L'Argent Des Autres

by Émile Gaboriau

Vincent Favoral, caissier au Credit Mutuel menant une vie austere avec sa femme et a ses enfants, est accuse d'avoir detourne une somme colossale. Il nie et s'enfuit afin d'echapper a la police. Sa famille decouvre bientot l'etendue de la malversation. Des complots se creent, des meurtres sont commis et la famille de Vincent Favoral fera tout pour retrouver son honneur..."

Genres: Classics, France, Fiction, Mystery

512 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1874

About the author

Gaboriau was born in the small town of Saujon, Charente-Maritime. He became a secretary to Paul Féval, and after publishing some novels and miscellaneous writings, found his real gift in L'Affaire Lerouge (1866).

The book, which was Gaboriau's first detective novel, introduced an amateur detective. It also introduced a young police officer named Monsieur Lecoq, who was the hero in three of Gaboriau's later detective novels. The character of Lecoq was based on a real-life thief turned police officer, Eugène François Vidocq (1775–1857), whose own memoirs, Les Vrais Mémoires de Vidocq, mixed fiction and fact. It may also have been influenced by the villainous Monsieur Lecoq, one of the main protagonists of Féval's Les Habits Noirs book series.

The book was published in "Le Siècle" and at once made his reputation. Gaboriau gained a huge following, but when Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes, Monsieur Lecoq's international fame declined. The story was produced on the stage in 1872. A long series of novels dealing with the annals of the police court followed, and proved very popular. Gaboriau died in Paris of pulmonary apoplexy.

Gaboriau's books were generally well received. About the Mystery of the Orcival, Harper's wrote in 1872 "Of its class of romance - French sensational - this is a remarkable and unique specimen". A film version of Le Dossier n° 113 (File No. 113) was released in 1932.

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The name of Émile Gaboriau has been on my list of authors I’d like to investigate for quite some time, and when I found a stand-alone book that filled a difficult year in my 100 Years of Books project I knew that his time had come.

The drama kicks off in the very first chapter.

A bank manager is running down quiet street in Paris. He bursts into his head cashier’s home, interrupting a dinner party, and tells his cashier, that all is discovered, that the police are close behind him, and that he must flee.

The police are close behind, seeking to arrest the cashier for the theft of twelve million francs, but he has eluded them. He has slipped out the back window, climbing down a rope made of bed-sheets that his quick thinking-son tied together for him.

The man’s family – his wife, that son and his daughter – didn’t know what to think. They had been ruled over by an autocratic man, they lived quite parsimoniously, and they definitely hadn’t seen any sign of the missing money.

And so the author threw questions into the air:

Was the man a criminal mastermind?

Was he a player in another man’s conspiracy?

Or was he a pawn – an innocent man who had been framed?

Before he addresses these questions, he looks into the past; exploring the lives of his wife, their son, his mistress, their daughter, and her secret admirer.

I had a lovely time reading those five stories. They gave me a wonderful understanding of the different players and I think that was because M. Gaboriau was a very fine storyteller who had a wealth of ideas to put into this book, and because he knew his characters very well and cared about them.

There were times when that made me think of Trollope, but the flavour of this book is unmistakably Gallic, and there were times when it felt a little theatrical. There were many times when a scene was sent and then characters would declaim, and one or two of them had very long stories to tell.

It was a wonderful entertainment, and though some parts of it felt rather fanciful it worked because the heart of the story rang true.

At the heart of the story were three people whose lives were turned upside-down, and who were left with next to nothing. Friends and neighbours looked at them askance, many of them believing that they knew more than they said and that they had – or would – share in the proceeds of the crime.

The police are certain that all they have to do is find the missing man; and so his son and his daughter’s admirer, who have ideas of their own, set out to find out – and to prove – exactly what happened at the bank.

There is drama and romance, intrigue and suspense, as the story moves apace through grand houses, poor backstreets and criminal dives. In the early part of the book I thought of Trollope, but in this part of the book I saw the influence of Dumas.

Things got rather silly at times, especially the romances; and the book is dated but it is still very readable.

M. Gaboriau brought 19th century Paris to life, he spun a very fine yarn, and he made me care about his characters. I worked out how the story would play out some time before it did, but I didn’t mind too much because I was being very well entertained, and because I got the ending that I wanted.

