Inspector Maigret
84 primary works • 86 total works
Book 52
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
While at this time the previous day he had never heard of the Martons, the train set specialist was beginning to haunt his thoughts, and so was the elegant young woman who, he admitted, had boldly stood up to him when he had done everything he could to unsettle her.
When a salesman from a Paris department store confides his secret fears to Maigret, the Inspector soon becomes caught up in a treacherous feud between husband and wife that is not as clear cut as it seems.
This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret Has Scruples.
'A unique teller of tales' Observer
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Book 53
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
It was as if suddenly, long ago, life had stopped here, not the life of the man lying on the bed but the life of the house, the life of its world, and even the factory chimney that could be seen through the curtains looked obsolete and absurd.
A once-wealthy family closes ranks when one of their own is shot, leaving Maigret - along with a troublesome new magistrate - to pick his way through their secrets.
'One of the greatest writers of our time' Sunday Times
Book 54
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
Certain details of the case were etched more sharply than others in Maigret's memory. Even years later he could recall the particular taste and smell of the rain shower in Rue Caulaincourt as keenly as a childhood memory.
At a dinner party, Maigret recounts an old case in which Adrien Josset is found guilty and executed for the murder of his wife, Christine. As the case develops under the controlling hand of the magistrate, all clues point to Josset's guilt yet Maigret is left unconvinced following his one interview with him. Years after the case, Maigret still doubts the true identity of the murderer.
This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret Has Doubts.
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Book 55
In a great courtroom drama, Maigret has to explain why he does not belive that Gaston Meurant was capable of slitting his aunt's throat for money and smothering a small child. But in saving him from the gallows, Maigret must expose some dark secretsabout Meurant's life. A painful story of an oppressive domestic tragedy and the compassionate insight of a remarkable detective.
'A truly wonderful writer ... marvellously readable - lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with that world he creates ofrun-down hotels, cold, dark barges, quayside canal-taverns, lurking prostitutes, pot-bellied burghers, taciturn youths, slippery barmen' - Muriel Spark, Sunday Times
Book 56
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
'He had seldom been so perplexed by human beings. Would a psychiatrist, a teacher or a novelist...have been better placed to understand characters who had suddenly materialized from another century?'
Maigret is called to the home of Armand de Saint-Hilaire, a highly respected official who has been found shot dead in his study by his housekeeper. After interviewing everyone concerned Maigret is at a loss to the identity of the perpetrator until he comes across a series of letters from the past fifty years between the victim and a recently widowed woman. As Maigret uncovers the details behind the two's relationship he gets closer to discovering the tragic truth behind the official's demise.
This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret in Society.
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Book 57
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
'Sullenly, he got dressed. Why, whenever he was woken on a winter night like this, did the coffee have a particular taste? The smell of the apartment was different...his pipe, too, had a different taste.'
Set against a high-profile hunt for the latest criminal gang to hit Paris, Maigret is determined to track down the murderer of a quiet crook for whom he cannot help feeling affection and respect.
This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret and the Idle Burglar.
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Book 58
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
'Why all of a sudden did this shock him? He was annoyed with himself for being shocked. He felt as if he had been sucked into the bourgeois, almost edifying, atmosphere that surrounded those epeople, 'good people' so everyone kept telling him.'
A retired manufacturer has been shot dead by his own pistol, last seen alive by his son-in-law. In this seemingly motiveless murder, Inspector Maigret must rely on his famous intuition to discover the truth.
This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret and the Black Sheep.
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century ' Guardian
Book 59
Maigret is visited by a troubled man and asks him to keep in touch, hoping to curtail his criminal impulses--but when the man disappears, Maigret must investigate a crime that may or may not have occurred
When Maigret returns home at the end of a long day, he is surprised to find a tense man named Léonard Planchon waiting on his doorstep with an unusual problem. Planchon wants to kill his wife, or perhaps his wife and her lover, who for two years have been making him sleep on a cot in the dining room. He has even worked out a plan to hide their bodies in concrete. Uneasy and hoping to stop the man before he goes too far, Maigret must investigate a murder that has not yet been committed and uncover the truth behind this peculiar ménage à trois.
A fast-paced, psychologically astute mystery, Maigret and the Saturday Caller follows the inspector through Montmartre as he patiently questions Parisian partiers, bartenders, and others as to Planchon's whereabouts, stripping away a bit more of the mystery's camouflage with each encounter until they lead him to their shocking conclusion.
Book 60
'Compelling, remorseless, brilliant' John Gray
When a tramp is recovered from the Seine, after being badly beaten, Maigret must delve into the man's personal circumstances to figure out just who wanted to kill him.
This novel has been published in previous translations as Maigret and the Dosser and Maigret and the Bum.
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
'A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness' Independent
Book 61
'Compelling, remorseless, brilliant' John Gray
During a quiet spell in June Maigret is called to investigate the disappearance of a reputable businessman. When a body is discovered near the famous Père Lachaise cemetery Maigret struggles to find any clues to the perpetrator and loses his temper when his own reputation is threatened by the case.
