Maigret incognito

Inspector Maigret #50

by Georges Simenon

The Yellow Dog
The citizens of Concarneau are not happy when Maigret begins his murder investigation: but there is poison in the Pernod, a howling yellow dog and it seems, a madman on the loose.

Maigret and the Burglar's Wife
While committing a burglary, 'Sad Freddie' discovers the body of a dead woman, holding a telephone in her hand. Can Maigret believe the burglar's wife in the face of other evidence?

Inspector Cadaver
During investigations, Maigret has to deal with an old enemy - an ex-police officer nicknamed 'Inspector Cadaver' - who seems to be doing everything in his power to obstruct him.

Maigret's Little Joke
Maigret and his wife take a secret holiday in Paris. When a murder occurs, Maigret must get his information from the press and radio. How can he leave Janvier to solve the crime alone?

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, France, Detective, French Literature, Thriller

191 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Georges Joseph Christian Simenon (1903 – 1989) was a Belgian writer. A prolific author who published nearly 500 novels and numerous short works, Simenon is best known as the creator of the fictional detective Jules Maigret.
Although he never resided in Belgium after 1922, he remained a Belgian citizen throughout his life.

Simenon was one of the most prolific writers of the twentieth century, capable of writing 60 to 80 pages per day. His oeuvre includes nearly 200 novels, over 150 novellas, several autobiographical works, numerous articles, and scores of pulp novels written under more than two dozen pseudonyms. Altogether, about 550 million copies of his works have been printed.

He is best known, however, for his 75 novels and 28 short stories featuring Commissaire Maigret. The first novel in the series, Pietr-le-Letton, appeared in 1931; the last one, Maigret et M. Charles, was published in 1972. The Maigret novels were translated into all major languages and several of them were turned into films and radio plays. Two television series (1960-63 and 1992-93) have been made in Great Britain.

During his "American" period, Simenon reached the height of his creative powers, and several novels of those years were inspired by the context in which they were written (Trois chambres à Manhattan (1946), Maigret à New York (1947), Maigret se fâche (1947)).

Simenon also wrote a large number of "psychological novels", such as La neige était sale (1948) or Le fils (1957), as well as several autobiographical works, in particular Je me souviens (1945), Pedigree (1948), Mémoires intimes (1981).

In 1966, Simenon was given the MWA's highest honor, the Grand Master Award.

In 2005 he was nominated for the title of De Grootste Belg (The Greatest Belgian). In the Flemish version he ended 77th place. In the Walloon version he ended 10th place.

Reviews

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

January 2023 final lunchtime listen

Too many times Maigret has missed his holidays as important cases have cropped up and he doesn't get away until midway through the third week of his 3 week break, always much to Mme Maigret's chagrin and disappointment. This time however his friend M. le Docteur has told him he needs to take all 3 weeks and needs to relax.
So Maigret agrees and gives the police judiciare the hotel details, of where he is supposed to be staying, however he agrees with Mme Maigret that will stay in Paris for their vacation, as it will be quiet with a lot of people having left Paris for the Summer.
Almost immediately a major case erupts involving the murder of a doctor's wife and Mme Maigret is convinced it is the end of their vacation and that her husband will return to work. However this time M Maigret keeps to his promise, doesn't contact his office, and says he is going to leave it all to Janvier his Inspector in charge .
The days find the Maigret's out walking, lunching in small bistros by the Seine and generally enjoying themselves, Maigret keeps to his promise and doesn't contact Janvier, but he does keep up with the case through the newspapers, and him and Mme Maigret discuss the case over lunch in the Summer sunshine.
As the case nears completion Maigret is still keeping his word but makes a couple of minor investigations and sends an anonymous note to Janvier which helps bring the case to a successful conclusion
Brilliantly read as ever by Gareth Armstrong, this is in my opinion one of the best Maigret's, I have read/listened to, hence its addition to my favourites shelf.

