Le crime d'Orcival

by Emile Gaboriau

"Le crime d'Orcival" by Émile Gaboriau is a French detective novel published in 1867. When poachers discover the lifeless body of a countess near her ransacked château, the police quickly arrest a suspect who seems guilty. But detective M. Lecoq arrives to restart the investigation from scratch, uncovering fabricated clues and false evidence designed to mislead. He realizes the crime scene has been carefully staged, with planted details meant to confuse investigators. The case's resolution remains uncertain as Lecoq devises his plan.