Gaston Leroux Books In Order

Publication Order of Chéri-Bibi Books

Publication Order of Joseph Rouletabille Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Anthologies

Gaston Leroux was a French detective fiction author and journalist. He is famously known for writing The Phantom of the Opera (Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, 1910), which was adapted into several stage productions and films of the same name. Notable adaptations include the 1925 film featuring Lon Chaney and the 1986 musical starring Andrew Lloyd. The book was also the basis of the 1990 book Phantom authored by Susan Kay.

Leroux attended school in Normandy and majored in Law in Paris, graduating in 1889. He received millions of francs in inheritance and lived extravagantly until he almost became bankrupt. In 1890, he worked as a theater critic and court reporter for L’Écho de Paris. His outstanding journalism began when he started working as a Paris newspaper Le Matin correspondent. He covered the Russian Revolution in 1905 and did in-depth coverage for an opera house in France. Gaston Leroux quit journalism in 1907 and became a full-time fiction book writer. In 1909, he collaborated with Arthur Bernede and founded their film company known as Société des Cinéromans to publish and adapt novels into movies. The company debuted two films, Il etait deux petits enfants and Tue-la-Mort, where his daughter played the main character role.
“The Phantom of the Opera,” is undoubtedly one of those most widely adapted masterpieces of literature. Through his books like “The Mystery of the Yellow Room” and his fictitious novice detective, Joseph Rouletabille, Leroux established an entire sub-genre of crime fiction called “locked room mystery.” This fantastic tale of apprehension and maniacal passion initially appeared as a series in the French newspaper Le Gaulois between 1909 and 1910. In 1910, it became available as a novel.

The Phantom’s biggest tragedy throughout his existence is that he was so close to winning the heart of the girl he loved—a sense of embrace he had been seeking his entire life—but due to his ravaged and damaged soul, he could do nothing other than terrify her, ultimately destroying the first attraction and sparkle she felt in his presence.

This darkly romantic drama puts emphasis on the love connection between Christine, an opera singer; Erik, a gentleman with a hideous facial deformity who introduces himself as a ‘voice’ and trains Christine to improve her singing; and Raoul, Christine’s former friend who is deeply in love with her. It’s a story propelled by the love, passion, possessiveness and a series of violent and horrifying events in an opera house where the legend of an ‘Opera Ghost’ thrives.

Erik, who was never truly loved — not even by his mother because of his bodily defects — discovers love in Christine. This solitary man becomes so enraged and envious of his insatiable affection for Christine that, through his character, Leroux illustrates the boundless ability of the mind of man to generate evil, and his story is an exploration of the deepest levels of the darkness that one’s soul can possess. The dark, ominous rooms beneath the Opera House provide a fitting backdrop for such a gothic tale of uncontrollable desires.
In every sense, The Phantom of the Opera is a tragedy. All that the Phantom ever desired was love, and when he eventually receives it, it destroys him. It forces him to emerge from the shadows, gives him courage, and makes him aspire to what he previously believed impossible. He recognizes his opportunity, the heart of what has revived his voice and spirit, and he grabs it, perhaps too aggressively. He becomes resentful, demanding, and domineering. His soul’s solitude governs his faculties. He abandons the cold, practical, and cunning qualities that have kept him living for so long and instead pursues the possessive desires of his heart.

Leroux adored opera houses, and his Phantom is a magnificently gloomy concept. His portrayals of the theater are evocative and almost captivating. His prose is flawless and fluid, but his pacing is sluggish, and many non-essential characters overcomplicate the narrative.
There have been numerous adaptations of “The Phantom of the Opera,” including adult and children’s literature, dramas, musical performances, television shows, films, and comic books. Two notable adaptations are the 1925 film adaptation and the well-known Andrew Lloyd Webber musical adaptation of the novel.

This scene was the pinnacle of horror when the film was released in 1925, and the makeup applied to Lon Chaney was considered exceptional and terrifying. It also happens to be one of the most accurate Phantom portrayals based on the novel. The scene in question may not contain even a trace of horror from today’s perspective, as we have become desensitized to such images due to overexposure. However, at the time, this scene, when viewed in a dark theater, could have been quite frightening, and one of the movie’s promotional strategies was to have smelling salts on hand in case a member of the audience fainted.

The musical adaptation by Andrew Lloyd Webber debuted in London’s West End in 1986 and on Broadway in 1988. It is the longest-running show in the history of Broadway, with over 10,000 Broadway presentations and an overall global gross profit of over $5.6 billion. Modern readers may find ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ overly sentimental, but this is a traditional thriller story from an entirely different era. If you have a bit of perseverance and can account for this difference in time frames, you will find Leroux’s work satisfying.

The Mystery of the Yellow Room is the first book in the Joseph Rouletabille series by Gaston Leroux. The novel was first published in 1908. This work introduces the character of Joseph Rouletabille, a fictional journalist and amateur detective. Gaston Leroux, renowned for his literary masterpiece The Phantom of the Opera, gained widespread recognition for his contribution to the locked room mystery subgenre of detective fiction through his work The Mystery of the Yellow Room. This piece is a prime example of the subgenre mentioned above.
The literary work effectively immerses the reader into an enigma wherein a seemingly flawless crime has recently occurred. The complexity of the crime is such that it appears to be virtually impossible to execute, and the protagonist, Joseph Rouletabille, must utilize his expertise and courage to unravel the mystery of how the crime took place within a sealed room. Leroux’s narrative of intrigue is characterized by a remarkable level of detail concerning the events, crime scene, and physical setting of Château du Glandier, in which the mystery unfolds. This fascinating approach effectively captivates the reader’s attention throughout the story.