[Mohammad Ali Shamekhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

سه ستاره با ارفاق. در واقع دو و نیم ستاره

داستان در مورد کارگاهی است که در مدت مرخصی خود داستان جنایتی را همچون فردی عادی دنبال می کند - یعنی با خواندن روزنامه و ... - و از این طریق در لذت مردم عادی سهیم می شود و آن را درک می کند

اوایل داستان چندان کششی نداشت. اما از اواسط داستان میل به تعقیب داستان در من پدید آمد و تقریبا تا پایان هم همراهم بود؛ اما حس نمی کنم در پایان داستان چندان راضی شده باشم. مشکلی که مرا تا حدی می آزرد، اطلاعات مفصل و زیاد روزنامه ها در مورد یک قتل آن هم در پاریس به آن شلوغی بود. آیا در واقعیت هم روزنامه ها به هر قتلی اینهمه توجه می کنند؟ آیا در پاریس به آن گله گشادی یک قتل انقدر سر و صدا می کند؟ از این نظر چندان به دلم نچسبید

آنچه جالب بود نفس تعقیب داستان از دید یک مشاهده گر عادی بود. انگار این مرخصی کاراگاه مگره را به من خواننده نزدیک می کرد و من حس می کردم من "می توانم" مثل او داستان قتل ها و ... را دنبال کنم

ترجمه در مواردی ظاهرا به هم ریخته بود - بگذریم از خطاهای چاپی که خصوصا در اوایل کتاب گاه و بی گاه به چشم می خوردند. عجیب آنکه هیچ اشاره ای به عنوان اصلی کتاب نیست. من با جستجوی شخصیت های کتاب بود که توانستم در آخر اسم اصلی کتاب را پیدا کنم

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Previously released in English as Maigret’s Little Joke and None of Maigret’s Business, this 47th novel in the Chief Inspector Maigret series reminds me of a short story in Agatha Christie’s Poirot Investigates called “The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim.” In that tale, the conceited Hercule Poirot bets Detective Chief Inspector David Japp that Poirot can solve a crime without leaving his flat.

Similarly, Detective Chief Inspector Maigret goes on holiday for his health without leaving Paris; however, he promises both his wife and his doctor that he will not go to his office at Quai des Orfèvres — and he scrupulously does not. However, that does not keep Maigret from obsessively reading the newspapers, making a telephone call here and there, and writing anonymous tips for his subordinate, Inspector Janvier, who’s handling a high-profile murder inquiry. It’s a joy to see Maigret keeping pace with his colleagues at the police headquarters based on his experience and intelligence and without the usual access to evidence.

All of Paris is guessing whether the murder victim’s philandering doctor husband or a younger doctor are to blame for the lovely, wealthy Éveline Jave’s death. I couldn’t wait to find out if, against all odds, Maigret would figure it out before Janvier. But, readers, I promise I won’t spoil your own suspense by telling!

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maigret wants and needs a holiday. Dr Pardon his friend and often dinner guest out and about in Paris once a month, encourages him to get away. When the Maigrets’ holiday plans fall through and they decide to stay in Paris for their vacation Maigret is forced to promise his wife and doctor to avoid going into work. This decision is brought into doubt when a sensational murder is uncovered in a swish society doctor’s practice.

Maigret walks Mrs Maigret into the ground traipsing around the capital visiting old and familiar haunts. She complains of sore feet and enjoys herself as well as Maigret seems to relax and be content to observe the case from a distance and play the role of amateur detective. Like any other citizen of Paris he is reliant on daily newspapers updating him on the investigation.

Like any other member of the public he is not able to withhold his opinion and listen to other people’s views.
It quickly becomes clear that two doctors are in the frame. Page 137 “There wasn’t, as in the majority of cases, a single possible solution. There was at least two. However, only one was the good one, only one was the human truth. It wasn’t a matter of discovering it through careful reasoning , through a logical reconstruction of the facts, but of feeling it.”

While around Paris we have possible reminiscences of previous cases and the books: The Yellow Dog; Lock 1 and Maigret and His Dead Man.

At the conclusion of the book I was almost moved to tears and this is the mark of this great writer.