This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret Loses His Temper.
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Book 62
Inspector Lognon-an embittered but dedicated detective-is shot. To everyone's amazament, it emerges that Lognon had spent the last ten nights in the room of a beautiful young woman-who has disappered. In retreading Lognon's secretive last days, Maigret's investigations lead him into both the murky world of art-collecting and forgery, and the obsessive mind of a detective.
'A truly wonderful writer ... marvellously readable - lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with that world he creates of run-down hotels, cold, dark barges, quayside canal-taverns, lurking prostitutes, pot-bellied burghers, taciturn youths, slippery barmen' Muriel Spark, Sunday Times
Book 63
'Compelling, remorseless, brilliant' John Gray
For the first time in his career Inspector Maigret receives written summons to the Prefect's office where he learns that he has been accused of assaulting a young woman. With his career and reputation on the line, Maigret must fight to prove his innocence.
This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret on the Defensive.
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Book 64
'Compelling, remorseless, brilliant' John Gray
Maigret finds himself back on the Rue des Acacias just ten days after cracking another case there. This time it is the murder of a criminal Maigret has known for over twenty years and one he always suspected was behind a string of jewellery robberies in the city. Maigret's patience is tested as he eliminates neighbour by neighbour in his hunt for the murderer.
This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret Bides His Time.
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Book 65
When a gambler is discovered dead in his home, a coincidence at the scene sends Inspector Maigret down a twisted path of secrets and lies in search of a killer
Maigret receives an urgent call in the middle of the night from a doctor friend who says he has just treated a wealthy woman for a suspicious gunshot wound. Not long after, Maigret is called to the home of professional gambler, Felix Nahour, who has just been found by his chambermaid, shot dead. The inspector is shocked to find that he recognizes a photo of the man's wife, who quickly becomes his main suspect. All signs point to her guilt, but as he digs deeper, Maigret begins to infer there might be more to this complicated affair.
Suspenseful and terrifically sinister, Maigret and the Nahour Case is a masterful exploration of the twin passions of love and hate as they mingle in the shadowy mind of a criminal.
Book 66
'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves
'Maigret would have found it difficult to formulate an opinion of him. Intelligent, yes, certainly, and highly so, as far as one could tell from what lay beneath some of his utterances. Yet alongside that, there was a naive, rather childish side to him.'
Maigret is savouring a beautiful spring morning in Paris when an aspiring film-maker draws his attention to a much less inspiring scene, one where ever-changing loyalties can have tragic consequences.
Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations.
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century' Guardian
Book 67
'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves
'Maigret looked at him in some confusion, wondering if he waas dealing with a skilful actor or, on the contrary, with a sickly little man who found consolation in a subtle sense of humour.'
A series of anonymous letters lead Maigret into the wealthy household of an eminent laywer and a curious game of cat and mouse with Paris high society.
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century' Guardian
Book 68
Inspector Maigret and his wife take a much needed holiday to Vichy, where they quickly become used to the slower pace of life. But when a woman who they regularly pass by on their daily strolls is murdered, Maigret can't help but offer his assistance to the local Inspector, a former colleague of his.
Set against a backdrop of gorgeous French countryside, Maigret in Vichy shows that even when our trusty detective is outside his jurisdiction, he is still very much in his element.
Book 69
'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves
'Florentin pulled one of those faces which had once amused his classmates so much and disarmed the teachers . . .
Maigret didn't dare to ask why he had come to see him. He studied him, struggling to believe that so many years had passed . . .
He was so used to acting the fool that his face automatically assumed comical expressions. But his face was still greyish, his eyes anxious.'
A visit from a long-lost schoolmate who has fallen on hard times forces Maigret to unpick a seedy tangle of love affairs in Montmartre, and to confront the tragedy of a wasted life.
This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret's Boyhood Friend.
'His artistry is supreme' John Banville
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century' Guardian
Book 70
Maigret and wife have always enjoyed their occasional dinners with Mr. and Mrs. Pardon on the Boulevard Voltaire. But one of the congenial meals is interrupted by a neighbor who has stumbled across the body of a young man in the nearby Rue Popincourt. Maigret answers the call with his friend Dr. Pardon, and their pleasant evening is quickly brought to an end by the commencement of a complicated murder case. And when a tape recorder is discovered on the victim's body, it only complicates matters.
Maigret's investigation leads to the discovery of another crime altogether and the fascinating story of the murdered man's life. Maigret and the Killer is a taut, engrossing mystery that shows off Georges Simenon's flair for creating complex characters with deeply human problems and his ability to make a senseless crime understandable.
Book 71
When a wealthy wine merchant is shot and killed in Paris, Inspector Maigret must investigate a long list of family, colleagues and lovers to uncover just who could have committed the crime. Delving into the depths of the man's personality, Maigret discovers that the victim may have made one too many enemies on his way to the top.
Breathlessly paced and psychologically astute, Maigret and the Wine Merchant is a thrilling mystery from the master Georges Simenon.