The Misty Harbour: Inspector Maigret

Inspector Maigret #12

by Georges Simenon, Linda Coverdale (Translator)

A new translation of Georges Simenon's gripping tale of lost identity. Book sixteen in the new Penguin Maigret series.

A man picked up for wandering in obvious distress among the cars and buses on the Grands Boulevards. Questioned in French, he remains mute . . . A madman? In Maigret's office, he is searched. His suit is new, his underwear is new, his shoes are new. All identifying labels have been removed. No identification papers. No wallet. Five crisp thousand-franc bills have been slipped into one of his pockets.

A distressed man is found wandering the streets of Paris, with no memory of who he is or how he got there. The answers lead Maigret to a small harbour town, whose quiet citizens conceal a poisonous malice.

Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Death of a Harbour Master.

'Compelling, remorseless, brilliant' John Gray

'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian

'A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness' Independent

Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1903. Best known in Britain as the author of the Maigret books, his prolific output of over 400 novels and short stories have made him a household name in continental Europe. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, France, Noir, Audiobook, Thriller

190 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1931

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

[Luís · Rating 4 out of 5]

This excellent Maigret makes us follow a complicated investigation in his company. The commissioner shows us his insight and gift of discovering tenuous clues several times. The investigation's interest is in our participation in the very heart of the action and the discoveries that allow us to follow as witnesses. That's one of the rare novels where Maigret takes a thrashing and gets tied up like a typical idiot. However, the description of this small town, fishing port, and the few main characters, mayor, cafeteria, gendarme, lock keeper, and sailors, make it an exemplary scenario, which must be adapted for a TV series and be captivating. Simenon shows us in this novel his talents as a writer from a local drama, transposing it into a detective story full of mysteries and suspense with the sea as one of the roles.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

March 2023 Lunchtime Listen

Ok, I know its only 3 + years since I read this, but until we were about half way through I didn't actually remember much of this mystery at all. And yet I really enjoyed this novel, one of the better Maigret's, and as ever excellently read by Gareth Armstrong.
In this novel Maigret discovers the identity of a recovering from serious injury, mute man found wandering in Paris and having escorted him home is shocked when he is murdered the next day. Maigret starts to get to know the locals to try and discover why someone would murder the man he'd escorted back to his home. Speaking to the fisherman, the sailors and locks men , and also the gentry of the town, including the mayor and his friends. What he realises is, that no-one is telling him all the truth. After being tied up by a group of sailors, and left in a puddle overnight with rain falling continuously, Maigret has time to think, and despite the discomfort of not being discovered till dawn, is firing on all cylinders as he goes after the murderer and the people protecting him.

Series Read 2019 onwards

Another enjoyable Maigret novel set in an atmospheric coastal town A disappeared harbour master reappears in Paris with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Having identified who the man is, Maigret travels North to the coast to escort the ageing harbour master home, where he is very quickly murdered. Maigret stays on in the misty coastal town to investigate the mans murder. Surly lock workers, harbour men and ship hands block his investigation at every turn.
Strange goings on between the local mayor, an mysterious Norwegian businessman and the brother of the late harbour master's housekeeper, himself a lowly ship hand, leave Maigret wondering how it all fits together and also where it is all going to end.
Perseverance and a night spent tied up on the tow path in a cold damp puddle bring him the breakthrough he desires. But is everything and everyone what they seem.

[Alialiarya · Rating 4 out of 5]

مگره این‌بار وارد یک مکان کوچک می‌شود. از شهر بزرگش فاصله گرفته و با محله‌ای روبروست که تمام افرادش با یکدیگر آشنایند. همین باعث شده مگره برای ارتباط با آدم‌ها و محله شرایط سختی را داشته باشد. آن‌هم در یکی از پیچیده‌ترین موقعیت‌هایش. با آدم‌هایی که انگار همه در قتل مسئول بوده‌اند. به عنوان رمانی منتشر شده در ۱۹۳۱ توانایی سیمنون در بسط یک داستان جنایی در یک مکان کوچک حیرت‌انگیز است