[Mahdi Lotfi · Rating 3 out of 5]

مگره تصمیم می گیرد مدتی به مرخصی برود اما چون فصل تعطیلات هست و هتل ها پرند با همسرش به این نتیجه می رسند که در همون پاریس گردش کنند . در اینجا مگره از طریق روزنامه در حالا پیگیری یک جنایت هست . دکتر معروفی در مسافرت بوده که جسد همسرش در مطبش پیدا می شه . حالا دنبال قاتل و انگیزه او هستند...

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maigret gets to experience firsthand at what retirement for him is going to look like. Forced to take a holiday, Maigret has to play the outsider on a murder case. That leads to huge chunks of newspaper exposition, which would seem lazy, but actually makes it just as fun to play along in working the case from outside with Maigret.

It's a Maigret book, Simenon is in my top five writers, I'm gonna like it I ain't got much else to say here.

[Antonella Imperiali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mentre Maigret è in ferie (non in vacanza, perché è rimasto a Parigi, partirà solo più tardi), il corpo nudo di una donna viene rinvenuto nell’armadio dello studio del marito, medico. Le indagini vengono affidate all’ispettore Janvier, che sostituisce il capo. Il commissario segue il caso tramite i giornali, come un qualunque cittadino, tenendosi lontano dal Quai, ma “aiutando”, con qualche bigliettino anonimo, il suo sottoposto, indirizzandolo di fatto verso la soluzione finale.
È tutto un gioco di deduzioni derivanti dall’osservazione, dal saper leggere tra le righe, inquadrare i protagonisti, passeggiare presso i luoghi interessati (anche sottobraccio alla moglie), vivere le stesse atmosfere, ascoltate le diverse versioni di chi gli sta intorno, magari stando seduto tranquillamente ad un tavolino del bar... un caso diverso, insomma.

Grazie, capo!
Ah, Janvier! Degno successore...

Beh, mi sono divertita anche io insieme al Capo!


🇫🇷 LdM - Sfida 2024: Francia
✍️ GS/Maigret

[Emanuela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple genius, that is how I would describe any of Simenon's books. Granted, since he is one of my favourite crime authors my judgement could be slightly subjective :-)

And yet... Take this book for instance. Here we have M. Maigret, finally on vacation. He decides to spend hs free time in his Paris, with hi wife, rediscovering his town with the eyes of a tourist. OF COURSE there has to be a murder while he is on vacation, an investigation he cannot and does not want to follow, honouring his loyalty to his younger colleague, Janvier.
After books and books in which we see the active Maigret, Monsiuer Le Commissaire Maigret, always in the front line, always solving crimes with his brilliant genius, his piercing eye and his great expertise, here we have Maigret the slueth, Maigret the secret informer, who send anonymous messaeges to Janvier graciuosly and respectfully leading him to the brilliant conclusion of a difficult case.
Here we see Maigret dealing with the frustratrions of the most experienced mystery readers, of the amateur detective most of us want or have wanted to be (I, for one, am surely among the sleuths in training, so to speak :D). He reads about the progresses of the investigation in the papers, greedly I would say, and yet his brilliant mind is quick to find the anomalies and the that little piece of thread that will guide him out of the labirynth to solve the murder case.

I would recommend it to anyone who loves mystery solving, crime stories, and who adores Paris, as in this book we get to "see" a lot of the beautiful French capital through the eyes of the Maigrets. I have rad it in French, so I ignore how it has been translated in other languages: just look for the Maigret's story with the Commissaire on vacation and you'll have it.

[Antje · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kommissar Maigrets Amüsement sieht so aus, dass er Urlaub in Paris macht, statt mit seiner Frau die Stadt zu verlassen. So zieht er es vor jeden Morgen die Zeitung auf einer Außenterrasse zu lesen oder mit Madame Maigret durch die Straßen zu flanieren.
Schon bald aber berichten die Medien von dem toten Körper der Arztgattin Jave, den die Concierge nackt in einem Schrank findet. Zwei Männer stehen unter Verdacht und Maigret verfolgt die Arbeit seines Vertreters Janvier als Beobachter und Leser der Zeitungen. Es juckt ihn mächtig in den Fingern, sich ebenfalls Gedanken zu dem Fall zu machen und so mischt er sich galant an zwei Stellen ein.