[Sara Waterss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other People’s Money book review
The book Other People's Money(italics), by Emile Gaboriau, is a very complex and mysterious novel, taking place in France, 1800s. The story revolves around a banking cashier at a stock company accused of embezzlement. The complex story envelops his family members and their loves. The cashier is very conservative and frugal making him seem unlikely to embezzle. However, surprising evidence of extravagance and complex relationships of his children make him a clear suspect. The author provides eloquent detail of the surroundings of France during this time frame as well as detailed character development that allows the reader to follow the lives and perspectives of each of the key character. The author uses surprising ways to move between the different characters that keeps the story interesting while trying to understand how the crime was really executed.
One of my favorite parts of the story was the characters, I waiver between loving and rooting for each character and hating some of them because of their cowardly decisions and meanness of spirit. As the complex descriptions of the motivations and thoughts of the characters is shared it is exciting to see each character’s life unfold. The main characters revolve around the Favoral Family, which includes: M. Favoral, Mme. Favoral, Maxence, and Gilberte. Some other characters include both Maxence’s and Gilberte’s love interests. Each character is so different M. Favoral is a strong minded and level headed man, but the level headedness creates a rift between his family and himself (Gaboriau, page 54). On the other hand, Mme. Favoral is the opposite who will give up everything for her family, even if it is unreasonable (Gaboriau, page 57). Maxence is a flamboyant man who takes advantage of what he can to get what he wants, but still loves his family despite that(Gaboriau, page 70), while Gilberte is strong minded, brave and is not afraid to speak her truth (Gaboriau, page 73). As the story pregresses you see a new side to each character you can see this also when Maxence and Gilberte interact with their love interests, that’s what makes them very important to the story. With this many characters it is cool to be able to read everyone’s minds and grow, yet is so frustrating to be the only one to know. The story builds frustration, sadness, and confusion.
The story is built up so well and described as if I was actually there. That is why it was so easy to get trapped in the book. There was foreshadowing which made it fun to guess and make predictions on what any of the signs might mean.
I definitely recommend this book, it goes through its ups and downs but it is definitely worth a read! The characters are expertly written, the plot is crafted perfectly to create suspense, and it takes you away from reality and puts you in the shoes of their family in France in 1800. If you are thinking about reading this book you can find this on Kindle, Amazon and Barns & Noble.

I could not figure out the italics for the life of me!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking place in 1872 in Paris, France, Other People’s Money is a story of a man who is a cashier of the Mutual Credit Society, accused of stealing twelve million dollars from the people of Paris. The story starts with this man Vincent Favoral, escaping the police. The book then proceeds to take the readers back in time and give insight to how everything led up to his escape. His family is left with a tainted name and image. They are luckily helped by a kind man, Marius de Tregars, who is set on exposing the truth.
The book allows us to explore the harsh and unforgiving times in Paris in 1872. “There is not perhaps, in all of Paris, a quieter street than the Rue St. Gilles in the Marais, within a step of the Place Royale.” (Gaboriau, 1). The book takes a dip into a war of France and Prussia. “Like a river that overflows its banks, Prussia was overrunning France.” (Gaboriau, 128). This does not only change the setting, but it amplifies it. The entire setting of the book stays in Paris although many other places are named (America and Brazil). The war of France and Prussia seems to make families, like Vincent Favoral’s, even more poor than they once were. Once the war seems to finish, the setting returns to normal everyday life in France meaning there is not such chaos and uproar.
When it comes to this novel, there is no shortcomings of characters. There are many different characters that all have their moments in the book. The most important being Vincent Favoral, his wife, M. Favoral, and his two children, Gilberte, and Maxence. The family is shocked to the core when Vincent is forced to escape the police searching for him. His family cannot believe the utter absurdness of the charges against him. It is later in the book, they come to find he was not the man they once thought. They discover his mistress(s), and his absolute hunger for being rich. It was like they never knew this man.
While Vincent Favoral’s family is of great importance to the book, the characters Baron de Thaller, his wife, the Baroness de Thaller, Marius de Tregars, and M. Lucienne de Tregars. While the de Thaller’s are involved completely throughout the novel as the richest family in Paris, the de Tregars’ are seemingly poor characters that bloom throughout. The Baron and Baroness de Thaller are essentially the people funding the Mutual Credit Society which has been at the head of the stealing crisis. They seem to be uninvolved in this until it is later explored that they have everything to do with it.
Marius de Tregars, a poor man, falls helplessly in love with Gilberte Favoral. He discovers his family history and how he was once of an incredibly wealthy family. He makes it his mission to find out what has happened to his fortune. When we meet M. Lucienne de Tregars, she is not of the de Tregars’ descent. “If I was ever told the name of my mother or father, if I ever knew it, I have quite forgotten it. I had myself no name.” (Gaboriau, 234). Later in the book, it is evident she is the sister of one Marius de Tragars. This information came at a price of her safety.
The many characters in this book can allow for it to be very confusing. None the less if you follow along, it is a riveting story. The greatest story being of the de Tragars. The Favoral family name is cleared towards the end and the young adults, Gilberte and Maxence, both marry into the de Tragars family. While it is important to remember the setting of this novel, the characterization is what makes this story what it is.

