Maigret's Dead Man

Inspector Maigret #29

by Georges Simenon, David Coward (Translator)

Maigret plunges into the murky Parisian underworld in book twenty-nine of the new Penguin Maigret series.

Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret's Special Murder.

'His artistry is supreme' John Banville

'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

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

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1948

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]

One of June's Lunchtime Listens 2022

This story starts with Maigret receiving a phone call from someone who says he knows Maigret. He explains he is , the man does not arrive at at the rendezvous, and then later in the evening he is found murdered.very concerned that he is being followed by people he is afraid of. He phones again soon after from a different location and asks Maigret for help, could he send an Inspector to meet him at another location.
After a number of calls, and Maigret setting up a meeting , the man does not arrive at at the rendezvous, and then later in the evening he is found murdered. This man becomes known as "his" dead man by all the Inspectors who work for him in the adjoining room.

Maigret then tries to trace who he is and how Maigret knew this man's wife, all to discover who murdered his dead man.

This book is read by Gareth Armstrong, who as ever does a superb job of conveying the real France, the real Paris and the real Maigret.

[Kyriakos Sorokkou]

Αν δεν έβλεπα το τρέιλερ της σειράς με πρωταγωνιστή τον αγαπημένο μου ηθοποιό Ρόουαν Άτκινσον δε θα ήξερα ότι υπήρχε αυτός ο συγγραφέας πόσο μάλλον ο χαρακτήρας του.

Μαιγκρέ: Γάλλος επιθεωρητής / ντετέκτιβ φτιαγμένος από πένα Βέλγου συγγραφέα
Πουαρώ: Βέλγος επιθεωρητής / ντετέκτιβ φτιαγμένος από πένα Αγγλίδας συγγραφέως.

Ένα είδος λογοτεχνίας που δεν είμαι μεγάλος φαν. (και όχι φίλε/φίλη όσο και να προσπαθήσεις να με πείσεις να διαβάσω κι άλλο αυτό δε θα γίνει αν δεν το θέλω εγώ, εκτός κι αν αυτή η πρόταση γίνει με απειλή διμούτσουνης καραμπίνας)

Για πάμε πίσω στα του βιβλίου.

Μ' άρεσε αρκετά. Αυτή η νουάρ ατμόσφαιρα του χειμωνιάτικου Παρισιού, τα όλο ζεστασιά (cosy) γαλλικά μπιστρό (όπου έγιναν και δολοφονίες αλλά δεν έπαυαν να είναι κόζι) Ο ίδιος ο Μαιγκρέ που ήταν πάντα ένα βήμα μπροστά. Ακόμη και η έκδοση του συγκεκριμένου βιβλίου στη συγκεκριμένη σειρά έκανε το διάβασμα απόλαυση.

Φυσικά και θα διαβάσω κι άλλο Σιμενόν με προτεραιότητα τα άλλα 3 που μεταφέρθηκαν στην τηλεόραση από το ITV με τον Ρόουαν Άτκινσον στο ρόλο του Μαιγκρέ.

