Fortuné du Boisgobey


Fortuné Hippolyte Auguste Abraham-Dubois, under the nom de plume Fortuné du Boisgobey, was a French novelist.

Life

Fortuné du Boisgobey was born at Granville, and graduated from the Lycée Saint-Louis. He served as paymaster to the Army of Africa through several campaigns in Algeria from 1844 to 1848. His parents were wealthy, yet at forty or upwards, he took to writing.
In 1843, using the name Fortuné Abraham-Dubois, he made his literary debut in the Journal d'Avranches with a series entitled Lettres de Sicile recounting a voyage he had taken the year before. His first successful novel, Les Deux comédiens appeared in 1868, under the du Boisgobey pen name in the Petit Journal.
The story was popular, and M. Paul Dalloz of the Petit Moniteur signed a contract with the author for seven years at 12,000ƒ a year. His reputation was increased by the publication of Une Affaire mystérieuse and Le Forçat colonel, both published there in 1869.
In 1877, Figaro engaged him for a series of novels, which increased the success of that paper.
He was prolific, with more than sixty works to his name, and became one of the most popular feuilleton writers.
In 1885 and 1886 he was President of the Committee of the Société des gens de lettres. Du Boisgobey died in 1891 after a long illness.

Works

Du Boisgobey was the chief of the followers of Émile Gaboriau, with whom his name is generally associated. He even wrote a sequel, La Vieillesse de M. Lecoq, using Gaboriau's character Monsieur Lecoq in 1877–78. His novels deal with crime, the police, and Parisian life. They had a high circulation, and the greater part of them have been translated into English.
English translations exist for the following works.Le Forçat colonel - Le Chevalier Casse-Cou - The Chevalier Casse-Cou /
  • * Le Camélia rouge - The Red Camelia
  • * La Chasse aux ancêtres - The Search for AncestorsLe Vrai Masque de fer - The Iron MaskL’As de cœur - La Tresse blonde - Le Coup de pouce - Les Mystères du nouveau Paris - The Mysteries of New ParisL'Enragé - Marie-Rose; or, The Mystery
  • "La Jambe Noire" - Les deux merles de M. de Saint-Mars - Paris: E. DentuUne Affaire mystérieuse - La Vieillesse de M. Lecoq -
  • * Première partie - The Old Age of Monsieur Lecoq
  • * Deuxième partie - The Nabob of BahourL'Épingle rose -
  • * Première partie - The Coral Pin
  • * Deuxième partie - The Temple of DeathL'Héritage de Jean Tourniol - The Robbery of the Orphans; or, Jean Tourniol's InheritanceLe Crime de l'Opéra ou "La Rideau Sanglante" - The Crime of the Opera House / The Opera-House Tragedy
  • *
  • * La Main coupée - /
  • * Première partie - The Countess Yalta; or, The Nihilist Spy
  • * Deuxième partie - Doctor Villagos; or, The Nihilist ChiefOù est Zénobie? - Where's Zenobia? / Zénobie Capitaine
  • *
  • * Le Tambour de Montmirail - L'Affaire Matapan - / The Matapan JewelsL'Équipage du diable - / Satan's CoachLe Crime de l'omnibus - / The Crime in the OmnibusLe Pavé de Paris - Les Deux bonnets verts - / MérindolLe Pignon maudit - / The Privateersman's LegacyLe Bac - / Was it a Murder? or, Who is the Heir? / The Ferry-Boat / Article 722; or, Roger's InheritanceLes Suites d'un duel - La Revanche de Fernande - Le Cochon d'or - Bouche cousue - Sealed LipsLe Collier d'acier - Le Coup d'œil de M. Piédouche - / The Parisian Detective / Piedouche, a French Detective / The Severed Head; or, A Terrible ConfessionLe Billet rouge - / Lover or Blackmailer?Le Mari de la diva - Le Secret de Berthe -
  • * Première partie - Bertha's Secret
  • * Deuxième partie - The Countess de MarcenacBabiole -
  • * Première partie -
  • * Deuxième partie - The Victim of DestinyMargot la Balafrée - / The Vitriol Thrower
  • * Première partie - The Sculptor's Daughter
  • * Deuxième partie - The Count's RingLa Voilette bleue - / The Angel of the Belfry / The Blue Veil; or, The Crime of the TowerLe Cri du sang - / Le Pouce crochu - / Zig-Zag the Clown; or, The Steel GauntletsLa Belle geôlière - La Bande rouge -
  • * Première partie - The Red Band
  • * Deuxième partie - Scarlet Mystery / The Mystery of the OakPorte close - / The Closed DoorRubis sur l'ongle - Cœur volant -
  • "Le Gredins"
  • *
  • * Jean Coup-en-deux - Cornaline la Dompteuse - L'Œil-de-chat - The Cat's-Eye Ring: A Secret of Paris LifeGrippe-Soleil - The Bride of a Day: a Story of Paris LifeLe Chalet des Pervenches - Mariage d'inclination - Le plongeur: scènes de la vie sportive - The High Roller; or, Plunging and Honeyfugling on the Race-Track: A Sporting RomanceFontenay Coup-d'Epée - Le Chêne-Capitaine - In Chase of CrimeUn Cadet de Normandie au XVIIe siècle - An Ocean Knight; or, The Corsairs and their ConquerorsAcquittée -