بعد از خوانش چهارمم از سیمنون تصمیم گرفتم بعد از اختراع و توانایی استفاده از ماشین زمان نود و سومین کاری که می‌کنم این باشد که به شانزده سالگی برگردم و بعد از آن‌که دوستم گفت: سیمنون هم مثل خیلی از فرانسوی‌هاست الکی فقط شاخش کردن کار فرانسوی‌ها همینه اصلا

بخوابانم زیر گوشش

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

A befuddled man — one who seemingly can’t speak or understand speech (seven or eight spoken languages plus sign language are tried) — turns up in a fashionable section of Paris at the end of October. His clothes are new (and German), but all identifying labels have been cut off. No wallet, no identity papers, but with 5,000 francs in his pocket. Odd, no?

Five days later, a young woman identifies him as Captain Yves Joris, saying she is his maid/housekeeper. After retiring from the merchant navy after 30 years, Joris became the harbormaster at Ouistreham, a small port between Trouville and Cherbourg in Lower Normandy. She claims her employer disappeared on Sept. 16. So where has Joris been for six weeks? And how did a man with a two-month-old bullet wound to the skull, one who neither speaks nor comprehends, get by for those six weeks? And how did Joris, who only wore a uniform, end up in clothes from Hamburg? Further, Joris’ wound was treated by expert surgery. Who tried to kill him? And who succeeded in saving his life? When the mysterious Joris dies a day after being returned to Ouistreham, Maigret faces one of his most confounding cases.

Most Maigret novels seduce their readers, and The Misty Harbour proves more intriguing than most. I’ve been on a bit of a Georges Simenon reading spree, and I believe this might be the best of the books thus far.

[The Frahorus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fino ad ora uno dei migliori Maigret che abbia mai letto!

Un ex capitano della Marina mercantile perde la memoria in seguito a un incidente alla testa (forse un colpo di pistola) e viene riconosciuto dalla sua domestica che, assieme a Maigret, lo riaccompagnano a casa e dove il nostro commissario ha intenzione di scoprire cosa sia successo al povero signore. Ma la situazione peggiorerà... Con questo pretesto (l'indagine di Maigret per scoprire il colpevole dell'incidente) il nostro commissario è "costretto" a vivere alcune settimane nella città portuale di Ouistreham.

Maigret è bravissimo a descrivere la vita di un porto, dei marinai che lo abitano, del clima in cui si è avvolti, degli odori e delle sensazioni che in esso si vivono. Non a caso la nebbia diventa quasi un personaggio del libro, dando quel senso di mistero e inquietudine.

Passa una nave, così vicina che il commissario potrebbe toccarla! Una gomena ricade a pochi passi da lui; qualcuno la raccoglie e la trascina fino a una bitta fissandola con cura.
«Indietro! …Attenzione!» grida una voce, lassù, sulla plancia del vapore.
Pochi istanti prima tutto sembrava morto, deserto. E adesso Maigret, che cammina lungo la chiusa, si accorge che la nebbia pullula di forme umane. Qualcuno gira una manovella. Un altro corre con un secondo cavo di ormeggio. Alcuni doganieri aspettano che venga gettata la passerella per salire a bordo.
Tutto ciò senza che si veda praticamente nulla, nella nube di umidità che imperla i baffi.

Già dalle prime righe Simenon riesce a catturarmi perché subito vorresti sapere come il capitano Joris abbia perso la memoria e per quale motivo qualcuno gli ha fatto del male, lui, come descrivono la sua domestica e gli amici e abitanti del porto, persona così docile e buona con tutti, non può avere nessun nemico. Anche stavolta, come nel romanzo precedente (La casa dei fiamminghi), le indagini del commissario si basano sull'intuito e non sulla raccolta scientifica delle prove, egli studierà i comportamenti delle persone senza subito giudicarle, si immedesima in loro (non a caso frequenterà il bar del porto), ed è da notare come egli si trovi più a suo agio nei locali a contatto con la gente del popolo semplice e spontanea piuttosto che con i ricchi borghesi (come il salotto del sindaco).