Βαθμολογία: 8/10

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secondo me uno dei migliori Maigret letti finora. Mi è piaciuta l’originalità della trama, mi sono piaciute le atmosfere, mi è piaciuta la varietà dei personaggi che riempiono le pagine. Mi è piaciuto il commissario che non riesce ad impedire un omicidio e di questo si duole, tanto da avvicinarsi al morto a tal punto da sentirlo di sua “proprietà”. Mi è piaciuto il commissario che non si dà pace e mette in campo tutte le forze che ha per arrestare chi ha ucciso il “suo” morto. Mi è piaciuta la signora Maigret che tra una minestra e un lavoro a maglia collabora alle indagini del marito, quasi a condividere con lui quel “suo” morto. Tanto altro mi è piaciuto di questo libro. Consiglio: penso che se si vuole conoscere il commissario, questo potrebbe essere l’inizio giusto.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maigret's Dead Man is a welcome relief from a couple of previous novels as is set in Paris, with Maigret once more to the centre and restored to overseeing his department on the Quai des Orfèvres.
As Peter Foord said "This is one of the most satisfying of the Maigret novels as it has many aspects of his approach to an investigation.".
Maigret is the star, driven by his methods, that others within the book recognise and which devoted fans adore. He doesn't do all the leg work and relies on colleagues, comically seen when Lucas follows a suspect on foot while Maigret trundles along in a taxi. Janvier is also sent to various places to seek out information and observe comings and goings. Yet it is the Chief Inspector that orchestrates all the activity; from the start when a man keeps phoning him saying he is being followed and his life is in danger. Maigret is certain it isn't a hoax, and the urgency is to find him before his persuers isolate him. The detective isn't surprised when a body turns out to be this frightened man and the reader is engaged as the victim becomes known as Maigret's dead man.
Written just after the World War 2, the Paris we see is full of illegal foreigners, with designated areas which the people by and large keep within. Following the pattern of the dead man's last movements Maigret is able to gain more knowledge of him and ultimately find out who is was. The rest is an investigation into why he was killed and what he knew that demanded some criminals kill him before he shared what he knew with Maigret.
There is a raid of Paris that must have been reminiscent of round ups in wartime Paris and demonstrates the power of the Police, their authority and scope when they chose to act.
The book has lighter moments with Madame Maigret both nursing her husband with a heavy cold during the investigation and tiptoeing about their apartment when she thought Maigret was sleeping.
There is a brutality here that Maigret recognises and a criminal class that bearly values life. However, as the case nears its conclusion we see a compassionate detective towards those he arrests and for his own men in the face of potential danger. He even worries for anyone likely to be caught up in any arrest. Since the crooks will know the game is up, and have nothing to lose in a gun battle or the death of innocent bystanders.
A complete novel that shows Georges Simenon has more to say about his creation Maigret and has a new found liberation to write freely and with enjoyment about a detective who is an icon of the 20th century.
To new readers and established fans this is a must read as it is the very essence of Maigret.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some mysterious telephone calls to Chief Inspector Maigret piques his interest enough that he gets involved to try to foil a murder in Maigret’s Dead Man, the 29th novel in the series. Alas, the man nonetheless ends up dead. Who was he?

I will not ruin the fun of this novel by telling you any more than that; suffice it to say that Maigret will not only learn the victim’s name and his killer, but he will manage to solve an even larger crime. Readers will love Maigret’s skill and relentlessness in solving several crimes and resolving a messy family situation.

While the novel was released in 1947, Maigret’s Dead Man will enthrall readers today as much as it did 70 years ago. How grateful I am that Penguin Classics is reissuing the entire of George Simenon’s oeuvre!

[Barbarroja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Descubrí a Simenon hace un par de años. Ahora tengo 25. Me mortifica no haberlo hecho antes. El tiempo y las lecturas son limitados, y muy gratamente me pasaría los días leyendo las cerca de doscientas novelas que escribió.

Los casos de Maigret son un bálsamo, entretenimiento en el mayor grado posible. Una delicia. Esta novela es una muestra perfecta del buen hacer literario, del perfecto oficio narrativo, de todo lo que una buena novela policíaca (aunque en el fondo el crimen sea lo de menos) debe tener.

Las cinco estrellas van para esta novela, pero daría cien estrellas más a Simenon y a mi ya muy querido comisario Maigret.

[Razvan Banciu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A weird story, as a man is killed just for a train ticket, but, as usual, the main attraction is the way Mr. Simeon is constructing the plot.
Not to mention his well-known human kindness, as he's thinking for a new home for a new-born and a widow without children.

[Pavel Nedelcu · Rating 3 out of 5]

SUSPANS GARANTAT

Cea mai bună alegere pentru cine vrea să descopere genul romanului polițist.

Simenon a fost autor prolific și, în sectorul său, genial!

