends on who died first, the husband, or the wife. Will officials believe the young man who attempted a rescue? Or is he a killer in league with one of the many potential inheritors of the Vignemals' large estate?