Mich überzeugte dieser Maigret-Fall, was genaugenommen gar keiner war, nicht wirklich. Statt bei den Verhören und Ermittlungen direkt teilzunehmen, erfuhren Leser und Maigret alle Informationen nur aus der Zeitung. Allerdings derart detailliert, als ob die Journalisten Einblick in die Akten bekommen bzw. selbst das Verhör geführt hätten. Für mich nicht glaubwürdig, sondern vielmehr Quatsch. Allein das Ende, als Maigret auf die Verlobte eines Verdächtigen trifft und mit ihr im Restaurant das letzte Verhör abwartet, versöhnte mich wieder mit diesem Fall. Deshalb, mit Augen zugedrückt, drei Sternchen.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maigret si diverte: perché? Si diverte a fare il lettore detective, come facciamo noi lettori di quotidiani ogni volta in cui leggiamo notizie di omicidi accompagnate da doviziosi particolari di interrogatori, perquisizioni e altre attività di polizia. Sì, perché per una volta il nostro commissario si è preso qualche giorno di ferie e con la signora Maigret si diletta a passeggiare per i boulevard parigini, siedono nei tavolini all’aperto dei bistrot lungosenna, pranzano in tipici ristoranti parigini, piccoli e nascosti ai turisti: nessun viaggio, nessuna partenza nelle affollate stazioni parigine per località di villeggiatura piene di turisti, quanto è bella Parigi il mese di agosto, vuota e vivibile per tutti! Ma in commissariato non sanno che i coniugi Maigret sono a casa, ufficialmente sono fuori città e al posto di Maigret c’è l’ispettore Janvier.
Ed ecco che i giornali riportano la notizia di un omicidio: la moglie di un eminente medico parigino, Eveline Janve, è stata trovata morta, nuda, dentro un armadio nell’ambulatorio del marito. I sospettati sono subito due, il marito e il collega che lo sostituisce durante le ferie. Ci divertiamo anche noi lettori a risolvere il misterioso omicidio con il commissario, al quale, pur non volendolo ammettere, rode che Janvier occupi la sua stanza e la sua scrivania dove conserva amorevolmente le pipe, e il racconto procede fino alla soluzione del caso, in contemporanea al Quai des Orfevres e al tavolo di un ristorante dove il commissario attende, guardando la finestra illuminata del suo ufficio, che escano i colleghi. Lui conosce minuto per minuto il lavoro che stanno facendo in commissariato: gli interrogatori che si protraggono per ore, estenuanti sia per il sospettato che per il poliziotto, fino a quando il primo non arriva a un punto di svolta, ha un cedimento, confessa.
A quel punto Maigret sa che “aveva fatto il suo dovere di poliziotto. Non giudicava. Non spettava a lui ma a qualcun altro, più tardi, giudicare. E lui preferiva così”.

[Fil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dopo aver scoperto, leggendo il romanzo psicologico "L'uomo che guardava passare i treni", il grande errore della mia convinzione "Simenon scrive solo gialli", ho voluto verificare se almeno fosse vero l'abbinamento Simenon-Maigret.
Ho fatto ambarabaciccicoccò ed ho scelto un libro a caso. Poiché volevo divertirmi la mano si è fermata su "Maigret si diverte". Penso sia stata una scelta fortunata.

Si tratta di un libro "carino". Praticamente non c'è nessun investigatore. Maigret è in ferie ed il suo sostituto non viene minimamente descritto. Questo libro racconta le giornate di vacanza di Simenon, trascorse ad ascoltare i giornali radio ed a leggere giornali, per cercare informazioni su un omicidio. Simenon si diverte ad ascoltare le opinioni dei passanti che commentano le nuove notizie sul crimine. Per una volta gioca anche a lui a fare il "detective da bar", nonostante la forte attrazione che esercita sempre su di lui il commissariato.

Tra il giornale del mattino e quello della sera, i due eventi fondamentali delle sue giornate, riflette anche sulla vita da pensionato che lo attende. Sarà simile a queste giornate?