[Nood-Lesse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unogret

A chi sarà legato il mio ricordo del commissario con il cappello? A Bruno Cremer? A Gino Cervi?
Sbarcato su Anobii, ogni volta che qualcuno consigliava di leggere Simenon, io pensavo: Non, merci.
Attraverso i commenti altrui scoprii che Simenon non aveva scritto solo del commissario, ma aveva pubblicato 119 romanzi noir catalogati come Romans Durs.
Decisi di provarne uno (La camera azzurra n.d.r.)
Quando lo finii scrissi che non sarebbe stato l’ultimo, certo in quel momento non immaginavo che proprio Georges Simenon sarebbe diventato l’autore con più presenze nella mia libreria.
Dopo averne letti una ventina, per riconoscenza e per completezza, ho iniziato a chiedere in giro, “ma se volessi leggere un Maigret, uno, solo quale titolo mi consigliereste?”
Il morto di Maigret potrei averlo annotato più di cinque anni fa, fu lui a vincere il casting.
Si percepisce che c’è un pregresso un ritualismo commissariale, una serialità. C’è il commissario nelle vesti di burattinaio, è lui muovere poliziotti e malviventi. I miei problemi con il giallo sono congeniti, non mi piace, ma almeno Simenon ha il merito, una volta chiuso il libro, di spingermi a riaprirlo per andare avanti.
Bisognerebbe aver chiara la topografia parigina per seguirlo; l’atmosfera della capitale anni ’50 però, anche senza Tuttocittà, trasuda dalle brasserie e dai bistrot frequentati dal commissario che non disdegna la birra e il Calvados.
Non ci sono i cellulari, non c’è internet, per investigare occorrono intuito, fervida immaginazione e buona memoria.
Non sono sicuro di aver capito perfettamente il disvelarsi progressivo della vicenda, quel diavolo di un commissario ad un delitto irrisolto ha collegato una serie di sanguinosi assalti avvenuti nelle fattorie della Piccardia.
A puzzle ultimato mi pareva che alcuni pezzi non si incastrassero bene, non mi ha sfiorato l’idea di tornare indietro a rileggere per fare chiarezza.
Simenon fu capace di farmi apprezzare il noir, con il giallo non c’è riuscito neppure lui.
Ho letto un Maigret, probabilmente sarà l’ultimo.

[The Frahorus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non mi stancherò mai di leggere un buon giallo con protagonista il commissario Maigret, soprattutto quando l'autore, Simenon, come in questo caso, è in stato di grazia. Ho assaporato ogni scena, ogni vicenda, e nonostante la storia ci porterà a conoscenza di episodi e situazioni spiacevoli, vi ho trovato un Simenon in ottima forma. Nella strada Maigret da il meglio di sé: conosce i luoghi, le persone, i bar, la psicologia dei criminali, le loro astuzie, e ci si immerge come una spugna, per comprendere come agirebbero. Ma ci viene descritto anche il rapporto con sua moglie, santa donna, che lo coccola e conosce ogni suo difetto. Un vero giallo, in tutti i sensi, anzi in questo caso si avvicina decisamente al noir, ti fa essere in mezzo alle indagini, ti descrive anche la psicologia dei poliziotti in appostamento, senza farci mancare le sue descrizioni che di tanto in tanto si tramutano in poesia.

Sulla storia non vi dico nulla, starà a voi godervela leggendo questo piccolo capolavoro di Simenon.

[Meltem Sağlam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dost Yayınları tarafından basılan -ve ulaşabildiğim-, Georges Simenon’un iki ‘Komiser Maigret’ romanından ilki.

Yüksek temposu, heyecanlı akışı, güzel çevirisi ile keyifli bir okumaya imkan sağlıyor.

Çok beğendim.

[Lobstergirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the gender situation in the Simenon universe:

"The man pinched Irma's behind as she passed. Chevrier did not react and even bore Lucas' amused glance in silence." (p. 91)

Irma and Chevrier are married. Since her behind is being pinched, perhaps her reaction should be the focus. But only her husband's reaction matters. The assault is on his status, more than her body.

