What do you think?
Rate this book
Inspector Maigret #62
Maigret and the Ghost
“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian
When a colleague is shot under mysterious circumstances, Inspector Maigret must work fast to uncover the truth
During an undercover case, Inspector Maigret’s colleague Lognon is shot and rushed to surgery. The attack took place in a room he was sharing, unbeknownst to his friends and family, with a beautiful woman who has since disappeared. No one knows why he was there, but rumors are swirling that he was working on a case—something big. With all eyes on him, Inspector Maigret retraces Lognon’s secretive last few days and is drawn into the dark side of the Paris art world, where no one is as they seem.
A page-turner filled with shocking revelations, Maigret and the Ghost is an absorbing mystery.
When a colleague is shot under mysterious circumstances, Inspector Maigret must work fast to uncover the truth
During an undercover case, Inspector Maigret’s colleague Lognon is shot and rushed to surgery. The attack took place in a room he was sharing, unbeknownst to his friends and family, with a beautiful woman who has since disappeared. No one knows why he was there, but rumors are swirling that he was working on a case—something big. With all eyes on him, Inspector Maigret retraces Lognon’s secretive last few days and is drawn into the dark side of the Paris art world, where no one is as they seem.
A page-turner filled with shocking revelations, Maigret and the Ghost is an absorbing mystery.
157 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1964
104 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
About the author
Georges Simenon
2,732 books2,285 followersGeorges 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
August 13, 2023
A police inspector has been shot in mysterious circumstances. Commissaire Maigret is doing his best to solve the case and find the culprit(s).
December 6, 2023
Maigret and the Ghost - a fascinating tale of murder and two forms that love can take: the love a collector has for great works of art and the love a man can have for a beautiful woman.
The drama began when Maigret was informed that, Lognon, a police inspector he was fond of, is currently in critical condition, having been shot on the pavement of Avenue Junot in Montmartre the previous night.
A reader deserves to find out each new facet of the unfolding mystery when turning the pages. Not for me to spoil. What I can do is zero in on an exchange between Maigret and one of his detectives from the opening chapters to share the flavor of this novel set in Paris. Actually, as much as plot, at the heart of the Maigret series are the scenes where the Chief Inspector discovers a wealth of information with every new encounter.
Maigret has the neighbors along Avenue Junot questioned. He pays keen attention when Inspector Chinquier reports back and begins talking about his conversation with a cantankerous, old crippled hermit by the name of Maclet who has spent his last years shut away in his second floor apartment, watching the world outside his window. This window just so happens to overlook the spot on the street where poor Lognon was shot.
Maclet tells Chinquier about all the comings and going across the street in a Dutchman's large house, a private mansion with the second floor glazed like the studio of an artist. The Dutchman, Norris Jonker, age sixty-four, has a much younger wife who is a dazzling beauty. And here Simenon writes: “Once again, Maigret wished he could have carried out these door-to-door inquiries himself. He would like to have met this rheumatic old misanthrope who had withdrawn from the world in the middle of Paris, in the middle of Montmartre, and spent his time spying on the people across the road.” Ah, Maigret can sense a kindred spirit in this hermit who takes such delight in a life of sharp observation.
Chinquier then informs Maigret about his interview with wealthy Norris Jonker. It becomes clear Chinquier was in awe of this “charming, elegant, and cultured” man, and overwhelmed by the opulence of his mansion, most especially the paintings – Gauguin, Cezanne, Renoir, among other familiar names – in the Dutchman's extensive collection.
Maigret decides to pay his own visit to this wealthy Dutch art collector. Since the Chief Inspector enters the opulent mansion with all the insights and information Chinquier gleaned from old Maclet, he's, as they say, loaded for bear. And as any seasoned Simenon fan will know, although Maigret might appreciate a person of refinement and taste, he will most certainly not be in awe of such a man or woman, particularly if they could be hiding something connected with a murder.
Each and every answer Jonker provides leads Maigret to another laser-like question. And the drama being played out between these two men intensifies when Maigret finally gets to meet Jonker's stunning wife.
Again, I wouldn't want include any spoilers from those pivotal scenes in Jonker's mansion. But what I can note is Simenon's light touch when Maigret is once on the street outside the premises. "Maigret nearly gave a friendly wave to old Maclet stalwartly keeping watch. He was even tempted to go and knock on his door, but more urgent matters awaited him."
Toward the end of the novel, Norris Jonker, speaking to Maigret, says, “You'll find it hard to believe me because you're not a collector.” Maigret curtly replies, “I collect people.”
If readers are looking for links between Maigret and Simenon, there exists no clearer evidence than this “I collect people”. Georges Simenon stated he also collected people since he frequently would observe someone on the street, pick out an interesting face, usually a man, and imagine him dealing with an unexpected event that would strip him of all comfortable social clothing and push him to the limit.
If you're looking for a topnotch Maigret, you'll do no better than this one. Highly recommended.
