Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux was a distinguished French journalist and author, renowned for his contributions to detective fiction and the horror genre. His most acclaimed work, The Phantom of the Opera (French: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, 1909), has been adapted into numerous films and stage productions, including the 1925 film featuring Lon Chaney and the emblematic 1986 musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Prior to his literary fame, Leroux was a law graduate from Paris who, after a brief period of affluent living which nearly led to bankruptcy, embarked on a career in journalism. He became a court reporter and theater critic for L'Écho de Paris. His investigative reporting gained prominence, further enriching the French literary scene with his masterful storytelling.

Among his other notable works are The Mystery of the Yellow Room (French: Mystère de la chambre jaune, 1907), celebrated as one of the most ingenious locked room mysteries, and its sequel The Perfume of the Lady in Black (French: Le parfum de la Dame en noir, 1908).