Simenon is maybe the world's sluttiest novelist (unless you count Eudora Welty), claiming to have slept with more than 10,000 women, 80% of them prostitutes.

I've tried to read Simenon once before and couldn't see the point. I wanted to make it through at least one book and now I have. The milieu just doesn't agree with me.

I did learn a new word: "an uncooked chicken already barded with strips of fat bacon sat on the table."

[Antonio Ippolito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dopo una piacevolissima rilettura, ripubblico la mia recensione di 5 anni fa, aggiungendo questo: è un romanzo dove figurano diverse figure femminili che hanno un certo spicco: alla “lupa” Maria si contrappongono la solare Irma, moglie del poliziotto Chevrière (“più che a una capra somigliava a una pecora”..), pronta a rilevare insieme al marito il bistrot da usare come specchietto per le allodole, divertendocisi un sacco, sopportando anche le mani degli avventori sul sedere (ma preoccupata che il marito non esploda e li prenda a pugni in faccia!).. (nota linguistica: “bistrot” indicava ancora, oltre al locale, il gestore, e “bistrote” sua moglie!); e Nine, la povera strabica bisognosa di dare affetto e che si era presa tanta cura del marito tardivo Albert, la vittima.
Qui Maigret gioca come non mai da “aggiustatore di destini”, proponendo a Nine di adottare il povero innocente figlio di Maria, che sarà probabilmente ghigliottinata (e a questo punto, commento del lettore: perchè non anche la bambina unica testimone sopravvissuta al massacro della propria famiglia?).
In ogni caso, che dopo tanti orrori nasca proprio dalla “belva” Maria un bambino destinato forse a portare un po’ di felicità a una delle vittime, è un vero simbolismo simenoniano..
È talmente affascinante lo svolgersi sinuoso della storia, la potenza della descrizione di ambienti, che non ci si accorge di quanto sia fragile la trama: Albert, la vittima, avrebbe trovato per terra all’ippodromo un biglietto di treno emesso in uno dei paesini teatro delle efferatezze della banda? E con questo avrebbe pensato di ricattarli, con l’aiuto di Jo il pugile e Ferdinand? E la banda dei cecoslovacchi sarebbe arrivata a lui perchè aveva già iniziato a ricattarli in autonomia? O mi sono perso dei passaggi oppure l’autore chiede al lettore di riempirli.
----------------------------------------

Si sa che i romanzi di Maigret costituiscono il lato “solare” dell’opera di Simenon; quelli in cui l’ordine viene ristabilito, il protagonista ha una specchiata e sincera vita coniugale anche se non allietata dai figli, per i criminali anche più incalliti c’è sempre un gesto di misericordia.. tutto quello che manca nei suoi “romans romans”.
Ma in qualcuna delle inchieste dell’amato commissario affiora del vero “noir”. Soprattutto quando quello che sembrava un tipico delitto del “milieu”, consumato tra un bistrot su una banchina del lungo Senna (a Bercy, allora affollato porto fluviale) e place de la Concorde, porta a indagare nella conigliera umana dei quartieri come rue du Roi-de-Sicile, popolati da immigrati da tutta Europa (Italia, Polonia, Armenia..) che nel caos del dopoguerra affollano le officine Citroen, per sopravvivenza o per copertura di altre attività. E qui troveranno una banda di criminali Cecoslovacchi non solo di inaudita ferocia, non solo dediti ai piaceri della vita più elementari, come sfogare una fame atavica (siamo lontani dai criminali internazionali di alto bordo degli anni ’30!), ma sotto il comando di Maria, una contadina slovacca, vera lupa verghiana che li tiene in pugno nella più completa promiscuità e forse più feroce di tutti loro, visto che tortura personalmente le vittime, trovate in case di campagna isolate..
Sarei davvero curioso di sapere se prima della traduzione Adelphi del 2002 ce ne sia stata una Mondadoriana, e se questa fosse integrale o “purgata” .
Da notare quanto sia lontana dai gialli di Conan Doyle o Agatha Christie, e ben più vicina a quella di Chandler, la tecnica di Simenon, che nel corso di un romanzo cambia più volte punto di vista e protagonisti, e dove Maigret rivela a due terzi del romanzo pensieri e ipotesi di cui il lettore fino a quel momento era stato tenuto all’oscuro.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say this is going to be amongst my favourite Maigret books. A very enjoyable read from start to finish, no dull moments or flat bits for me. A nice rich tapestry of characters, well paced plot and outcome.

Superb! Hoping for more of this ilk as I get into the second half of the series.

[Three · Rating 5 out of 5]

E' il migliore di tutti? Il secondo?
Di sicuro è il Maigret più sorprendente, quello in cui la vittima sente il pericolo e cerca di salvarsi contattando Maigret, e da lì succede di tutto, con un bar tenuto da poliziotti in incognito, Maigret che segue in taxi l'inseguimento di un farabutto da parte di un altro poliziotto, una banda di criminali, una donna bellissima e malvagia, e Maigret che alla fine partecipa ad una cattura. Nessuna altra indagine di Maigret è mai stata così movimentata e divertente.

[Els Lens · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ooit las ik al wel iets van Simenon.
Volgens sommigen zijn de 'Maigrets' het beste wat hij schreef.
Wel, ik vond het saai, saai, saai, ... en ongeloofwaardig.
Geen Simenon meer voor mij.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maigret's so good he can solve crimes in his sleep and he does in one of the more dangerous cases he's taken on as he pursues a crew of vicious murderers.

Simenon is maybe not great at creating thrilling manhunts or crafting clever crimes to solve, but he more than trumps the Maples, Poirots and Holmes of the world with his sense of humanity and empathy. His stories are firmly grounded, his simple writing is some of the best I've read and his knack for details without erring from the path of narrative is unbeatable.

I think I know what authors collection I'd take with me on that deserted island now.

[John Frankham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now finished re-reading (listening to) this re-named novel.

My review earlier of 'Maigret's Special Murder.'

"One of the very best Maigret novels. You can see and smell the streets, the slums, the clubs, cafes and bars, and the people and crooks of Paris just after the war as Maigret tracks the killers of a man who had rung Maigret from a variety of bars for help from his pursuers throughout a day.

Maigret feels beholden to the victim, and then the case becomes part of something far bigger ...."

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing can go wrong with Inspector Maigret.

[Dvora Treisman · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want mystery stories that hang together, you don't read Maigret. These are for the people, the atmosphere, the calvados, and the pipe smoke.

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

Dear old Maigret.
After a fortnight of particularly bad reading choices, I scored a day off. What better than to flop in bed with le patron and the boys? A corpse is dropped off at 1 AM, bang in the centre of Paris. Strangely for the times, his jacket doesn't match the rest of his rather elegant ensemble, and the stab wounds don't match the holes in his clothes. Maigret begins to obsess about it.

A particularly enjoyable case,not least because it again throws light on his home life, how he works and his relationship with Madame Maigret. Apparently when a case is not going at all well Maigret will sometimes "throw a sickie" and stay home for a day or two, reading Dumas and sipping Madame's herbal tea. This doesn't mean he's not working, oh no! Les enfants drop by or phone in with reports, while the Inspector exercises his little grey cells from the comfort of his armchair and slippers. Madame babies him, plying him with aspirins and the occasional hot toddy, if he's a good boy and drinks his infusions. He does absolutely horrify her by speaking by phone with the examining magistrate, in the same "bland and placid" voice that reduces her to tears when he uses it with her because it's so out of character. Maigret knows one of the cardinal rules of hierarchy: if you're careful, you can be so polite it's insulting, and yet leave nothing for your adversary to take hold of.

Once the corpse was identified, I enjoyed watching him slip into the victim's home and life like a hermit crab into a new shell. I love books I can snuggle down into; Simenon may not be a "cosy" author, but by jove he can write. The sights, the sounds, the smells of Paris are all here. The working techniques of the Paris police of the time were fascinating; it made me wonder if American forensics of the time thought of putting a victim's clothes in a paper bag and beating it with a stick to extract the dust for analysis!
Delicieux, comme toujours.

[Zella Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun, interesting read.

Maigret receives cryptic phone calls from a man who claims he is being followed. Maigret isn't sure whether or not the calls are a prank, but he dutifully tries to figure out what's going on. When the mysterious caller turns up dead, he knows that the calls were legitimate after all. The ensuing investigation takes Maigret and his team into the seedy underbelly of Paris. . . .

This was an action-packed story, what with a city-wide police chase on foot, a raid on the Paris slums, police stakeouts, multiple murders, and more. But the action always seemed quite organic to the story and was interspersed with quieter police work.

The Paris atmosphere and period detail is magnificent. I love how, in this pre-cell phone world, Maigret's underlings have to stop at a nearby bar to call and update him on their stakeouts. (They also, quite possibly, drink more alcohol on the clock than the characters on Mad Men. LOL)

Actually, one of the things I really enjoy about the series is that Maigret has a good team, and solving the cases is always a team effort. A lot of mysteries always make the protagonist the only competent person in the room, but Maigret has a good group of detectives and he knows how to use them. (Even if he occasionally forgets about them after the case is solved because he's deployed too many of them across Paris. . . ) Even an outside cop who comes into his orbit during the investigation is no dummy, which was refreshing. He and Maigret have a delightfully laidback rivalry.

This novel probes into some pretty dark corners, with some of the more vicious criminals Maigret has come across, but it also has a wonderful sense of humor. The opening scene, where Maigret accepts the initial mystery phone call because he's desperate to get away from the paranoid old lady in his office, is a comedic masterpiece.

Highly recommend.

[Helin Puksand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Komissar Maigret on mulle tuttav juba nooruspõlvest, sest raamatuid temast tõlgiti eesti keelde juba 1970ndatel. Olen Georges Simenonit pidanud prantsuse kirjanikuks, kuid mõni aeg tagasi sain teada, et tegemist on hoopis belglasega. Raamatu tegevus toimub ikkagi Pariisis. Maigret saab ühel päeval närvilisi telefonikõnesid ühelt mehelt, kes ennast tutvustamata palub abi, kuna teda jälitatakse. Maigret võtab asja tõsiselt, kuid mees leitakse ikkagi järgmisel päeval surnuna.
Raamatu stiil on askeetlik, kuigi lugu on haarav. Teos sobib neile, kes Põhjamaade krimi ei armasta, kuid tahavad lugeda rahuliku tempoga politseiuurimisest. :)

[John Frankham · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the very best Maigret novels. You can see and smell the streets, the slums, the clubs, cafes and bars, and the people and crooks of Paris just after the war as Maigret tracks the killers of a man who had rung Maigret from a variety of bars for help from his pursuers throughout a day.

Maigret feels beholden to the victim, and then the case becomes part of something far bigger ....

This was the basis for this Xmas's BBC Maigret with Rowan Atkinson as the surprisingly good hero. It followed the story faithfully and successfully.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging crime fiction novel where detective Maigret spends the first three days trying to identify a dead man, who turns out to be Albert Rochain. Maigret had been called by Albert Rochain, asking for police protection, stating he was being followed by men trying to kill him. An interesting novel involving police stakeouts and round ups. Set in Paris, probably after World War Two.

Maigret fans will find this an enjoyable reading experience.

This book was first published in France in 1948 and is the 29th novel in the Maigret series.

[Vic Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the atmosphere in which and the pace at which the police used to work back then: no definite schedule, but enough time for an apéritif at noon and a good lunch at a small bistro... with no mobile phones or computers at their disposal... Makes me very nostalgic.

[Ann-sofie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Läste med Pariskartan tätt intill.

[Petrus Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ a bit confusing

[Francis Pellow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've not read a Maigret novel for a little while so it was a joy to visit one of these direct crime stories. Really enjoyed this.