Georges Simenon, 1903-1989
March 5, 2023
March 2023 lunchtime listen
This wonderful story starts with the attempted murder of a Police Inspector, from one of the out lying Paris "Arondissement" known as "Hard Luck". Having never made the big time or a big bust he has never been called to work out of Quai des Orfevres where Maigret is the Chief of Homicide, that said he is a solid dependable Inspector, well liked and known by many including Maigret.
When he is shot, his colleagues pull out all the stops to discover his attacker and Maigret himself takes a big interest in the case.
Initially nobody seems to know what he was actually working on, then it looks like the ageing inspector was having an affair with a young good looking girl who has disappeared , all very confusing. Despite this difficult starting point Maigret is soon getting to grips with the real case whilst Inspector Lognon is fighting for his life.
How in such short books (all of them are around 170 pages or 3hrs 30 mins on audiobook) George Simenon manages to convey so much: the feel of the Paris streets, the seediness of cafes, the grandeur of hotels, the moods of Maigret, the devotion between him and his wife, the care he has for fellow officers and especially his boys, the friendships he has, the intelligence and empathy he possesses etc etc; anyway it is astonishing. And despitere being 70+ novels, they are all so different, all giving a different view of Paris, sometimes the suburbs , sometimes even further afield, sometimes in glorious Summer weather and sometimes in the misery of Winter.
Oh I could go on, but suffice to say there are all enchanting and atmospheric and spell binding and this one is no different. Getting Gareth Armstrong to read them just increases the enjoyment as he has a gift that coincides exactly with these books and brings Maigret, Paris and the stories alive.
This wonderful story starts with the attempted murder of a Police Inspector, from one of the out lying Paris "Arondissement" known as "Hard Luck". Having never made the big time or a big bust he has never been called to work out of Quai des Orfevres where Maigret is the Chief of Homicide, that said he is a solid dependable Inspector, well liked and known by many including Maigret.
When he is shot, his colleagues pull out all the stops to discover his attacker and Maigret himself takes a big interest in the case.
Initially nobody seems to know what he was actually working on, then it looks like the ageing inspector was having an affair with a young good looking girl who has disappeared , all very confusing. Despite this difficult starting point Maigret is soon getting to grips with the real case whilst Inspector Lognon is fighting for his life.
How in such short books (all of them are around 170 pages or 3hrs 30 mins on audiobook) George Simenon manages to convey so much: the feel of the Paris streets, the seediness of cafes, the grandeur of hotels, the moods of Maigret, the devotion between him and his wife, the care he has for fellow officers and especially his boys, the friendships he has, the intelligence and empathy he possesses etc etc; anyway it is astonishing. And despitere being 70+ novels, they are all so different, all giving a different view of Paris, sometimes the suburbs , sometimes even further afield, sometimes in glorious Summer weather and sometimes in the misery of Winter.
Oh I could go on, but suffice to say there are all enchanting and atmospheric and spell binding and this one is no different. Getting Gareth Armstrong to read them just increases the enjoyment as he has a gift that coincides exactly with these books and brings Maigret, Paris and the stories alive.
November 11, 2024
Being very fond of Simenon’s romans durs (hard novels), I thought I should try another Maigret detective novel again after reading Glenn Russell’s review of this one. I could now see clearly how Georges Simenon was of the opinion that a Maigret detective should be read in two days at the most. Even I, as a rather slow reader, managed to read this Maigret detective novel easily in two days. I enjoyed the story, but I could detect clearly that Simenon wrote this detective in a week or at the most in 10 days. The story is simple, but enjoyable!
Although I read lots of Maigret detectives in my teens, I can’t possibly remember any titles or stories. C’est la vie! So that’s it for the Maigret detectives. Although I enjoyed this one, I doubt if I will read another one.
Although I read lots of Maigret detectives in my teens, I can’t possibly remember any titles or stories. C’est la vie! So that’s it for the Maigret detectives. Although I enjoyed this one, I doubt if I will read another one.
January 23, 2019
A complicated tale of money and corruption. However, before that it appears a seedy affair which will finally bring disgrace to the police force.
Everyone who has followed the Maigret novels knows that the chief inspector has a soft spot for inspector Lognon. Always the fall guy, a hard working detective who never gets the plaudits or credit in a case he’s work.
Suddenly, this hard done by police officer has been inventing overtime, misleading his wife and spending evenings in the apartment of young woman.
Before the scandal could be broken Lognon has been attacked in a drive by shooting that leaves him at death’s door and in a coma with a poor prognosis.
The woman he has been seeing has disappeared and despite the local tongues wagging Maigret has to reconstruct what has happened, other than a jealous lover gaining some revenge no-one knows what Lognon was up to, professionally or on the side.
Maigret is meticulous in his reconstruction; his men work flat out in their delegated duties. He isn’t content to manage from his office he needs to understand the milieu of those involved as his focus moves from the street of the shooting on the doorstep of the girl’s apartment block to an elegant property which could be seen from within her rooms.
This change of emphasis is best on a belief that it as a professional hit and that Lognon was carrying out a personal investigation which he kept secret to ensure all the credit would be his when he cracked the case.
