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Barcelona: Aymá, [1952]; 205, [3] p.; 115 cm (Maigret en acción; 26)
Description
When the son of a wealthy businessman fears for his father's life, Maigret is plucked from retirement to visit New York on an unlikely quest. The twenty-seventh book in the new Penguin Marigret series. Aged 56 and in his first year of retirement at Meung-sur-Loire, Maigret is surprised with a visit by Jean, the son of wealthy New York businessman John Maura. With the assistance of his aging lawyer, Jean convinces Maigret to accompany him to New York, where he believes his father is in danger. But things take an unexpected turn upon their arrival when it is Jean himself who disappears. Set against the mysterious backdrop of New York CIty, Maigret's investigation must unearth old crimes, outsamrt treacherous characters, and overcome his status as an outsider policeman in the city.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member thorold
Appropriately enough, this was the first Maigret novel Simenon wrote after his move to North America. Maigret is still a recent pensioner, enjoying his garden at Meung-sur-Loire, but for no very obvious reason he allows himself to be deflected into helping a young man whose rich father in New York
It isn't one of the strongest Maigrets: Simenon doesn't seem to have had time to find something really characteristic and unexpected to tell us about New York or the American crime world, so he falls back on obvious clichés of whiskey, gangsters, private eyes and hardbitten journalists, supporting a predictable plot about once-penniless immigrants who have lived the American dream and are now threatened by the ghosts of those they stepped over on their way up. There are some nice running gags, like Maigret's confusion at finding himself in a city where few people speak French and where he actually has to look for a taxi rather than one turning up instantly whenever the plot requires it, as always happens in Paris. But on the whole we miss Paris at least as much as Maigret does.
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has been sending him letters suggesting that he's facing some kind of serious threat. This puts the Commissaire on the boat to America, heading for a reunion with his old friend Captain O'Brien of the FBI. It isn't one of the strongest Maigrets: Simenon doesn't seem to have had time to find something really characteristic and unexpected to tell us about New York or the American crime world, so he falls back on obvious clichés of whiskey, gangsters, private eyes and hardbitten journalists, supporting a predictable plot about once-penniless immigrants who have lived the American dream and are now threatened by the ghosts of those they stepped over on their way up. There are some nice running gags, like Maigret's confusion at finding himself in a city where few people speak French and where he actually has to look for a taxi rather than one turning up instantly whenever the plot requires it, as always happens in Paris. But on the whole we miss Paris at least as much as Maigret does.
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LibraryThing member Miguelnunonave
For all of Simenon's fame as a murder novels writer, I was quite disappointed, this being the first book I ever read by him. Maybe not the best choice to approach the author, though. Too flat and unexciting.
LibraryThing member smik
Maigret has retired to the Loire Valley but his services are still in demand. A young man is brought to see him by an elderly lawyer. Jean Maura is a law student whose father John Maura is an American millionaire living in New York. Jean has become concerned that his father's life is in danger and
What follows is a strange investigation, made stranger by Jean Maura's disappearance from the boat when they arrive in New York. Maigret is frustrated in attempts to find him but arrival formalities and continues to the hotel without him. He has some difficulty in getting to see John Maura and is amazed at the father's seeming lack of concern at his son's disappearance.
Maigret finds that his English is not really adequate for the simplest of tasks and he calls up a French-speaking NYPD detective whom he met years before through an investigation in Paris. O'Brien provides his assistance and Maigret manages to piece together John Maura's history and eventually works out what is happening.
Simenon obviously wanted to write a novel about New York - he had recently arrived in 1947 - incorporating his own experiences and impressions, but also including comment on the influence of the Sicilian Mafia in economic affairs. There are some very strange characters in this novel, and from this distance some not-quite-believable plot lines.
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he wants Maigret to accompany him to New York. They embark 10 days later.What follows is a strange investigation, made stranger by Jean Maura's disappearance from the boat when they arrive in New York. Maigret is frustrated in attempts to find him but arrival formalities and continues to the hotel without him. He has some difficulty in getting to see John Maura and is amazed at the father's seeming lack of concern at his son's disappearance.
Maigret finds that his English is not really adequate for the simplest of tasks and he calls up a French-speaking NYPD detective whom he met years before through an investigation in Paris. O'Brien provides his assistance and Maigret manages to piece together John Maura's history and eventually works out what is happening.
Simenon obviously wanted to write a novel about New York - he had recently arrived in 1947 - incorporating his own experiences and impressions, but also including comment on the influence of the Sicilian Mafia in economic affairs. There are some very strange characters in this novel, and from this distance some not-quite-believable plot lines.
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LibraryThing member jon1lambert
Read almost in one sitting at Wembley awaiting the start of the Forest Green Rovers v Grimsby National League final. Like Forest Green, the novel started well as the great detective is pulled out of retirement for his first visit to New York. Somehow as it progressed, the story became complicated,
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mechanical and got lost without the decor and flavour of France in the background. It fell away just like Forest Green. Show Less
LibraryThing member BooksForDinner
These are always good. Actually, I usually dislike the "(anyone) in New York" books in a series as they are usually terrible for someone like me who actually lives there, but this one held up pretty well. The gangster-y feel was a little silly, but it was of the period, lots of writing like that
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going on at the time. Show Less
LibraryThing member hardlyhardy
Can you imagine a detective who not only claims not to be intelligent but also says he never uses deductive reasoning or even forms an idea, yet solves scores of difficult cases? Well Georges Simenon could, and from 1931 to 1972 in 75 novels and half as many short stories did just that.
In
The father, known by all as Little John, shows no anxiety about his son, nor about his own life. He offers to pay Maigret handsomely for his trouble and send him back to Paris. Yet the inspector is bothered by another young man who seems to speak for Little John. It isn't even clear which of the two men is actually running the juke box business responsible for Little John's fortune.
Gradually Maigret gathers information, mostly about Little John's early life as a musician in New York. He uses the services of a private detective, a depressed and alcoholic former clown who is easily the novel's best character, Maigret included. Before long the questions draw the attention of the New York underworld, and one potential witness is murdered.
All this will get the reader thinking, but Maigret just lets the various facts percolate in his brain, letting his subconscious do the work, until all is revealed with a simple phone call back to Paris.
This is not a totally satisfying mystery novel, yet it is short (just 184 pages) and interesting even when one hasn't a clue about what is going on.
In
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“Maigret in New York” (1947), the inspector is retired, even though the novel appeared fairly early in Simenon's career. Apparently the author never expected to still be writing Maigret stories for another 25 years. His retirement is interrupted by a young American who fears for the life of his father, a wealthy American. And so Maigret, perhaps proving he is not very intelligent, boards a ship with Jean Maura and sails to New York City. When the ship docks, however, the young man promptly disappears.The father, known by all as Little John, shows no anxiety about his son, nor about his own life. He offers to pay Maigret handsomely for his trouble and send him back to Paris. Yet the inspector is bothered by another young man who seems to speak for Little John. It isn't even clear which of the two men is actually running the juke box business responsible for Little John's fortune.
Gradually Maigret gathers information, mostly about Little John's early life as a musician in New York. He uses the services of a private detective, a depressed and alcoholic former clown who is easily the novel's best character, Maigret included. Before long the questions draw the attention of the New York underworld, and one potential witness is murdered.
All this will get the reader thinking, but Maigret just lets the various facts percolate in his brain, letting his subconscious do the work, until all is revealed with a simple phone call back to Paris.
This is not a totally satisfying mystery novel, yet it is short (just 184 pages) and interesting even when one hasn't a clue about what is going on.
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Subjects
Language
Original language
French
Physical description
205, 3 p.; 15 cm