Born in France in 1775, Eugène-François Vidocq was, by his early twenties, an infamous criminal; yet he went on to become a police officer, employing a gang of ex-convicts as his detectives. His triumphs were many, and Vidocq became a darling of Europe. Actresses, politicians, and thieves hung on his every word, and Balzac, Hugo, and Dickens all created characters based on this notorious charmer. He passed in disguise through the highest and lowest of society—until his cavalier attitude got him thrown out of the police force. So it was that Vidocq opened the very first private detective agency. The cases he solved were all high profile, and although he himself grew in notoriety, it didn't prevent him from becoming an international spy. Set in Revolutionary France, The ! First Detective is an engaging account of one of history's most influential rogues.