All the familiar aspects of Maigret in charge of an operation are here; the mystery is just beyond him as he lacks any evidence but he is relentless in his pressure for the truth. No-one resents the longer hours or favours being called in for it’s for a fallen colleague.
I love Maigret’s determination, his uncanny rooting out of evidence and his pressing of witnesses. Even in a field he feels lost he soldiers on and tries to understand what he is confronting.
Above all I love the gentle moments of time with his wife and their special lunch together.
Simenon writes so well, the book reads itself, and the stories are satisfying and memorable.
January 27, 2024
Again and again, no disappointment in reading Simenon.
He has Balzac's skills in creating characters and sometimes is better than Agatha or Conan Doyle in constructing plots, so it's always a pleasure to spend a couple of hours with his hero, Mr. Maigret...
He has Balzac's skills in creating characters and sometimes is better than Agatha or Conan Doyle in constructing plots, so it's always a pleasure to spend a couple of hours with his hero, Mr. Maigret...
March 29, 2020
This is one of two used Maigret paperbacks I bought for a dollar apiece at the White Elephant Sale at St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in La Jolla during a recent visit, and it's the first of Simenon's books I've read.
Detective Chief Inspector Maigret, of the Police Judiciare in Paris, hasn't caught up on his sleep from solving a jewel heist case when he's awakened with the news that Inspector Lognon, of the Eighteenth Arrondissement, is near death after being shot twice. It appears that Lognon, a thorough and hardworking officer but a luckless and unhappily-married man, has been spending nights with an attractive young woman, outside of whose apartment he was shot.
The story unfolds from Maigret's point of view and the narrative is driven almost entirely by the dialogue between him and the rest of the characters. I enjoyed the descriptions of Paris in the mid-November rain and cold and of the comings and goings to the crime scene, the hospital, Maigret's office at the Quai d'Orfèvres and elsewhere. There's a resolution to the case but it's not of the "here is how I sifted through the clues and solved it" variety.
I'll be reading the other Maigret paperback I brought back from California and maybe a few more after that.
Maigret and the Ghost: Inspector Maigret #62
Detective Chief Inspector Maigret, of the Police Judiciare in Paris, hasn't caught up on his sleep from solving a jewel heist case when he's awakened with the news that Inspector Lognon, of the Eighteenth Arrondissement, is near death after being shot twice. It appears that Lognon, a thorough and hardworking officer but a luckless and unhappily-married man, has been spending nights with an attractive young woman, outside of whose apartment he was shot.
The story unfolds from Maigret's point of view and the narrative is driven almost entirely by the dialogue between him and the rest of the characters. I enjoyed the descriptions of Paris in the mid-November rain and cold and of the comings and goings to the crime scene, the hospital, Maigret's office at the Quai d'Orfèvres and elsewhere. There's a resolution to the case but it's not of the "here is how I sifted through the clues and solved it" variety.
I'll be reading the other Maigret paperback I brought back from California and maybe a few more after that.
Maigret and the Ghost: Inspector Maigret #62
June 12, 2021
Maigret is my favourite detective because he's depicted as an ordinary man but is extraordinarily good at what he does. He has the respect of his colleagues and is quite content to eat sandwiches and drink beer when pursuing a case into the night.
In this case, the shooting of a fellow inspector and the disappearance of the key witness lead Maigret to uncover the secrets of a famous art collector. That is it. Most of the story takes place in police stations, bars, and dwellings on the Avenue Junot.
There's plenty of dialogue and it's not always clear who is speaking, but that detracts little from the story. That's the key ingredient - it's a good story with characters who all have a clearly defined role in the story.
In this case, the shooting of a fellow inspector and the disappearance of the key witness lead Maigret to uncover the secrets of a famous art collector. That is it. Most of the story takes place in police stations, bars, and dwellings on the Avenue Junot.
There's plenty of dialogue and it's not always clear who is speaking, but that detracts little from the story. That's the key ingredient - it's a good story with characters who all have a clearly defined role in the story.
October 29, 2021
Bella, intensa, coinvolgente. Un'indagine di Maigret dal ritmo forsennato degli avvenimenti. Tutto accade in poche ore. Hanno sparato a un collega del comissario, una sua vecchia conoscenza che rischia di morire. Gli indizi sono ben pochi. La parte centrale del romanzo e' tutta occupata da un dialogo di clamorosa efficacia e coinvolgimento: due testimoni si trasformano a poco a poco in sospettati. Da li' in poi la "macchina", come la chiama Maigret, si mette in moto inesorabile e frenetica.
October 5, 2025
Niente di soprannaturale, anzi tutto molto terreno.
Un collega del Commissario, Lognon (detto il Lagnoso), giace su un letto di ospedale tra la vita e la morte dopo aver subito un duro attentato.
Dalle prime indagini le notizie sono sconcertanti perché il comportamento del poliziotto non coincide assolutamente con l’uomo che tutti conoscono.
Le persone con cui viene a contatto Maigret durante l’inchiesta sono di un mondo a lui alieno, tuttavia non esita ad ingaggiare un duro braccio di ferro con alcuni personaggi coinvolti, fino ad arrivare alla soluzione dell’enigma che ha portato il suo collega sul confine del non ritorno.
