Published in French as Les Mystères de Paris, this novel began as a long, 150-part serial, appearing in the conservative periodical Journal des Débats. It appeared from 19 June 1842 until 15 October 1843 and was one of the first serial novels to be published in France. Les Mystères de Paris was also produced as a ten volume set and appeared in many other abridged and translated formats. A contemporary encyclopaedia claimed Sue was encouraged to write the novel after noting the great success of Frédéric Soulié’s 1842 novel, Memoires du Diable; however, Sue’s reasons for embarking on this project were primarily pragmatic — the inheritance he had received from his father in 1830 had all been spent and he needed a steady source of income. In contrast to his previous endeavours – surgeon’s assistant and author of nautical and adventure novels – the series was an immediate success and may have single-handedly increased the periodical’s circulation, even saving it from bankruptcy.