[Lance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Other People's Money is a sophisticated and suspenseful novel set in 1800s France. The plot centers around a bank cashier at a stock company accused of embezzling funds. As a consequence of the accusation, his family's name and image have been adversely affected. The intricate story envelops his family members and their loves. The author provides appropriate character development that helps the reader observe the lives and perspectives of any one of the key characters. The author moves between the various characters in unexpected ways, keeping the story engaging while trying to explain how the crime was carried out. The setting the novel depicts is the cold and uncaring times of Paris in 1872 (Gaboriau, 1). Also, the story delves into the war between France and Prussia (Gaboriau, 128). The battle between France and Prussia not only alters the setting, but it amplifies how destitute the families in the novel were at that time. The development of characters in the story is such a treat for readers, as it's fascinating to read each character's life unfold as nuanced descriptions of their motivations and thoughts are presented. The characters can make readers alternate from admiring and supporting each character to despising some of them for their cowardly choices and mean actions. The Favoral Family is made up of M. Favoral, Mme. Favoral, Maxence, and Gilberte serve as the main characters. Each character is unique. M. Favoral is a strong-willed and logical man, but his logic creates a rift between himself and his household (Gaboriau, page 54). On the other hand, Mme. Favoral is the polar opposite, willing to give up all for her family, regardless of the cost. (Gaboriau, page 57). Maxence is a flashy guy who will do almost anything to acquire whatever he desires (Gaboriau, page 70) but loves his family. In contrast, Gilberte is a headstrong, bold woman that is not afraid of speaking her truth (Gaboriau, page 73). As the novel continues, I see a different aspect of each character; this is particularly evident when Maxence and Gilberte engage with their love interests; that is why they are crucial to the story. With so many characters, it's exciting to observe everyone's thoughts and development. The story builds a sense of irritation, grief, and perplexity. The story is so wonderfully constructed and depicted that I feel as if I were there. That's why it was so easy to get sucked into the story. Although this book has its highs and lows, such as the time the plot takes to progress. I believe it is well worth your time to read it. The characters are well written, the narrative is brilliantly created to generate tension, and the story transports you away from the real world and into the shoes of one's life in late 19th century France. If you are interested in reading this book, it is available on Kindle, Amazon, and Barns & Noble, among other platform for $2.99.