Belle a attente le descrizioni ambientali.
Convincente la disamina dei personaggi, per quel che riguarda i tratti fisici, gli atteggiamenti assunti di volta in volta, i dialoghi, le reazioni emotive.
Solo il finale è un po’ troppo sbrigativo, ma ormai il crimine ha avuto la sua soluzione, tutto il resto rimane ai margini, quasi di contorno. Comunque, un’atmosfera tipica, bella cupa e tesa, una di quelle cui Simenon ci ha abilmente abituati.
E Lognon? Tutto è bene quel che finisce bene… Finalmente ha la sua foto pubblicata su tutti i giornali!
Quattro stelle piene piene.
Un collega del Commissario, Lognon (detto il Lagnoso), giace su un letto di ospedale tra la vita e la morte dopo aver subito un duro attentato.
Dalle prime indagini le notizie sono sconcertanti perché il comportamento del poliziotto non coincide assolutamente con l’uomo che tutti conoscono.
Le persone con cui viene a contatto Maigret durante l’inchiesta sono di un mondo a lui alieno, tuttavia non esita ad ingaggiare un duro braccio di ferro con alcuni personaggi coinvolti, fino ad arrivare alla soluzione dell’enigma che ha portato il suo collega sul confine del non ritorno.
Belle a attente le descrizioni ambientali.
Convincente la disamina dei personaggi, per quel che riguarda i tratti fisici, gli atteggiamenti assunti di volta in volta, i dialoghi, le reazioni emotive.
Solo il finale è un po’ troppo sbrigativo, ma ormai il crimine ha avuto la sua soluzione, tutto il resto rimane ai margini, quasi di contorno. Comunque, un’atmosfera tipica, bella cupa e tesa, una di quelle cui Simenon ci ha abilmente abituati.
E Lognon? Tutto è bene quel che finisce bene… Finalmente ha la sua foto pubblicata su tutti i giornali!
Quattro stelle piene piene.
August 6, 2020
The art of crime...
Having returned home late after grinding a confession out of a young lad, Maigret is wakened early to the news that a fellow police officer, Inspector Lognon, has been shot in Avenue Junot. He’s still hanging on to life, just, but hasn’t been able to talk yet, so Maigret has very little to go on, especially since the men at Lognon’s local station don’t know what he was working on. House-to-house inquiries soon reveal that recently Lognon has been spending his nights with a beautiful young woman in Avenue Junot. Somehow, though, Maigret can’t see him as a Lothario, and suspects there must have been another reason for these nocturnal adventures. The easy way to find out would be to ask the young woman – but she has disappeared...
I’ve only read a few Maigrets so far and have enjoyed them all to varying degrees. This one has leapt into the lead as my favourite so far, though I’m finding it hard to put my finger on exactly why it stood out above the others. I think I simply liked the plot and the motivation more than usual, since Simenon’s storytelling, settings and characterisation tend to be consistently good in my limited experience.
Maigret’s hunch soon proves to be correct that Lognon was investigating someone who lived on Avenue Junot. Lognon was known as a conscientious and good detective, but always unlucky. This meant he always missed out on the promotions he felt he deserved, and his unappealing wife was very ready to show her disappointment in him. Maigret realises that Lognon was working secretly on a case, hoping to break it all by himself and finally get recognition and the rewards of success. Instead, now he is lying in a hospital bed and his colleagues have no idea what crime he felt he had discovered. Maigret and his team will have to start from scratch, interviewing all the residents of the Avenue looking for suspicious or guilty behaviour. Soon Maigret will find himself deep in the sometimes rather murky world of art and art collectors.
It’s very short even for a Maigret, but packs a lot in. It’s a police procedural rather than a whodunit, in the sense that there’s no pool of suspects. Maigret soon hones in on Lognon’s target, but the question is: what crime did Lognon think had been committed, and why was he shot? The clues are given gradually and I, for once, had a pretty good idea of where the story was going, but that didn’t prevent my enjoyment of watching Maigret’s steady and relentless pursuit of the truth.
We also see quite a bit of Maigret’s wife in this one, and while she is treated rather as if she as intelligent pet rather than an equal, it’s nice to see how much Maigret loves her. And I must admit, the amount of alcohol that Maigret slurps down during every investigation always entertains me – even during interviews with suspects in the police station the booze flows freely. Makes me kinda wish I was French... ;)
Great stuff – a quick read, short enough to be devoured in one session if so inclined, and both interesting and entertaining. Highly recommended!
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Having returned home late after grinding a confession out of a young lad, Maigret is wakened early to the news that a fellow police officer, Inspector Lognon, has been shot in Avenue Junot. He’s still hanging on to life, just, but hasn’t been able to talk yet, so Maigret has very little to go on, especially since the men at Lognon’s local station don’t know what he was working on. House-to-house inquiries soon reveal that recently Lognon has been spending his nights with a beautiful young woman in Avenue Junot. Somehow, though, Maigret can’t see him as a Lothario, and suspects there must have been another reason for these nocturnal adventures. The easy way to find out would be to ask the young woman – but she has disappeared...