Questo elegante libricino, terminato in un giorno, mi è servito soprattutto per incontrare Maigret. La trama del giallo non mi ha particolarmente affascinato (donna sposata con un medico, amante di un medico, trovata nuda nell'armadio di uno studio medico). Comunque ho deciso che ripeterò questo esperimento per conoscere meglio Maigret. La prossima volta potrà finalmente mettere piede nel suo amato commissariato.

[Gerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Maigret with a slight difference in that he is on holiday when a crime is committed and his deputy takes up the investigation.

However, he and his wife decide to remain incognito in Paris and with the help of newspaper reports and radio broadcasts he is able to keep abreast of the crime.

Believing that without him the police are missing a trick or two he anonymously sends in helpful messages, which ultimately result in the perpetrator of the crime being unmasked.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a bout of ill-health, Maigret has promised his old friend, Dr Pardon, that he will take a holiday this year. But when he tries to book accommodation he finds the whole of Paris has had the same idea, and nice hotels in all the resorts are fully booked. So he has an idea – he and Mme Maigret will pretend they have gone away so that Maigret can’t be dragged back to work if a case comes up, but they will stay in Paris and do all the things they normally don’t find time for. Very quickly they’ve developed a schedule of long afternoon walks, eating out, going to the cinema and so on. Maigret’s morning routine is to buy the papers and read them on a café terrace over his morning coffee (while Mme Maigret does the housework 🙄). One morning the papers are full of a murder – a woman has been found crammed into a cupboard in a doctor’s surgery. Maigret’s first instinct is to go back to work, but then he thinks it might be quite fun to do what everyone else does – get all the details from the newspapers and form his own theories and speculations. Anyway, he reasons, it would be unfair of him to take over the case from Janvier, whose first big break this is as chief investigator in Maigret’s absence.

While the plot of this one is just as strong as usual, there’s a much more light-hearted feel to it because Maigret isn’t directly involved in the case, and therefore neither is the reader. The focus stays entirely on Maigret, and he only learns what everybody else learns as the papers report it. Lots of the newspaper articles are reproduced in full, complete with the usual scandalous speculation they indulge in. It transpires the dead woman is Éveline Jave, wife of Dr Philippe Jave, whose cupboard she was found in. But it’s not as open and shut as that makes it appear. The Javes had been on holiday and a locum had been covering for Dr Jave – a young man both the Javes knew well, Gilbert Négrel. Why had Éveline come back to Paris? Had Philippe followed her? Had she, as the more scurrilous newspapers suggested, been more than friends with Gilbert? Why was she killed? All Paris is agog, the cafés filled with people poring over the papers and coming up with their own theories, and Maigret happily joins them. Will he, all on his own and without interviewing any of the people involved in the case, get to the truth before Janvier, with all the might of the Sûreté behind him?

Maigret is so much nicer in this one than in the very early books that I’ve been reading recently, and it was lovely to feel that I could like him again. Mme Maigret is in this one a lot more than usual, and we see their genuine affection for each other, and how they each make allowances for the other’s preferences. Maigret can still be a little thoughtless, walking her off her feet each afternoon, for instance. But he also does his best to find things to do that she’ll enjoy, and it’s a nice picture of a contented marriage. We also see a lot of Paris, as Maigret wanders round some of the lovelier parts to which his job doesn’t often take him, and we spend a lot of time in cafés and restaurants, where, for the sake of his health, Maigret tucks into plenty of delicious food and wine.

Maigret’s concern for Janvier is nice to see, too. While of course Maigret hopes he’ll solve the case first, this isn’t for the glory – he wants Janvier to succeed and to get the credit, and finds his own way of helping out along the way without letting on that he’s doing so. Maigret thoroughly enjoys himself, for the first time understanding the fascination of ordinary Parisians titillated by a scandalous case. And Mme Maigret is quite happy to let him do a bit of quiet investigation, so long as he doesn’t go back to work until his holiday is over. Dr Pardon, meanwhile, is a useful resource for all the gossip among the medical fraternity.

