Series
Publication
Livre de Poche (1999), 187 p.
Original publication date
1950
Collections
Genres
Subjects
Description
'Compelling, remorseless, brilliant' John Gray When he got to his door, he was surprised not to hear any noise in the kitchen and not to smell any food. He went in, crossed the dining room, where the table had not been laid, and at last saw Madame Maigret, in her slip, busy taking off her stockings. This was so unlike her that he could find nothing to say, and when she saw him standing there wide-eyed, she burst out laughing. Inspector Maigret's wife turns sleuth after a strange encounter in a Paris square leads her on the trail of a woman in a white hat, and towards a grisly tale of deception and greed. Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations. 'His artistry is supreme' John Banville 'A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness' Independent… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member franoscar
I always liked this one because of the serendipity of Mme. Maigret's role
LibraryThing member Helenliz
This was a very well traveled little book. I read it on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean. I was priced at 3/6, published in the UK before I was born, and had a sticker that it came from Little Elm library. So it's been around the block a few times.
My first Maigret, this features Madame Maigret.
I don't know where this comes in the series, but It felt like it wasn't an early one, it feels like the characters and his habits are well established. That didn't feel like a drawback and I can see myself trying another one at some point.
My first Maigret, this features Madame Maigret.
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She starts off being abandoned in a square near her dentists when a woman with a child asks her to look after the boy for a bit. She does, only "a bit" turns into a few hours and burns her dinner. At which point Maigret gets involved and realises this is a link to his current troublesome case, involving a book maker and a burnt body in his furnace. There are a load of twists and turns while he tries to get to the bottom of quite a complicated case. I don't know where this comes in the series, but It felt like it wasn't an early one, it feels like the characters and his habits are well established. That didn't feel like a drawback and I can see myself trying another one at some point.
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LibraryThing member thorold
No-one's ever going to turn Simenon into a feminist hero, but he was clearly someone who was endlessly fascinated by women and the details of their lives, always provided that they fitted into one of his two available categories: housewives and prostitutes. Mme Maigret, of course, is one of the
Mme Maigret's intervention probably accounts for about 10% of the novel (the parts concerning shoes, hats and small children), and for the rest it is a very conventional sort of Maigret story. It is interesting and entertaining, though, and I couldn't help being reminded of that other famously unreconstructed lady detective created by a male author, Mma Ramotswe.
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former, and in the opening chapter of this book we get to see the world from her point of view for a change. While waiting to see the dentist, chance makes her a key witness in a (possible) murder case that her husband is investigating. Possibly motivated by guilt about having burnt the Commissaire's lunch, she does a bit of investigating on her own initiative, and comes up with some vital clues, although it's Maigret himself who gets the glory for putting all the pieces together and solving the case, naturellement.Mme Maigret's intervention probably accounts for about 10% of the novel (the parts concerning shoes, hats and small children), and for the rest it is a very conventional sort of Maigret story. It is interesting and entertaining, though, and I couldn't help being reminded of that other famously unreconstructed lady detective created by a male author, Mma Ramotswe.
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LibraryThing member ccayne
Very enjoyable, charming quiet, by today's standards, mystery.
LibraryThing member Ma_Washigeri
Probably better read in french, which I used to be able to do as the vocabulary is pretty limited. Reminds me of my Dad who used to love Maigret, and Paris, and France. I might try another one and see if the charm survives the years a little better.
LibraryThing member Ma_Washigeri
Probably better read in french, which I used to be able to do as the vocabulary is pretty limited. Reminds me of my Dad who used to love Maigret, and Paris, and France. I might try another one and see if the charm survives the years a little better.
LibraryThing member yooperprof
Dry police procedural which is not one of Simenon's better efforts, IMHO. The title in English is somewhat misleading insofar that Mme. Maigret's contributions to solving the case are not the central focus of the narrative.
LibraryThing member ChazziFrazz
Madame Maigret is sitting on a bench in the square across from her dentist. Her habit is to arrive a little early for her appointment and enjoy sitting outside. She has made the acquaintance of a lady who was regularly there with a small boy. This particular day, the lady asks Madame Maigret to
Chief Inspector Maigret’s current case involves a burned body in the furnace of a bookbinder. Two human teeth had been found and are the only clue to the crime.
When Madame Maigret tells her husband about the incident, he finds it intriguing and decides to investigate; something a little distracting from his current case.
Through seriously following any and all leads, discarding the dead ends and making connections between ones that seem related Maigret is able to piece together both mysteries, while following the erratic path.
If you enjoy Commissario Brunetti or Chief Inspector Gamache, you may enjoy Chief Inspector Maigret.
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mind the boy for a few minutes. Those few minutes stretched into a couple of hours, till the lady showed up. The lady grabbed the child and told Madam she’s explain things the next day, then jumped into a cab and rode off.Chief Inspector Maigret’s current case involves a burned body in the furnace of a bookbinder. Two human teeth had been found and are the only clue to the crime.
When Madame Maigret tells her husband about the incident, he finds it intriguing and decides to investigate; something a little distracting from his current case.
Through seriously following any and all leads, discarding the dead ends and making connections between ones that seem related Maigret is able to piece together both mysteries, while following the erratic path.
If you enjoy Commissario Brunetti or Chief Inspector Gamache, you may enjoy Chief Inspector Maigret.
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LibraryThing member BooksForDinner
Every book in the series is well written amazes me how prolific the man was while keeping up the quality.
Language
Original language
French
ISBN
9782253142256
Physical description
187 p.; 4.25 inches
Pages
187