I’ve only read a few Maigrets so far and have enjoyed them all to varying degrees. This one has leapt into the lead as my favourite so far, though I’m finding it hard to put my finger on exactly why it stood out above the others. I think I simply liked the plot and the motivation more than usual, since Simenon’s storytelling, settings and characterisation tend to be consistently good in my limited experience.
Maigret’s hunch soon proves to be correct that Lognon was investigating someone who lived on Avenue Junot. Lognon was known as a conscientious and good detective, but always unlucky. This meant he always missed out on the promotions he felt he deserved, and his unappealing wife was very ready to show her disappointment in him. Maigret realises that Lognon was working secretly on a case, hoping to break it all by himself and finally get recognition and the rewards of success. Instead, now he is lying in a hospital bed and his colleagues have no idea what crime he felt he had discovered. Maigret and his team will have to start from scratch, interviewing all the residents of the Avenue looking for suspicious or guilty behaviour. Soon Maigret will find himself deep in the sometimes rather murky world of art and art collectors.
It’s very short even for a Maigret, but packs a lot in. It’s a police procedural rather than a whodunit, in the sense that there’s no pool of suspects. Maigret soon hones in on Lognon’s target, but the question is: what crime did Lognon think had been committed, and why was he shot? The clues are given gradually and I, for once, had a pretty good idea of where the story was going, but that didn’t prevent my enjoyment of watching Maigret’s steady and relentless pursuit of the truth.
We also see quite a bit of Maigret’s wife in this one, and while she is treated rather as if she as intelligent pet rather than an equal, it’s nice to see how much Maigret loves her. And I must admit, the amount of alcohol that Maigret slurps down during every investigation always entertains me – even during interviews with suspects in the police station the booze flows freely. Makes me kinda wish I was French... ;)
Great stuff – a quick read, short enough to be devoured in one session if so inclined, and both interesting and entertaining. Highly recommended!
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
March 11, 2024
“Registrava. Alla rinfusa. A casaccio. Un attimo guardava fuori, l’attimo dopo nell’appartamento, sapendo che a un certo punto alcune immagini si sarebbero ricomposte e avrebbero assunto un senso.”
È il metodo Maigret, ormai abbiamo imparato a riconoscerlo. Osservazione, raccolta delle impressioni, attenzione ai dettagli, azzeramento di ogni preconcetto e sospensione del giudizio fino a quando la realtà osservata, a furia di osservarla, è costretta a rivelare il suo contenuto nascosto.
E Parigi, sempre Parigi, con la sua inconfondibile atmosfera.
Siamo in novembre, questa volta. Bavero del cappotto alzato e immancabile pipa accesa, il nostro commissario affronta il freddo pungente per occuparsi di un caso inquietante che riguarda il suo collega, l’ispettore Lognon, detto il Lagnoso per quella sua perpetua aria di sofferenza e detto pure lo Iellato perché, nonostante il suo indubbio valore e i casi risolti grazie al suo intervento, non è mai riuscito a ottenere un riconoscimento personale e un conseguente avanzamento di carriera.
Per farla breve: il bravo e sfortunato Lognon viene trovato in avenue Junot, riverso su un marciapiede, con due pallottole in corpo. Portato in rianimazione giace ancora privo di conoscenza su un letto d’ospedale. Sappiamo solo che l’unica parola uscita come un soffio dalle sue labbra esangui è stata “fantasma”. Ma cosa mai avrà voluto dire?
A Maigret il compito di sciogliere l’enigma, cercando innanzitutto di capire che cosa faceva il povero Lognon nell’appartamento di Marinette, una giovane estetista che ora, probabilmente spaventata, si è data alla fuga. Di certo il nostro ispettore, nonostante la sua disgraziata situazione familiare, non è precisamente noto come un tombeur de femmes e l’ipotesi che la ragazza fosse la sua amante viene ben presto archiviata dall’arguto commissario.
Tutto da scoprire, insomma, e non c’è dubbio che, esplorando in lungo e in largo la strada dove è avvenuta la sparatoria, osservandone i palazzi e interrogando i loro abitanti, l’infaticabile Maigret, una tessera alla volta, saprà ricomporre l’intero disegno criminale.
È il metodo Maigret, ormai abbiamo imparato a riconoscerlo. Osservazione, raccolta delle impressioni, attenzione ai dettagli, azzeramento di ogni preconcetto e sospensione del giudizio fino a quando la realtà osservata, a furia di osservarla, è costretta a rivelare il suo contenuto nascosto.
E Parigi, sempre Parigi, con la sua inconfondibile atmosfera.
Siamo in novembre, questa volta. Bavero del cappotto alzato e immancabile pipa accesa, il nostro commissario affronta il freddo pungente per occuparsi di un caso inquietante che riguarda il suo collega, l’ispettore Lognon, detto il Lagnoso per quella sua perpetua aria di sofferenza e detto pure lo Iellato perché, nonostante il suo indubbio valore e i casi risolti grazie al suo intervento, non è mai riuscito a ottenere un riconoscimento personale e un conseguente avanzamento di carriera.