I loved this one – one of my favourites so far. It has a definite holiday feel, with an excellent plot, a thoroughly enjoyable visit to the better parts of Paris for a change, and Maigret in relaxed and civilised mode. And he doesn’t even get drunk!

www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

C’est Simenon qui s’amuse, en imaginant Maigret en lecteur normal : le commissaire a dû prendre des vacances pour se remettre en bonne santé, et faute de préparation adéquate, est contraint à les passer à la maison, en faisant croire à toute la police qu’il est aux Sables d’Olonne, pour ne pas être rappelé au travail pour une quelconque affaire. C’est donc par la presse qu’il va suivre le brave Janvier enquêteur sur la mort de la femme d’un médecin huppé du boulevard Haussmann, retrouvée cadavre dans un placard du cabinet de son mari alors qu’ils étaient censés passer leurs vacances ensemble à Cannes, et que le médecin se faisait remplacer par un jeune collègue. Les soupçons vont tomber sur les deux médecins, qui sont tous les deux liés à d’autres femmes que la victime.
Maigret ne peut s’empêcher de s’intéresser à cette affaire, tout en essayant de suivre ses meilleures intentions de passer une véritable période de détente et de rétablissement en compagnie de sa femme. Au rythme des deux éditions journalières des quotidiens de Paris, il va spéculer sur les motivations des suspects et sur les actions de son inspecteur, et évidemment, le moment venu, il devinera quelle pièce manque au puzzle, et la mettre discrètement dans la main de Janvier par une lettre anonyme - dont l’inspecteur devinera quand même l’émissaire.
C’est presque du meta-Maigret, car tous les clichés connus des amateurs, jusqu’aux bruits et atmosphères du quai des Orfèvres, sont présents, mais comme Maigret doit s’en tenir loin, c’est à lui, pour une fois, de les imaginer, comme font les lecteurs à chaque roman de la série.

[Franziska Nyffenegger · Rating 2 out of 5]

(gelesen in einer deutschen Ausgabe von 1966, erschienen im Heyne-Verlag)

Die Bibliothek im Ferienhaus bietet die Wahl zwischen Bestsellern von Martin Suter, Bildbänden über die alpine Flora und Fauna und einigen Krimis von Georges Simenon. Den hier habe ich durchaus mit einem gewissen Amüsement gelesen. Maigret ist krank geschrieben und sollte Ferien machen, bleibt aber aus Bequemlichkeit in Paris. Es ist Sommer, er zieht mit seiner Frau durch die Stadt und beobachtet die Lösung eines spektakulären Mordes als Zuschauer, als Zeitungsleser und Radiohörer. Das ist solide konstruiert und unterhaltsam und hätte drei Sterne verdient, wären da nicht die Frauen und insbesondere Madame Maigret, eine altbackene Ehe- und Hausfrau, die nicht einmal ihren Aperitif selbst bestellen darf. Monsieur Simenon, das hätte sich auch 1957 anders schreiben lassen! Je suis désolée!

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. An engaging crime fiction novel where the wife of a doctor is murdered whilst Maigret is secretly on holiday in Paris! Maigret follows the case through newspaper reportage on the investigation.

Readers new to the Maigret series should firstly read ‘Maigret and the Man on the Bench’ or ‘The Yellow Dog’, or ‘Cecile is Dead’.

This book was first published in 1957. It is the 50th book in the Maigret series.

[Shaghayegh.l3 · Rating 3 out of 5]

اگه كتاباى كاراگاهى زياد خونده باشيد اين يه كتاب معمولى بيش نيست . هيجان كمى داره و روند پيش بردن داستان هم چشمگير نيست ، به طور كلى خوب اما معمولى .

[Richard Hannay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dans Maigret s’amuse, Simenon place son commissaire dans ce qu’on appellerait aujourd’hui une « staycation » , mot un peu barbare qu’on imagine mal dans son vocabulaire quand même.

Maigret est en congé (sur ordre du médecin Dr. Pardon!) reste à Paris et s’ennuie ferme. Il promène sa femme jusqu’à épuiser ses pieds, s’installe longuement aux terrasses, boit, fume, et surtout lit la presse avec attention. Il découvre l’affaire Eveline Jave, jeune épouse d’un gynécologue mondain retrouvée nue et morte dans le placard du cabinet de son mari. Très vite, aux yeux de tous, deux suspects s’imposent. le docteur Philippe Jave lui-même et son remplaçant, le jeune docteur Gilbert Négrel.