Rispetto agli altri Maigret che ho letto fino ad ora, ho trovato una trama davvero complessa e, ad ogni capitolo, sempre più coinvolgente, cosa che non mi ha mai deluso. Capiremo solo verso la fine il motivo scatenante di tutto.

[Gauss74 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ed ecco, alla fine ci sono arrivato pure io. E' davvero dall'inizio della mia esperienza anobiiana (finiti i bei tempi in cui questo social si trattava con piacere, e non con lo sforzo di capirci qualcosa) che praticamente l'universo tutto mi spingeva a leggere Simenon. E dire che ero refrattario all'idea. Per questa istintiva e motivata irritazione che provo nei confronti di tutto ciò che è francese, per il sospetto che mi nasce nei confronti del romanzo di genere, peggio ancora del romanzo di genere scritto prima della guerra mondiale.
Avevano ragione loro. Perchè se Carlo Lucarelli giustamente afferma che anche un romanzo di genere può essere grande se il genere stesso non è lo scopo ma il mezzo per raccontare qualcos'altro, allora Simenon è grande letteratura. Tra le pagine di questo "il porto delle nebbie" si può sentire l'odore della salsedine misto a quello della nebbia, si può sentire sulla pelle il freddo umido del vento della manica alternato al piacevole caldo polveroso delle stufe, compaiono davanti ai nostri occhi gli uomini di mare, con la loro gentilezza rude ma anche con la loro insuperabile omertà.
Con la pipa del commissario Maigret in bocca possiamo fare un tentativo di intuire che cosa sia la Francia (o cosa sia stata, in tempi come questi): il che comunque non è poco.
Diciamo che Simenon lo salvo. Glia tri francesi possono andarsene tranquillamente ad imparare a farsi il bidet dopo aver cagato.

[Razvan Banciu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Simenon was quite in love with the sea and the ocean, so the setting of many Maigret works is a small harbor or a coast village.
The plots are different, but tough people, rough weather and provincial pubs are always present. As this one has a happy end ( Grand-Louis, the "bad" boy is not so bad and he's rewarded), it wins one more star, making them four.

[Cristian Fassi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Per l'ennesima recensione di un Simenon appena finito di leggere devo ringraziare il Copia+Incolla del computer, non devo fare altro che andare a prendere l'ultima recensione e incollare qui, ecco:

"Un altro capolavoro del maestro francese del giallo, con Simenon non si sbaglia mai, ogni suo romanzo scorre veloce come un torrente, una lezione magistrale di come scrivere senza usare il dizionario dei sinonimi, basta usare le parole giuste, poche ma usate come solo Simenon lo sa fare."

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il titolo del libro esprime appieno ciò in cui si dibatte il lettore nel corso della lettura del romanzo: una nebbia fitta che avvolge i personaggi, i luoghi, gli indizi del delitto. Si arriva all’ultimo capitolo senza che il mistero sia stato almeno un poco dipanato, sono le ultime pagine a diradare le brumose atmosfere e a chiarire finalmente la morte del capitano Joris, trovato vagabondo per le strade di Parigi senza documenti, non in grado di parlare e con una profonda ferita alla testa curata in qualche modo, alla fine identificato grazie alla sua domestica Julie, e riaccompagnato dal commissario Maigret nella sua casa a Ouistreham, dove, il mattino successivo, viene trovato morto avvelenato da stricnina.
Come sempre la grandezza di Simenon sta nella ambientazione dei gialli, nella cornice in cui inserisce gli eventi. In questo episodio magistrale è la descrizione degli abitanti del borgo marinaro di Ouistreham, pescatori e lavoratori portuali, gente abituata a lavorare in silenzio nelle solitarie banchine portuali, che si ritrova alla Buvette de la Marine, il caffè in riva al mare, in cui ci si ripara dall’umidità avvolgente del clima esterno riscaldandosi con un “cicchetto”, la cui vita si svolge nel cupo ed inquietante clima la cui protagonista principale, come dice il titolo, è la nebbia che tutto avvolge e ricopre. Maigret si cala completamente nelle abitudini di vita della popolazione, così come nell’atmosfera che –dice Simenon- “non si può definire sinistra, è un’altra cosa, una vaga inquietudine, un’angoscia, un’oppressione, la sensazione di un mondo sconosciuto al quale si è estranei, e che continua a vivere di vita propria intorno a voi”. Fino al finale che, inaspettatamente, seppur drammatico, lascia aperto uno spiraglio di sole nelle vite di qualcuno che tanto ha sofferto in passato.