Per farla breve: il bravo e sfortunato Lognon viene trovato in avenue Junot, riverso su un marciapiede, con due pallottole in corpo. Portato in rianimazione giace ancora privo di conoscenza su un letto d’ospedale. Sappiamo solo che l’unica parola uscita come un soffio dalle sue labbra esangui è stata “fantasma”. Ma cosa mai avrà voluto dire?
A Maigret il compito di sciogliere l’enigma, cercando innanzitutto di capire che cosa faceva il povero Lognon nell’appartamento di Marinette, una giovane estetista che ora, probabilmente spaventata, si è data alla fuga. Di certo il nostro ispettore, nonostante la sua disgraziata situazione familiare, non è precisamente noto come un tombeur de femmes e l’ipotesi che la ragazza fosse la sua amante viene ben presto archiviata dall’arguto commissario.
Tutto da scoprire, insomma, e non c’è dubbio che, esplorando in lungo e in largo la strada dove è avvenuta la sparatoria, osservandone i palazzi e interrogando i loro abitanti, l’infaticabile Maigret, una tessera alla volta, saprà ricomporre l’intero disegno criminale.
October 28, 2022
I'll pick up any Simenon I see and haven't read at second-hand bookshops, some are worth much more than others, and if I'm lucky, the bookseller hasn't noticed that.
Not the case with this though, which along with many Maigrets, has had a smart reissue from Penguin. My copy, a Hamish Hamilton hardback from 1976, was£2.50 from a shop in Hey-on-Wye in the January before the pandemic.
Just as Maigret finishes one case and finally gets to bed in the early hours of the morning, his wife wakes him at first light to pass the message from a colleague of bad news, a plainclothes Inspector, Longon, has been shot, and is in hospital, with his chances of survival just 30%. Longon had been visiting a young woman on the fourth floor of the building in front of which he was shot; was it simply for sex, or was something more sinister going on?
There's lots to admire here, but an outstandingly unlikely plot about art fraud is the least of these. The stars, as ever, are the Inspector himself, and the setting, the vibrant dancehalls and crime corridors of 1950s Paris.
Not the case with this though, which along with many Maigrets, has had a smart reissue from Penguin. My copy, a Hamish Hamilton hardback from 1976, was£2.50 from a shop in Hey-on-Wye in the January before the pandemic.
Just as Maigret finishes one case and finally gets to bed in the early hours of the morning, his wife wakes him at first light to pass the message from a colleague of bad news, a plainclothes Inspector, Longon, has been shot, and is in hospital, with his chances of survival just 30%. Longon had been visiting a young woman on the fourth floor of the building in front of which he was shot; was it simply for sex, or was something more sinister going on?
There's lots to admire here, but an outstandingly unlikely plot about art fraud is the least of these. The stars, as ever, are the Inspector himself, and the setting, the vibrant dancehalls and crime corridors of 1950s Paris.
September 4, 2024
مثل تمام داستان های مگره، صرفا یک داستان بود واین بار با تم جماعت کلکسیونر و مثل تمام داستان های مگره، برای من به مفهوم آرامش و فضایی برای دور شدن از تنش های هر روزه بود
August 18, 2017
Simenon at his best. I am beginning to think that the 1960s produced some very fine Maigrets (this one is no. 66 out of 79). Here, a very tight case as Maigret, like a conducter, leads his team to bring out the information and people that allow him to interview the key characters and solve the mystery. All in Paris, with plenty of beer and sandwiches, and visits to bistros!
The GR blurb (with spoilers removed):
Maigret arrives home exhausted after cracking an especially difficult case, only to be awakened within hours by the news of a nearly successful attempt on the life of a colleague. Plainclothes detective Lagnon, known to Maigret as "Inspector Hopeless," has become involved beyond his depth in an ...... and is suffering the consequences. Maigret's only clue to Lagnon's assailant is the single word "apparition" spoken by the victim as he emerges from the operating room. The apparition leads Maigret to the highest echelons of the Parisian ..... world--and the depths of greed and cruelty.
The GR blurb (with spoilers removed):
Maigret arrives home exhausted after cracking an especially difficult case, only to be awakened within hours by the news of a nearly successful attempt on the life of a colleague. Plainclothes detective Lagnon, known to Maigret as "Inspector Hopeless," has become involved beyond his depth in an ...... and is suffering the consequences. Maigret's only clue to Lagnon's assailant is the single word "apparition" spoken by the victim as he emerges from the operating room. The apparition leads Maigret to the highest echelons of the Parisian ..... world--and the depths of greed and cruelty.
December 12, 2024
It’s hard to explain why I like so much about this. I think it was the faster than usual pace. Everything started and concluded within 24 hours. There was real energy in the writing. Al the Maigret stories are page turners, but this one especially so.
November 18, 2020
"Putem crede că omul îşi doreşte să trăiască în societate, din moment ce ea există. Dar de când ea există, o bună parte a energiei şi inteligenţei sale omul o foloseşte să lupte împotriva ei."