[Άγης · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ένας άγνωστος άντρας, καλεί τηλεφωνικά την Δικαστική αστυνομία από ένα καφέ και πανικόβλητος ζητά την βοήθεια του επιθεωρητη Μαιγκρέ. Ισχυρίζεται ότι άγνωστοι τον καταδιώκουν με σκοπό να τον δολοφονήσουν, και πριν προλάβει να δώσει περισσότερες πληροφορίες στον επιθεωρητή, ο άντρας κλείνει το τηλέφωνο· οι διώκτες του πλησιάζουν. Στην διάρκεια τον επόμενων ωρών η τηλεφωνική επικοινωνία θα επαναληφθεί, αυτή τη φορά από άλλα Παριζιάνικα καφέ, όμως μάταια καθώς πριν περάσει η νύχτα το πτώμα του άγνωστου ακόμη άντρα θα βρεθεί πεταμένο από ένα αυτοκίνητο στην Πλας ντε λα Κονκόρντ, στο κέντρο του Παρισιού.

Ο αστυνομικός επιθεωρητής Ζυλ Μαιγκρέ μαγνητίζεται από την υπόθεση στην οποία ο άγνωστος τον έμπλεξε προσωπικά με το τηλεφώνημα του, και ρίχνεται ακούραστα μαζί με τους συνεργάτες του στην έρευνα για τους δράστες. Μια έρευνα η οποία θα φέρει τον δαιμόνιο ντετέκτιβ στα ίχνη μιας σπείρας Τσέχων εγκληματιών που με την δράση τους τρομοκρατούν επί μήνες τα πλούσια αγροκτήματα της Πικαρδίας.

Ο Μαιγκρέ και ο νεκρός του, νουβέλα που εκδόθηκε για πρώτη φορά του 1948, είναι η 29η περιπέτεια του διάσημου Παριζιανού επιθεωρητή δια χειρός του συγγραφέα Ζωρζ Σιμενόν και αποτελεί ένα απολαυστικό whodunit μυθιστόρημα με μεσοπολεμικό Παριζιάνικο αέρα. Ο γαλλόφωνος Σιμενόν, Βέλγος στην καταγωγή, υπήρξε ένας από τους δημοφιλέστερους συγγραφείς τους 20ου αιώνα και αναμφισβήτητα ένας από τους πολυγραφέστερους, με την μόνο την αστυνομική σειρά με τον Μαιγκρέ να αριθμεί 75 νουβέλες και αρκετά μικρότερα σε έκταση διηγήματα. Είτε με τα αστυνομικά του βιβλία, όπου ο κοσμοπολίτης Παριζιάνος ντετέκτιβ με την πίπα και το χαρακτηριστικό καπέλο μπολ που έγινε ένας από τους πιο αναγνωρίσιμους πρωταγωνιστές του είδους και υπήρξε πηγή έμπνευσης και σημείο αναφοράς για μεταγενέστερους επιγόνους, είτε με τα λεγόμενα Romans durs, τις σκληρές νουβέλες του όπου καταπιάνεται με πιο δύσπεπτα και “σοβαρά” θέματα, ο συγγραφέας καταφέρνει να κερδίσει τον αναγνώστη και να τον πείσει για την λογοτεχνική του δεινότητα.

Το βιβλίο, ο Μαιγκρέ και ο νεκρός του, αποτελεί ένα ευχάριστο αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα, μια μίξη whodunit και police procedural που θα διασκεδάσει σίγουρα τον αναγνώστη. Στα ελληνικά κυκλοφορεί από τις εκδόσεις Άγρα σε μετάφραση της Αργυρώ Μακάρωφ, με τον Ρόουαν Άτκινσον(Μίστερ Μπιν) που πρωταγωνίστησε στην τίμια τηλεοπτική μεταφορά του βιβλίου να φιγουράρει στο εξώφυλλο.

Ένα εξαιρετικό αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα.