Though Maigret is very popular in Europe I had never heard of the series until about four years ago which is very weird considering how absolutely huge it is. Kino Lorber was having their yearly NOIR sale on Blu-Rays and there were two 50’s French movies starring Jean Gabin as Maigret. I thought it looked interesting, ordered it and loved it. Ever since then the series has been my go-to for a comfort read/watch/listen. Maigret has quickly become one of my top five characters, if not my absolute favorite. It’s not hardboiled, though sometimes it does crossover and it’s not a “cozy mystery” (I hate that term) though it has its wholesome charm at times. It’s a pure and simple classic Mystery with a big M.
Inspector Maigret is in his office listening to a crochety old rich lady telling him how her family is trying to kill her. Maigret doesn’t believe her and thinks she’s just a bored old lady looking for attention. The phone rings. A man is on the line and will only talk with Inspector Maigret. He tells him his wife, Nine knows him. His name isn’t important. He is being followed through the streets of Paris by a group of killers. He is in a coffee shop making the call when one of the hoods walks in. The man quickly hangs up and runs.
Maigret is left holding the phone. He wonders if it was a crank call but feels that it was indeed real. Old rich lady drones on. The phone rings again. It’s the same guy. He’s now in a bar making the call. Maigret sends one of his men down there. The guy quickly hangs up again. His detective calls in from the bar. There was a man in here on the phone who quickly ran out when another man walked in. He gets descriptions of both. The same thing happens two more times until no more calls.
We then have a body that matches the description of the man in the coffee shop. Maigret feels personally responsible for this murder and takes it upon himself to go above and beyond. What we have from then on out is not so much the solving of the murder but the mystery of who this guy was and why anyone would want him dead. Slowly Maigret pieces it together.
Things aren’t adding up. The man was an average Joe. There seems to be something larger at work here. How could this fledgling bar owner become the target for some serious nefarious characters?
This was so great. In fact, this might be one of my favorite Maigret’s so far. I love the seedy French underworld. Simenon always includes the weather and it’s always bleak. Maigret consistently seems to have a cold also which for some reason, is more fun for me. I love the wholesome home scenes with Madame Maigret. Whenever they are there, I can almost smell the coffee brewing, the dinner cooking, the fireplace burning, the mustiness of old-world handwoven blankets and carpets. I don’t know why, but I can envision it so perfectly. I want to be there. Maybe it’s the way Simenon has the rain pounding on the window constantly. It’s perfect murder mystery weather. Oh man, I just realized, this whole description sounds so…..cozy. Ha! Damn it! Oh well.
Doubleday 1964
Cover art by Arthur Shillstone
Review by Nick Anderson
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