November 13, 2019
In this story, Office Lognon (known as "Long Face" partly for how he looks and partly because of the continuing disappointment of his life) is shot and Maigret must discover who the shooter is.
Once again, we find ourselves amongst the affluent bourgeoisie as Maigret focuses on an older art dealer and his much younger beautiful wife.
And to what was Lognon referring when he whispered "ghost"?
Entertaining as usual. Love being in Paris in Maigret's company.
Once again, we find ourselves amongst the affluent bourgeoisie as Maigret focuses on an older art dealer and his much younger beautiful wife.
And to what was Lognon referring when he whispered "ghost"?
Entertaining as usual. Love being in Paris in Maigret's company.
July 19, 2020
3.5*
Although I’ve watched several TV versions of the exploits of this famous French detective, this is the first time I’ve read one of GS’s actual stories.
It was a good whodunnit, with an interesting storyline, and some intriguing characters, especially of course, Maigret himself, and the setting of Paris and its environs certainly adds a lot of atmosphere.
I enjoyed meeting this iconic detective on the page, rather than on the screen, but it didn’t really engage me as much as I’d hoped.
I’m not sure if I’d read another of these stories, this is one of the later books in a long series, but perhaps I’ll try one Maigret’s earlier cases too.
Although I’ve watched several TV versions of the exploits of this famous French detective, this is the first time I’ve read one of GS’s actual stories.
It was a good whodunnit, with an interesting storyline, and some intriguing characters, especially of course, Maigret himself, and the setting of Paris and its environs certainly adds a lot of atmosphere.
I enjoyed meeting this iconic detective on the page, rather than on the screen, but it didn’t really engage me as much as I’d hoped.
I’m not sure if I’d read another of these stories, this is one of the later books in a long series, but perhaps I’ll try one Maigret’s earlier cases too.
August 11, 2019
Reading a Maigret or two during Paris in July has now become one of those things that I look forward to with a great deal of anticipation each year. Because of this though, I now associate Maigret with dreary, winter nights and rainy days (although not so much of the rain this year). My last two Maigret's, which were both set in Paris in high summer, had me all turned upside down and seasonally confused.
Fortunately Maigret and the Ghost takes us back to winter in Paris, and it feels like the seasons (if not the months) are back in sync for now.
This was mid-November and it had rained all day. Maigret hadn't left the stiflingly hot atmosphere of his office since eight o'clock the previous morning. Before crossing the courtyard, he turned up the collar of his overcoat.
I classify these crime stories as cosy, simply because even though people die we don't then have detailed forensic information or grisly crime scenes raked over by specialists using all sorts of forensic jargon. This type of gory story seems to dominate many of the modern crime stories, which is why I don't read (or watch) them. It's not my thing.
The Maigret's are pure detective story. The books are about the man, more than the crime. He is our hero that we come to admire, if not love, with each book. We get to know his techniques and his moods. The pleasure in reading comes from watching Maigret untangle the clues. His psychological methods and intuition become familiar and reliable.
Full review here - http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com/2019/...
Fortunately Maigret and the Ghost takes us back to winter in Paris, and it feels like the seasons (if not the months) are back in sync for now.
This was mid-November and it had rained all day. Maigret hadn't left the stiflingly hot atmosphere of his office since eight o'clock the previous morning. Before crossing the courtyard, he turned up the collar of his overcoat.
I classify these crime stories as cosy, simply because even though people die we don't then have detailed forensic information or grisly crime scenes raked over by specialists using all sorts of forensic jargon. This type of gory story seems to dominate many of the modern crime stories, which is why I don't read (or watch) them. It's not my thing.
The Maigret's are pure detective story. The books are about the man, more than the crime. He is our hero that we come to admire, if not love, with each book. We get to know his techniques and his moods. The pleasure in reading comes from watching Maigret untangle the clues. His psychological methods and intuition become familiar and reliable.
Full review here - http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com/2019/...
February 16, 2020
I love how Maigret and his wife interact with each other. This mystery is a good look at different types of marriages.
October 11, 2019
Thank you Penguin Books for the free copy.
Maigret and the Ghost is the first novel I've read by Simenon - indeed, the first time I'd even heard his name. This almost-novella-length story is set in Paris, where the nearly-fatal shooting of a police officer leads Maigret to uncover a fantastic scheme. Maigret is authoritative, patient, in love with his wife, and dedicated to his profession. He chafes at the desk job where his leadership position often lands him, and finds excuses to get back into the field.
For me, this felt like a perfect quick, cozy mystery read - not 'cozy' in the sense of sentimental or quaint, but one I could curl up with and inhale. I was fascinated to learn that Simenon wrote dozens of Maigret novels, which Penguin is re-issuing in English translation. So it's nice to know there will be plenty more Maigret for me to enjoy in the years to come!
Maigret and the Ghost is the first novel I've read by Simenon - indeed, the first time I'd even heard his name. This almost-novella-length story is set in Paris, where the nearly-fatal shooting of a police officer leads Maigret to uncover a fantastic scheme. Maigret is authoritative, patient, in love with his wife, and dedicated to his profession. He chafes at the desk job where his leadership position often lands him, and finds excuses to get back into the field.