[Kayla Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sitting on the floor as a child, while your grandfather watches an old, tacky detective show, probably in black and white is what this book is for me. Looking away, disinterested until all of a sudden, without even realizing it, I'm completely engrossed in the world of 19th century Paris. The story is the 1800’s equivalent of a true crime documentary surrounding a family that loses any bit of cash they had along with their reputation when it is revealed that Vincent Favoral, the story's main antagonist, was involved in a 12 million dollar embezzlement crime. We follow the aftermath of this and then have to place opinions on Vincent's character and whether he was an accomplice to the crime or he solely committed it. The various settings of the novel are well described. Easily my favorite part of the book was the settings. Garboriau sheds a different light on the cliches of Paris and settings such as the Hotel des Folies or the Favoral home almost jump off the page. The setting majorly contributes to the darker tone of the novel and foreshadows conflicts coming up. The most lackluster part of the book for me was the characters. With a few exceptions including Maxcence and Lucienne, the rest of the characters are underdeveloped and almost dull. Given the almost 150 page introduction of the characters and their background, I expected more than just learning to despise Vincent Favoral. Maxence, the Favoral son was undoubtedly the most developed character throughout the novel as he is followed uninterrupted for a good portion of the book. All of the strengths of Garboriau’s character development can be found within Maxence as he feels the most human, often erupting in an outburst or falling in love with a girl. The rest of the characters feel more doll-like. I will end my review with what I felt was the most impactful quote from the novel, coming from an argument between Maxcence and Monsieur Bertan. Bertan goes on a rampage about the money Maxcence’s father “stole” and says, “If everybody was like me, there would not be so many scoundrels going about, their pockets filled with other people’s money, and from the top of their carriage laughing at the poor fools they have ruined.” (Gaboriau, 187) I found this book to be a great introduction to Garboriaus work and the art of french mystery novels.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gaboriau grabs your attention and transports you into Paris in 1872. Within the first few chapters the story immediately starts with a man who has been coning people of Paris by stealing twelve million dollars. We get to meet Vincent, who is currently on the run from the Paris Police. We find out that he is the antagonist of this story. Gaboriau transports us back in time to show us the life of Vincent Favoral, and how we see his life leading up to the chase. A family name that is in ruins and an image that is not there. Fate happens and we met the ever so kind Marius de Tregars. Gaboriau does a wonderful job on describing the harsh conditions of Paris on 1872. The depth he brings onto the pages is rather deep, including the Prussia and France war to really delve into the authentic life during the time. “ Like a river that overflows its banks, Prussia was overrunning France.” ( Gaboriau, 128 ) This point in the book is the turning point, where it escalates, and shows how the families are suffering during this sad time. The characters are a true highlight of the novel. While the story is about Vincent, The Thaller and Tregars are as equally important to the characteristics of this story and bringing it to life. Learning that the Thaller’s are the richest family in Paris and providing the funds for the bank. Learning of Marius de Tregars, falls in love with Gilberte Favoral. It can at times get rather confusing between the characters and how the story continues to grow. Gaboriau makes the high family names connect in the way of protecting the safety of one. This was an interesting read. It was different than other novels I have read from French authors. I enjoyed the mystery behind the story and the suspense of it. Even giving me slight hints of Christmas Carol, people who are greedy and only care for money. I enjoyed it very much. The line that stuck with me was “If everyone was like me, there would not be so many scoundrels going about, their pockets filled with other people’s money, and form the top of their carriage laughing at the poor fools they have ruined.” ( Gaboriau, 187 ). For enjoying this novel, I got the copy of the book through Kindle. I would recommend for anyone that likes expanding the reading list.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!
It has great characters, excitement, mysteries, complex plots, and moral questions.
This book was copyrighted in 1874. Set in Paris, this story takes place shortly before the time it was written - so you get to see what people really did and thought at that time.
It helps if you understand that in French, the title "M" is the same as our "Mr." "Mme" is the same as our "Mrs." "Mlle" is the same as our "Miss".

[El Mehdi · Rating 3 out of 5]

ça ferait un bon telenovela

[Perry Whitford · Rating 3 out of 5]

The seemingly upstanding lead cashier of a major French bank absconds with millions of franks. The resulting investigation suggests that M. Vincent Favoral may have been leading a double life, and that the fraud goes higher up.

I only just read a novel by Zola which covered the same ground of financial skulduggery on the Bourse in the second half of the 19th century. Gaborian takes a less forensic and more romanticised approach, closer in tone to Alexander Dumas than Emile Zola.

The daughter of the cashier, Mlle. Gilberte Favora,l becomes engaged to an impoverished nobleman named Marquis de Tregars, whose father was defrauded by the man behind the scandal, despite only talking to each other by proxy on a park bench.

That sounds pretty silly, and it was unnecessary too; the author could have come up with some more convincing way for them to meet, but it didn't overly detract from the story, nor did a characteristically 19th century reliance on unlikely coincidences.

In actual fact the plot didn't entirely play out as I expected, which is often a weakness in novels from this era.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book I read by Emile Gaboriau that did not feature his most famous creation, Monseiur LeCoq, and I liked it. More so than his previous books, I got the feeling that popular fiction hasn't changed much in 140 years, thanks to the heavy focus on plot and the implicit feeling that this book is written only for light-hearted entertainment.

This book starts with the description of the boring and restrained life of a middle manager at a brokerage firm, then quite unexpectedly the police come to his home to arrest him for helping embezzle 12 million francs. He eludes the police, then the narrative has no less than four separate flashbacks that explore the lives of the man's wife, their daughter, their son, and their son's mistress.

Once all the players have been thoroughly described, there is some intrigue, a little suspense, and at this point another character, the daughter's secret lover, who ties all the loose ends together in a predictable but still entertaining manner.

[Ckthinks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brilliant book that deserved more attention than i was able to give it. Not to be read disjointedly, a brilliant novel. I wish i could have given it the attention it deserved... could easily be a 5 star book.