[George K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ενδέκατο βιβλίο του Ζορζ Σιμενόν που διαβάζω και μόλις τρίτο με ήρωα τον Επιθεωρητή Μαιγκρέ (το καλούτσικο "Ο τρελός του Μπερζεράκ" και το εξαιρετικό "Ο Μαιγκρέ στήνει παγίδα" τα προηγούμενα δυο), το μόνο σίγουρο είναι ότι πέρασα καταπληκτικά την ώρα μου. Εντάξει, το "Το λιμάνι στην ομίχλη" σαν μυστήριο δεν μου φάνηκε εξίσου δυνατό με το "Ο Μαιγκρέ στήνει παγίδα" που διάβασα πέρυσι τέτοια εποχή, όμως αν μη τι άλλο ήταν με τη σειρά του άκρως ατμοσφαιρικό και καλογραμμένο. Η αλήθεια είναι περισσότερο μου άρεσε το σκηνικό στο οποίο διαδραματίστηκε η όλη υπόθεση, καθώς επίσης η ατμόσφαιρα και φυσικά η υπέροχη γραφή του Σιμενόν, παρά η ιστορία αυτή καθαυτή. Πάντως υπήρξε ένα μυστήριο και μια κάποια αγωνία για το τέλος, ενώ ενδιαφέρον είχε η όλη αντιμετώπιση της υπόθεσης εκ μέρους του Μαιγκρέ, απλώς η πλοκή δεν με εντυπωσίασε και τόσο πολύ. Σίγουρα προτείνεται στους λάτρεις των κλασικών γαλλικών νουάρ.

[Marisol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un desconocido con peluca, una cicatriz en la cabeza, y que además no habla, es encontrado por la policía deambulando, se le encarga al inspector Maigret que averigüe quién es, mientras lo hace, lo nombra “el hombre’

Rápidamente descubre su identidad y lo lleva de regreso a su casa, pero al llegar las cosas parecen torcerse, lo que inicia una nueva investigación para descubrir quién es el culpable de un asesinato.

Se reiteran los paisajes marítimos usados en libros previos, una constante que indica la fascinación del escritor por los barcos, los puertos y la vida a bordo.

También se reiteran temas como personajes aparentemente respetables que ocultan pasados escabrosos, la lealtad de un grupo, el azar como desafortunado desencadenante de desgracias, pero sobre todo la tozudez de Maigret para perseguir pistas y luego hacerlas encajar en los lugares correctos.

No es el mejor trabajo de Simenon, tampoco es el peor, pero debo admitir que la explicación se tornó rocambolesca, ilógica con algunos huecos, pero me gusta que sigue prevaleciendo la tendencia de una historia bien narrada, directa y con las páginas justas, ni una de más.

[Constantinos Capetanakis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Δεν μου αρέσει να βάζω τρία αστέρια σε βιβλίο του Σιμενόν, δεν μου πάει. Αλλά το συγκεκριμένο είναι εμφανές ότι γράφτηκε πολύ γρήγορα, με την ευκολία της φαντασίας του Σιμενόν και της τόσο έντονης αποτύπωσης του κάθε τόπου και των ανθρώπων στο μυαλό του. Ένας νομάς, ένας αφθαστος τεχνίτης της γραφής, αλλά και συχνά επαναλαμβανόμενος στο σκηνικό που στήνει. Κάποια βιβλία με τον Μαιγκρέ είναι τόσο παρόμοια, σαν να διαβάζεις διαφορετικά κεφαλαία του ίδιου βιβλίου. Τα «σκληρά» του έχουν άλλο βάθος, αν και εκεί βλέπει κανείς το ίδιο ημίφως που μας καλύπτει όλους. Ακόμα κι έτσι όμως είναι, τα περισσότερα, έντονα και τόσο διεισδυτικά όσο ελαχίστων άλλων συγγραφέων.
Το λιμάνι στην ομίχλη είναι μια συμπαθητική, γνώριμη, ελαφρώς αδιάφορη ιστορία στην πλούσια καριέρα του Μαιγκρέ. Τίποτα παραπάνω. Παρόλα αυτά είναι πάντα Σιμενόν.

[AlbertoD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un'altra bella inchiesta per Maigret, che questa volta indaga in un piccolo e brumoso paese portuale della Bretagna. Un caso all'apparenza complicato in cui il commissario dovrà fare del suo meglio per penetrare il muro di diffidenza e reticenza degli abitanti del luogo, dove tutti sembrano sapere qualcosa ma nessuno parla.
Un dramma borghese che coinvolge marinai, galeotti, capitani di porto e armatori.
Atmosfere suggestive e trama ben costruita.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the plot.

A man with amnesia with a head wound from a gunshot is found wandering around Paris and will not speak He is is identified as the harbor-master of Ouistreham, Capt. Yves Joris. His house-keeper, Julie Legrand, comes to Paris and takes him back to Ouistreham.

Amongst his papers is a bank statement showing a deposit of that 300,000 francs. On his return the next morning Capt. Joris is found dead, poisoned.

Julie's brother, Big Louis, is an ex-con seaman who works on the Saint-Michel and was at the port the night the Captain disappeared.

Maigret visits the house of the mayor, Ernest Grandmaison who is unhelpful. He follows Julie to a shrine in the dunes. Maigret connects the mayors wife Helene with a Norwegian seaman and then all is revealed.

Again the characters were not very likeable. Small town mentality and seamen suspicious of outsiders. I thought it was a good story and enjoyed once again the murderer getting his just desserts. Do any of the murderers ever survive in a Maigret novel?

[Sharon Barrow Wilfong · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say? If you like Maigret, you'll like this one.

A man is wondering around Paris. He has no identification, his clothes are new, but without labels.
He cannot speak and apparently does not know who or where he is. He has been shot in the head, but someone has neatly operated on him so, although his head is shaved, it is neatly sutured.

Who is this man? Who shot him and why? Furthermore, who saved him?

That is what Maigret is going to find out. And we all can trust that our dear, French detective will find out.

[lise.charmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

In questa vicenda Maigret indaga sull'omicidio di un ex capitano portuale a Ouistreham, nel nord della Francia. Le indagini sono rese difficili dalla naturale e innaturale reticenza degli abitanti del paese, che nascondono più segreti di quanti ci si potrebbe aspettare in un piccolo borgo.
La vicenda in sé e per sé è misteriosa e accattivante e spinge il lettore a proseguire, ma il valore aggiunto di questa storia sta soprattutto nell'abilità di creare atmosfera, di immergere il lettore (ascoltatore) nell'ambiente nebbioso, facendo percepire l'umidità, il disorientamento, la diffidenza degli abitanti, lo smarrimento stesso di Maigret.
Ho particolarmente apprezzato la lettura di Battiston, che pur non perdendo completamente il suo accento riesce a rendere le diverse voci dei personaggi della storia e la sua interpretazione è certamente un valore aggiunto di questo testo.
Non è il primo Maigret, ma si può tranquillamente partire da qui per conoscere il commissario, perché non viene raccontato niente della sua vicenda personale.

[tortoise dreams · Rating 4 out of 5]

#16 The Maigrets are an interesting series in that there is no relation between one case and the next, we learn little more about him from one book to another, there are few continuing characters other than Maigret himself, his behavior is inconsistent -- at times veering wildly from previous patterns, and he doesn't grow, evolve, or reflect back between books. My opinion is based solely on having read the first 16 books in the series (of 75 novels). And this one is pleasantly complex, proceeding in unexpected directions, as Simenon expertly and fondly evokes the intricacies of the sea-faring life of a coastal town. Some will be startled to find Maigret trussed up like a chicken for a night. Simenon worked a little harder on this one.

[Meltem Sağlam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bir Maigret romanı. Müthiş bir atmosfere sahip küçük liman kentinde, son derece esrarengiz bir cinayetin fail ve/veya faillerini bulmaya çalışıyor komiser Maigret.

Sürükleyici, merak uyandıran, akıcı bir metin. Ancak okumayı zorlaştıran, sayısız imla ve gramer hatası var.

Çok beğendim.

[Alex Sarll]

I've read one shorter Simenon before in a festive anthology, vaguely meant to have another go...but there are 75 Maigrets, more even than Mrs Bradley, so I never knew where to begin. Until, in a guesthouse overlooking a harbour, one on the shelf and it's this, which seemed neat enough. It has that same paradoxical sense the Christmas tale did of minimal, transparent prose that's nevertheless hiding something, and this despite the pace at which it sometimes moves: most contemporaries would have got half a book out of the mystery man found with no memory in Paris, money in his pockets, but within a chapter Maigret has already identified him and is off to the dreary Breton coastal town from which he went missing. Where things bog down in a weirdly modern way: multiple people are very obviously lying, but there doesn't seem to be any way of compelling them not to. But that's set in an eerie, edge of the world territory MR James would recognise, except, obviously, far more French ("The mother must still be peddling fish in the streets, when she isn't swilling red wine in bistros"). As is so often the way, the mystery, and its various sub-puzzles (why is the pompous mayor making no move to prevent disreputable lunk of a sailor Big Louis from beating him up in his own house?) is much more interesting than the solution, and Maigret himself is a more indistinct figure than I normally like my detectives, but I would definitely read another. Albeit probably not at a sufficient rate to get through all of the buggers.

[Tim Orfanos · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Το λιμάνι στην ομίχλη' (1931) είναι το τελευταίο βιβλίο που κυκλοφόρησε από τις Εκδόσεις 'Άγρα' και ένα από τα πιο πρώιμα με βασικό ήρωα τον επιθεωρητή Μαιγκρέ, στοιχείο που θα αποτελούσε ένα πλεονέκτημα για την έκδοσή του. Η αλήθεια, όμως, είναι ότι, κατά την προσωπική μου άποψη, υπολείπεται αρκετά των περισσότερων μυθιστορημάτων του Σιμενόν, και αυτός είναι ο λόγος που πιστεύω ότι ��α άξιζε περισσότερο να εκδοθεί κάποιο άλλο από τα πρώιμα βιβλία του π.χ. 'Ο Πιέτρ ο Λετονός'.

Η αρχική ιδέα ενός άντρα που πυροβολήθηκε στο κεφάλι, εγχειρίστηκε, πάσχει από αμνησία και γυρίζει στο σπίτι με τη συνοδεία του Μαιγκρέ αποτελεί και το πιο θετικό του στοιχείο, το οποίο, ωστόσο, δεν αναπτύσσεται με δημιουργικό τρόπο από τον Σιμενόν. Εκείνη την περίοδο, ο Σιμενόν ασχολιόταν με ένα ιστιοφόρο που είχε αγοράσει για κρουαζιέρες με αποτέλεσμα να χρησιμοποιεί σε αρκετές σελίδες, περισσότερο από όσο χρειαζόταν, ναυτικούς όρους που δεν ενδιαφέρουν, ιδιαίτερα, το αναγνωστικό κοινό.

Πέρα από αυτό, οι άλλοτε 'πλούσιοι' και εποικοδομητικοί διάλογοι μεταξύ των ηρώων δεν υπάρχουν, γιατί εδώ πλέον είναι πιο 'επίπεδοι' και λιγότερο σημαντικοί, ενώ, σε αρκετά σημεία, ο Σιμενόν δείχνει να μην ξέρει πώς να χειριστεί τους ήρωές του και την πλοκή - παρατηρείται ανεπαρκής εμβάθυνση στους χαρακτήρες.

Εν κατακλείδι, τα πιο σημαντικά αρνητικά στοιχεία του μυθιστορήματος δεν συνδέονται τόσο με τα παραπάνω, όσο με το γεγονός ότι οι αναγνώστες, δύσκολα, θα καταφέρουν να ενδιαφερθούν για τους ήρωες του βιβλίου ή για την κατάληξη της ιστορίας που είναι αρκετά προβλέψιμη.