On pourrait dire qu’il essaie de prendre des vacances de lui-même, au sens où Ortega y Gasset souligne combien il est difficile d’échapper à son propre moi. Maigret voudrait peut être n’être qu’un mari en vacances, mais la mécanique intérieure du policier ne se désactive pas si facilement. Même sans bureau, sans interrogatoires ni dossiers, il continue à raisonner, à peser les mots des articles, à combler les silences.

Simenon utilise cette contrainte comme un dispositif narratif très efficace. en réduisant Maigret aux seules ressources du simple lecteur. journaux, rumeurs. Le commissaire officiel devient alors, l’espace d’un roman, un détective « amateur » à l’anglaise, qui doit se contenter d’informations publiques. Le style reste sobre et précis, mais l’atmosphère est forte. plus qu’un suspense spectaculaire, Maigret s’amuse offre le portrait délicat d’un homme incapable de se défaire de sa vocation, même au cœur de vacances qui, pour lui, n’en sont jamais tout à fait. Simenon s'amuse, aussi.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need to read this in French. The edition I read was translated by one Dennis Brain, and I'm afraid he could have done with an independent and bilingual proofreader. He fell victim to the translator's pitfall of producing a very literal translation that reads like an unpolished rough draft. If you run your hand over it you can feel the original French underneath; clunky syntax and phrases that sound unnatural in English--because they are. I'm a translator myself, I recognise the problem. Fortunately when I was working at the job I had a skilled bilingual proofreader to hand who enjoyed the work. Brain apparently did not, and more's the pity. With a little proofreading and tightening, it could have been a very enjoyable read.

Maigret finds himself obliged to take a real, honest-to-goodness vacation; he's getting older and having trouble getting his groove back after a serious bout of bronchitis. Dr Pardon tells him in no uncertain terms that it's either get some rest, or get a coffin. Unable to face the very idea of crowded seaside resorts in August, he and Madame decide to "steal" a vacation in their own nearly-empty city of Paris. They revisit their old haunts, eat sausages and chips in riverside bistros, and nearly walk Madame's feet off up and down the quays.

Wouldn't you know it, there's an intriguing murder that involves a woman's naked body stuffed into a cupboard in the rich part of town! Not only that but Janvier moves into Maigret's office, lock, stock and cigarrettes! At first, Maigret enjoys following the case as just another member of the public, via newsreels and newspapers, but after awhile it becomes agonising, this staying away from the office.

I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the windup; it seemed the farther we went the worse the rendition got. I must read this in the original. The title is a case in point: "Maigret's Little Joke" is not a very felicitous rendering of Maigret S'Amuse.

I just finished it in French and of course it is much better in the original. Also, "Maigret's Little Joke" refers to a different novel while this one is called "Maigret Enjoys Himself." I do wish GR would pull its socks up.

[Nanosynergy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maigret is on a vacation for his health. However, when a doctor's wife is found dead, he cannot resist investigating the crime on his own during his Paris staycation.

[Simona Moschini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Del perché, anche quando andiamo in vacanza dopo tre anni di servizio senza sosta (ce l'ha ordinato il medico), ci sentiamo vagamente e immotivatamente in colpa, non riusciamo a non pensare al lavoro, a immaginarci come se la caveranno i colleghi senza di noi (insostituibile!), cominciamo a spiarli a mezzo stampa prima e dall'osteria di fronte al Quai des Orfevrès poi, intanto ci tocca fingere con la moglie che ci stiama divertendo (tantissimo, cara! guarda come sono rilassato...), gironzolare facendo la coppia di turisti in incognito nella propria città (qui nostra moglie ormai non ne può più: evita di bere dai bicchieri sozzi dei bar lungo Senna, le fanno male i piedi a forza di camminare) e finiamo per mandare un paio di pizzini anonimi al vice, ché quello aspetta e spera che ti risolva un caso da solo.

