Back in 1930, Georges Simenon’s first Detective Chief Inspector Maigret was published. Over seventy more Maigrets would appear over the years. Jeff Meyerson has read them all. Art Scott has collected them all. Penguin is reprinting the entire Maigret series, releasing one title per month in order. These Penguin editions are newly translated (the translator of Pietr the Latvian, David Bellos, does a fine job). For those of you who haven’t read a Maigret novel, Maigret is a force of nature. He doggedly pursues criminals. His methods are more psychological than forensic. Atmosphere is everything (and it’s usually raining in a Maigret novel). Another big fan of Maigret, Terry Teachout, shares his enthusiasm for the new Maigret series here. If you’re looking for a classic crime series featuring a unique detective, I recommend Maigret.
George, thanks for this post. I first heard about Georges Simenon and his Inspector Maigret long after I started blogging in 2009 although I have not read any of his novels. They are not easy to find in my part of the world. I look forward to the new reprints by Penguin which, at the rate of one title a month, is going to be busy for a while.
Prashant, the Maigret crime novels use the atmosphere of Paris as a vivid setting. If you like psychological studies, you’ll enjoy the Maigret series.
I read one many years ago and didn’t like it.
Bob, my favorite Maigrets appear later in the series. The first dozen Maigrets aren’t the best. But they get better.
This would be a series worth investing time and money in. I’ve read a good number of Maigrets (nowhere near Jeff’s total though) and like them very much. As you say, it’s the atmosphere as opposed to the actual crime that makes the Maigrets such good reads (no matter what he’s investigating, Maigret always has time for an omlette au fines herbs and a glass of something for lunch). I hope Penguin (or another publisher) will think about new editions of Simenon’s non-Maigrets, many of which are obscure and hard to find.
Deb, you’re right about the Maigrets. The New York Review of Books Press has published several of Simenon’s non-Maigret novels. Great stuff!
I’m afraid I’m in Cap’n Bob’s camp here, though I did try more than one. I didn’t become a fan. Maybe I’ll try again.
Bill, like you and Bob, I wasn’t taken with the early Maigret novels. But the later ones are worth reading.
I’ve toyed with the idea of picking up the new series, but what I should probably do instead is start rereading the ones I have, mostly Penguins (64 titles, not all Maigrets) and other British paperbacks. I’ve got about 50 in hardback. And I should read those non-series books of his that I haven’t read yet.
I have this oneunder the title MAIGRET AND THE ENIGMATIC LETT and first read it on January 12, 1972, the first Maigret I ever read. (THE STRANGE CASE OF PETER THE LETT is another alternate title.)
Obviously, I’m with Art and George on this series.
Jeff, what are your favorite Maigrets?
I haven’t read all the Maigrets, but here’s my list of the Best Maigrets that I have read:
1. My Friend Maigret (Mon ami Maigret)
2. Maigret’s War of Nerves (La Tête d’un homme)
3. Maigret at School ( Maigret à l’école)
4. The Patience of Maigret (La Patience de Maigret)
5. Maigret on Holiday (Les Vacances de Maigret)
6. Maigret Has Scruples (Les Scrupules de Maigret)
7. Maigret defends himself (Maigret se defend)
8. Inspector Maigret and the Strangled Stripper (Maigret au “Picratt’s”)
9. Maigret in Court (Maigret aux assises)
10. Maigret Takes a Room (Maigret en meublé)
I read some of the Maigrets in my younger days. Don’t remember the titles, they came from the library if I remember. Back then I was just flexing my reading muscles and sampling almost anything in the mystery field. I have some Simenons packed away somewhere and did read a couple of non series titles last year when Patti had him for a theme Friday. But other than that, it must be thirty-five, forty years since I read much Simenpn
Randy, I think the Maigrets hold up as period pieces. Like you, I have a bunch of Maigrets in paperback and hardcovers (mostly from Library Book Sales).
I’ve not only collected them all (a mongrel assortment of hardbacks & paperbacks, including the pages-fall-out Curtis editions, with the evocative George Ziel covers), I’ve read them all, most several times. The stories share many characteristics with the Nero Wolfe saga – a towering central character surrounded by familiar associates (Madame Maigret, Lucas, Torrence, Janvier), familiar settings and routines. When Maigret leaves Paris (New York, Arizona, for instance) the effect is unsettling – I’d rather he’d get back to his office at the Quai des Orfevres. Quick reads, no padding, strong on atmosphere and character. Maigret’s off by himself in an isolated corner of crime fiction – nothing else like him (though the excellent Wycliffe novels by W.J. Burley come close).
