"The Phantom of the Opera" is the most famous work of French author Gaston Leroux. Far darker than the stories familiar to audiences of today from the phenomenally successful Broadway musical and the early Lon Chaney, Jr. film, Leroux's "Fantom" is a genuine murderer, and the story, a true Gothic murder/horror tale. Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, terrorizes the Opera Garnier (or Paris Opera House) by a successful multi-year blackmail plot. When new owners take over the Opera, Erik's reign of terror is abruptly curtailed. With this threat to his formerly comfortable living, and his budding, if bizarre relationship with the lovely soprano Christine Dae, coming to a halt, Erik takes drastic and murderous action. More complex, and far darker than the Broadway musical and film, some have criticized Leroux's novel for its deliberate Nineteenth century pace, and its talkiness. Others have found it fascinating and absorbing reading, with depths not to be found in the later, extraordinarily popular adaptations.

卡斯頓·勒鬍（Gaston Leroux, 1868-1927），20世紀初期法國最傑齣的推理小說作傢，在法國有“永恒的記者”之稱。勒鬍畢業後在一傢律師事務所做書記員，業餘創作隨筆和短篇小說。1890年開始投身報業，曾作為特派記者周遊世界各地。1900年開始創作長篇小說。他的小說風格詭異，擅長以不可思議的內容與場景營造恐怖玄異的氣氛，並且在恐怖中淋灕盡緻地錶達人性。他的著作《黃色房間之謎》被稱譽為“不可模仿、不可超越的推理小說傑作”。