Finale non pubblicabile: primissimo piano della signora Maigret felice. Dalla finestra aperta si sente una canzone a caso di Yves Montand.
Il campo si allarga mostrando madame al mercato: si è finalmente rimessa gli abiti da tutti i giorni (cotonina blu a fiori), può ricominciare a far la spesa e a pulire casa senza quell'impiccio di marito tra i piedi.

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

en réalité 3.5/5 - j’ai passé un excellent moment avec cette enquête de Maigret, transformé en simple badaud ; je me suis autant amusée que le célèbre commissaire avec cette enquête rondement menée par l’inspecteur Janvier, avec un petit coup de pousse du commissaire de manière anonyme - Le roman est court, je l’ai lu en une journée. 8 chapitres d’une enquête qui, comme souvent au début d’une enquête, piétine et puis tout semble s’accélérer. Apparemment, Georges Simenon a mis peu de temps à l’écrire, en une semaine, à Cannes, en 1956.

Un bon moment de détente et de balade parisienne, légèrement désuet non pas dans l’écriture mais dans l’atmosphère de Paris.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reader also enjoyed himself greatly reading this excellent translation by David Watson in the Penguin Classics series.

The structure of the plot is interesting in that Simenon places Maigret in the position of a member of the public following a case in the newspapers, with no insider access to information , and only his intuition and great experience of human nature to guide him.

A doctor's wife is found murdered in a consulting room cupboard. The suspects are few. There are easily discerned motives, but opportunity is a different matter.

Madame Maigret plays a bigger part than usual and there are insights into their relationship. The main characters are well-depicted for a shortish novel.

Highly recommended.

[Hayley Pallister · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first taste of the Maigret series and it was pretty much what I expected but with a nice surprise. What did I expect? A taste of Paris with a heavy patriarchal theme. Check. What surprised and delighted me though, was the beautifully written translation, the story unfolding effortlessly unlike the typical muddiness and over-complication of some murder mysteries.

[Slinkysnake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maigret in full workaholic mode was a lot of fun to read, even if the motive was pedestrian and not my overly complicated guess. I'll read more of these in the future

[Kassra · Rating 4 out of 5]

اگه داستان جنایی از دید کارآگاهی که در جریان جزییات پرونده نیست روایت بشه چه شکلی خواهد بود؟ این دقیقاً اتفاقیه که تو این کتاب افتاده، مگره به توصیه پزشک به مرخصی رفته و فقط از طریق رادیو و روزنامه‌ها در جریان قتلی عجیب قرار گرفته و این بار بیشتر افکار و عقایدش درباره این پرونده رو با ما به اشتراک میذاره و به جز اون همپای ما منتظره که ببینه کارآگاه ژانویه پرونده رو چطور حل می‌کنه و البته به صورت ناشناس راهنمایی‌های موثری هم تو طول داستان می‌کنه.
کسل کننده نیست؟ قطعاً هست ولی مگه دنبال کردن پرونده جنایی فقط از مطبوعات و مدام انتظار کشیدن برای چاپ شدن شماره‌های بعدی روزنامه کسل کننده نیست؟ کسل کننده هست اما باید کسل کننده باشه.

[Rhys · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better 'Maigret' novels. It has an ingenious plot, which isn't really what the Maigret novels are supposed to be about, but the elements of the plot don't detract from the atmosphere, which is what Simenon really excels at. Madame Maigret also plays a larger role here than she normally does.

[Morteza Bahrami · Rating 3 out of 5]

تا صفحه ۱۲۰ از چاپ پیش از انقلاب (تبه کاری در دام) خوب و پرکشش بود اما پس از آن برای جمع کردن داستان عناصری وارد روند اصلی شد که جالب و برانگیزاننده نبود. ترجمه روان اما اندکی قدیمی ابراهیم صدقیانی به خوانش اثر کمک بسیاری می کند

[Christopher Roden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is superb. Simenon at his best.

[Donna Huber · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like radio shows then this was a good collection. Each episode is about 45 minutes long and is from a different book in the Maigret series.