The Clique of Gold is a detective novel by Émile Gaboriau. It tells the story of a young police officer named Monsieur Lecoq who is tasked with solving the murder of a wealthy banker. Lecoq is a brilliant detective, but he is also a social outcast. He is forced to rely on his intelligence and cunning to solve the case, and he eventually succeeds in bringing the killer to justice. The book was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to popularize the detective genre. It is considered to be one of the first modern detective novels, and it has been praised for its realistic portrayal of crime and its suspenseful plot. The book has been adapted into several films and television shows, and it continues to be read and enjoyed by readers today. It is a well-written and suspenseful novel that features a strong focus on realism and a memorable cast of characters.