For me, this felt like a perfect quick, cozy mystery read - not 'cozy' in the sense of sentimental or quaint, but one I could curl up with and inhale. I was fascinated to learn that Simenon wrote dozens of Maigret novels, which Penguin is re-issuing in English translation. So it's nice to know there will be plenty more Maigret for me to enjoy in the years to come!
May 10, 2025
good nuff
May 1, 2021
An engaging crime fiction novella where detective inspector Maigret investigates the attempted murder of a detective police officer. Maigret gradually learns details about the lives of an esteemed art critic, Monsieur Jonker and his young wife, Mirella.
This book was published in France in 1964, the 62nd book in the Maigret series.
This book was published in France in 1964, the 62nd book in the Maigret series.
July 5, 2022
بعد از مدتها ژانر پلیسی-کارآگاهی خیلی چسبید. مفرح و جذاب بود و ترجمه عالی.
از مجموعه نقاب نشر جهان کتاب که عباس آگاهی مستقیم از فرانسه ترجمه کرده به هیچ وجه غافل نشید. قیمتاشون هنوز به طرز عجیبی ارزونه و داستانا عالی. کتاب بعدی از این مجموعه رو به زودی شروع میکنم🍃
از مجموعه نقاب نشر جهان کتاب که عباس آگاهی مستقیم از فرانسه ترجمه کرده به هیچ وجه غافل نشید. قیمتاشون هنوز به طرز عجیبی ارزونه و داستانا عالی. کتاب بعدی از این مجموعه رو به زودی شروع میکنم🍃
February 9, 2020
A policeman is shot, Maigret finds himself drawn to the house across the street from the shooting where a wealthy art collector lives.
December 19, 2021
Published in 1964 and translated from the French in 1976, this 111 page Reader's Digest Condensed Books version was a perfect bedtime read on a recent road trip. No exciting chases to keep me awake, just archetypal Maigret managing the investigation into the drive by shooting of one of his
officers, in this case with the surprising assistance of none other than Madame Maigret. Indeed, their luncheon together, which has little to do with the case, is perhaps the highlight of the book. As always with Maigret, the Parisian atmosphere, cold and gray as I have usually found it, the interrogations, and the unique characters and suspects are the stars of this 62nd of some 70 or more Simenon Maigret novels.
officers, in this case with the surprising assistance of none other than Madame Maigret. Indeed, their luncheon together, which has little to do with the case, is perhaps the highlight of the book. As always with Maigret, the Parisian atmosphere, cold and gray as I have usually found it, the interrogations, and the unique characters and suspects are the stars of this 62nd of some 70 or more Simenon Maigret novels.
April 18, 2024
Maigret is a fabulous detective, love Simenon!
April 16, 2021
I remember when I was a kid and my dad had a stack of Georges Simenon paperbacks on his bookshelf. And I remember thinking that I hope I never get so old that I'm reading Maigret mysteries. Okay, I guess Dad was right again. Only took me 70 years to figure that out. Simenon is a French version of Agatha Christie and his creation, Inspector Maigret, is the subject of scores of mysteries. Judging from "Maigret and The Ghost", a mystery of about 150 pages, they are the perfect book for a journey by plane to retreat from ambient cabin noise. I read this in a round-trip to Atlanta. And it was terrific. Maigret is investigating the shooting of one of his inspectors in a Paris neighborhood. To keep the evidence trail from going cold Maigret instantly mobilizes his troops for some door-to-door-knocking to question if neighbors saw or heard the shooting while he ponders why his inspector was there in the first place. And it's such a pleasure to read a mystery that isn't graphic. The author spares the reader the gory details of the shooting. One of his suspects had been a hooker but he does not refer to her as one but as a woman with a checkered past. And Maigret solves the mystery the way Christie's Hercule Poirot solves them, by arranging the clues in the fictional character's mind so that the reader can't guess the outcome on his or her own. I suspect that all the other mysteries follow the same pattern as "Maigret and the Ghost". So I better get cracking and read the others or I won't have a ghost of chance in proving my theory.
December 27, 2012
Maigret and the Ghost was first published as Maigret et le fantôme in 1964, and translated into English by Eileen Ellenbogen. The lugubrious Inspector Lognon makes another appearance in this late story, as a victim shot and seriously injured by persons unknown. The plot involves (or perhaps may involve) art swindles, as a talented forger appears to be successfully selling work under more famous names. As usual, Simenon is more interested in the people that Maigret interviews than in the how and who of any actual crime. This is an incredibly badly constructed story by Simenon, and the ‘solution’ of the crime, hastily introducing a large number of undeveloped characters, is almost incomprehensible. I’m still not sure Simenon solved the attempted murder or not, as there seems to be suddenly too many people doing mysterious things which are not fully explained, all in the last chapter. Simenon does this at times: he is primarily interested in the case study, not the plot (though he can be superb in constructing a plot).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews