Eug ne Fran ois Vidocq (1775-1857) was a French criminal who became the founder and first director of the crime-detection S ret Nationale as well as the head of the first known private Detective agency.
His story is one long swashbuckling adventure. "He preferred the tumultuous life of danger to the contentment of security.
Out of print for many years, this newly revised edition of the Memoirs features a dynamic translation that brings this captivating autobiography to life for modern readers.
Vidocq\'s life story is unforgettable and includes some of the best crime stories and juicy tales ever written.
His book takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of 1830s France, including the circus stage, pirate ships, prison cells and beautiful women\'s boudoirs.
The work became a bestseller and sold over 50, 000 copies in the first year.
In December 1828, Vidocq published his Memoirs, with the help of some ghostwriters.
He has a knack for finding trouble throughout his topsy-turvy life, getting into one hot situation after another, often finding himself behind bars, only to escape the first chance he gets.
Playing both sides of the law, Vidocq\'s life highlights the blurry line between law enforcement and the criminals they pursue.
As a player in the criminal underworld, Vidocq was a master of disguises and an accomplished thief, eventually turning his unlawful talents toward catching criminals as the first chief of secret police.
Dickens mentions Vidocq in Great Expectations
Melville cites him in Moby Dick; and Poe refers to Vidocq\'s methods in Murders in the Rue Morgue.
The character of Sherlock Holmes is very much based on Vidocq; so are both Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert in Les Miserables.
Vidocq\'s successes as an investigator inspired many Victorian authors who borrowed his brilliance to embody their fictional heroes.
He is also considered to be the first private detective.
Vidocq is widely regarded as the father of modern criminology and of the French Police department.
Eug ne Fran ois Vidocq (1775-1857) was a French criminal who became the founder and first director of the crime-detection S ret Nationale as well as the head of the first known private Detective agency