Ίσως είναι το βιβλίο του Σιμενόν με την μεγαλύτερη τάση προς την λήθη του αναγνωστικού κοινού.

Βαθμολογία: 2,9/5 ή 5,8/10.

Υ.Γ.: H ομίχλη, όντως, θα μπορούσε να αποτελεί κεντρικό στοιχείο της υπόθεσης, αλλά αυτό δεν επιτυγχάνεται τελικά παρά μόνο κάπως στο 1ο μισό του βιβλίου.

[AC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ships and harbors. But brilliantly constructed. A sureness here (#16; still 1932) that is new in the series.

[Vassiliki Dass · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5* Είναι εμφανές ότι η ιστορία αυτή γράφτηκε από τον Σιμενόν την περίοδο που σύμφωνα με τα ίδια του τα λόγια έγραφε αστυνομικά με το κιλό. Κοφτές προτάσεις ημερολογίου που δεν συμβάλουν καθόλου στην απόδοση της ατμόφαιρας του παραλιακού χωριού μες την ομίχλη όπου όλοι ψεύδονται ή κρατούν μυστικά. Δεν καταλαβαίνω γιατί η Άγρα έπρεπε να το εκδώσει

[Antonella Imperiali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tanto intrigante l’inizio, quanto complesse (e nebulose) le vicende che vedono coinvolto Maigret nel piccolo borgo portuale di Ouistreham. La nebbia è la protagonista indiscussa di questa indagine; avvolge tutto, cose e persone, segreti e complotti. E un delitto, naturalmente.
Simenon è magistrale nel creare ambientazioni ricche di atmosfere particolari in cui inserisce ad arte - come tante tessere di un puzzle - gli eventi dei suoi racconti.
Niente prove tecniche o scientifiche questa volta; solo l’acume, la pazienza, la capacità d’osservazione e la conoscenza dell’animo umano porteranno pian piano il commissario a dipanare il mistero e la nebbia che lo avvolge e pagina dopo pagina la verità verrà alla luce, come un raggio di sole, regalando ad alcuni uno spiraglio di futuro.

Bello, sì, ma non mi ha coinvolta come altri della stessa serie.


✍️ G.S. Maigret
# LdM - Mini sfida Europa -> 20

[D'face · Rating 4 out of 5]

A man found without his memory is identified and returned to his village only to be murdered the next day. His housekeeper stands to inherit all and her brother is a known criminal and thug. Maigret tried to prevent him from fleeing and ends up trussed overnight on the pier. No one seems very keen to help Maigret solve this strange murder mystery.

[John Frankham · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good Maigret, one of a number where Simenon shows his love and knowledge of the closed communities in river, canal and sea locations. In this case a tidal port, from where ships go to England and the Baltic, where the harbour-master disappears, presumed drowned, then reappears elsewhere, unable to speak, with a well-healed bullet wound in the head. Maigret takes him and his housekeeper back to the harbour to investigate. But nobody will speak up - at first, until Maigret wheedles confidences and provokes actions ....

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many years ago I read some of the Maigret Series by Georges Simenon. When in the library last week, I saw some videos of some of the different stories/episodes with Michael Gamdon (the guy who played Dumbledore in Harry Potter about 10 years earlier). I really like this Gamdon vs. Harry Potter version.

In The Misty Harbour, Maigret is confronted by the case of a man who has no memory of who or where he is and who has recovered from an operation following a head wound. He doesn't appear to be a down-and-out and has five thousand francs in his pocket.

The mystery of his identity at least is solved when his maid, Julie, arrives in Maigret's office, having seen his picture in the newspapers. She says that his name is Yves Joris and that he is the harbourmaster at the small port of Ouistreham, having taken up this post after 30 years at sea.

Maigret decides to go there with Joris and Julie to establish whether any crime has been committed and to find out why he disappeared from the town on September 16 and turned up in Paris six weeks later. Initially, there appears to be no reason for his departure. Joris lives a quiet life, has no known enemies and is not involved in any passionate love affairs.