Art, congratulations on reading (and collecting) all the Maigrets. I’m only a couple dozen books behind you and Jeff! I hadn’t associated Maigret and Nero Wolfe before, but when you point out the similarities it makes sense. I’ll have to track down some W. J. Burley novels.
Good top 10, George, though you included MAIGRET ON HOLIDAY twice. Like Art, I generally prefer the ones in Paris rather than on the road.
Jeff, thanks for pointing out the duplication of MAIGRET ON HOLIDAY (one of my faves). Like you and Art, Maigret is best in Paris. When Maigret leaves Paris, it’s jarring.
I used to love reading Simenon’s Maigret. Thanks for making me aware of these new translations.
Joe, the Penguin format for the new translations of the Maigret series appeals to me. They might appeal to you, too.
I’m actually about mid-way through this one right now, and am enjoying it. I picked it up completely on a whim in the bookstore not long ago. Had no idea about the author or character, but the book’s blurb caught my attention and the size was attractive as well.
Carl, most of the Maigrets run around 160 pages or so. Quick and easy reads!
Like Art, I had some of those falling apart Curtis books. I had to put a rubber band around them to hold them together! I have two now (Inspector Maigret and the Strangled Stripper, Maigret in New York’s Underworld) that are in good shape. Besides the Penguins I have a couple in the Avon Classic Crime Collection (Maigret and the Headless Corpse, Maigret in Vichy), a Pyramid Green Door (Madame Maigret’s Own Case), an Ace Double (Maigret and the Reluctant Witness/Maigret Has Scruples), several old Signets (non-Maigrets – Act of Passion, The Bottom of the Bottle, The Hitchhiker, Strangers in the House), a few other American paperback editions, plus vaious British paperbacks – Pans, Arrows, Digit, WDL, Ace, Four Square. Then there are the digest-size: Maigret Abroad (A Crime in Holland & At the Gai-Moulin/Avon Murder Mystery Monthly – I also have both titles in Penguins), Maigret to the Rescue aka The Guingette by the Seine (Mercury Mystery), and The Flemish Shop (Bestseller Mystery).
There are still probably a few titles in translation that have eluded me over the years.
Jeff, I have a hodge-podge of Maigrets, too. That’s what makes this Penguin uniform edition so attractive.
Here is a chronological list of the 75 Maigret novels.
Jeff, thanks for the link!
Sometime in the mid-90s I decided I wanted to read some Maigret books so I went to a local book store and the owner and I sat down with Books In Print (remember?) to see what was available in paperback. I ordered them all. It was far from the complete set, but it was probably 30 or so. They are on the shelf and since I got them I’ve read about a dozen or so. I’ve enjoyed them all, but especially the ones where Maigret in in France but out of Paris, such as when he’s on vacation. The last one I read involved a headless man found in a canal. There was little doubt who did it, but it had to be proved and the motive found. Maigret spent a lot of time thinking about what he had been told, by whom. My favorite of those I’ve read may be the story collection MAIGRET’S PIPE.
Rick, I want to drop everything and read MAIGRET’S PIPE! I’ve read about 50 Maigrets and enjoyed most of them.
I have no idea if the one I read was from the first dozen or last.
Bob, I think Simenon was developing the Maigret template in the first dozen or so books. After that, the quality got a lot better.
Don’t forget there are also 25 short stories in addition to the 75 novels. Having read 87 Maigrets, I believe the series is great, but there is not one single great work.
David, I’ve read a lot of Simenon’s work. Pedigree (New York Review Books Classics) may be his best book.
George,
Familiar with 23 of Simenon’s non-Maigret works as well, I found them more literary than the Maigrets, which I understand was what Simenon intended them to be. He called them “dur.” I’d call them heavy. Being more interested in Simenon the author than Simenon the man, I’ve shied away from Pedigree because I’ve heard it’s autobiographical, but your testament means I better get going on it….
David, I know what you mean by referring to the non-Maigret novels as “heavy.” Pedigree provides a lot of insight into Simenon.