When Maigret arrives it is the season for mists and he finds it virtually impossible to make his way about the town. This climatic feature acts as a kind of metaphor for Maigret's efforts to discover what happened. Whilst the ordinary townsfolk are willing to welcome him into the local tavern, it seems that anybody connected with Joris, who might possibly be able to help the investigation, is saying absolutely nothing. However, the quality above all that Maigret possesses is a stubborn persistence and he eventually begins to make some progress, assisted by his devoted sergeant Lucas whom he has summoned from Paris.

When we do eventually discover what happened we find that once again a breakdown in human relations is to blame. As frequently with Simenon, ordinary human frailty leads to a wholly unnecessary tragedy and we find ourselves wondering whether it could not have been avoided.

This novel is quite remarkable in its sense of place and in the way it captures the nuances of everyday life in a small port. Of course, owing to its position and its canal connection with the mainland, Ouistrehan was quite important at this time and the rather complex nature of its waterways is well brought out. To the lay reader it is not always easily comprehensible but the atmosphere within which the action takes place is never anything less than totally convincing.

For those readers coming to Simenon for the first time, there are better novels than this one but it is still an absorbing read.

I loved the later sections. In the prior novel, I thought it dropped a note that referenced what his next was going to be…and why he had to push the other case to a close. That was wrong…just a reference that he needed to get back to work, but not that it was getting onto the case in this next book.

One note on the edition that I read: It's actually a hardback edition from 1942 named Maigret and M. Labbe and contains Death of a Harbor-Master and The Man from Everywhere. That edition appears on GoodReads, but looks like it could be deleted. Its cool that this book includes the library card in the front pocket with stamps from 1959 - 1970 and includes stamps in the book: "Catalogued 1942" and "Oakland / OCT 1942 / Public Library." This book has been around the block a few times and lives on to tell the tale. I appreciated reading this specific book, as much as, I enjoyed reading the Maigret novel. (less)

[Elizabeth (Alaska) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The misty harbor is at Ouistreham, a small town near Caen. In Ouistreham is a lock for ship navigation with the River Orne. Maigret goes there initially to accompany Captain Joris. Joris was found in Paris, unable to speak and apparently not aware of his surroundings nor where he lived. He has a scar on his head, apparently from a bullet wound. A country-wide newspaper photo brought a young woman from Ouistreham, saying Captain Joris was her employer and that he was the operator of the lock. Joris, back in home in his own bed, was murdered that first night. So there is Maigret on the scene, but without his usual cadre of investigators.

This is my least favorite of the mysteries so far. I like Maigret in Paris or at least with telephones where he can communicate with Paris. I like it when he has some idea of who and what to watch. In this, there is nearly nothing either for him or for the reader. And no one is talking, no one volunteering one. single. idea.

In this series, we never know what Maigret is thinking and then viola! the murder is solved. It happened here, too. I did have an idea who might be the perpetrator but not a whit if an idea as to why. Anyway, I'm glad to move on to something else and can find only 2 stars for this.

[Aldara · Rating 1 out of 5]

No se por dónde empezar a describir todo lo malo de este libro. No me ha gustado nada la traducción, la mayor parte del tiempo no me enteraba de lo que estaba pasando y no me metí en ningún momento en la historia. Bastante decepcionante.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 really - but has some rare action

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A typical Maigret case where the truth always comes out through his dogged perserverance. What marks this case out is the victim is incapacitated and unable to explain what happened to him. Following a subsequent murder no-one seems to want to speak the truth nor answer Maigret's questions.
It is a complex story as it is a profound mystery which seems unfathomable before and after the murder.
I loved the setting and more of Simenon's observations of Ouistreham's fishing community which he works into this novel.
Initially when he arrives Maigret cannot see his hand in front of his own face due to the mist shrouding the harbour and its community. Thereafter it stands a metaphor of the investigation that Maigret cannot see through and the fog that masks his understanding and hampers any breakthrough.
A good read and an insight in to pre-war France if you can see through the haze.