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Reading lists

9 beach reads set in Italy

Flags of the 37 countries participating in Eurovision displayed as books along the staff of sheet music.

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The ultimate Eurovision-inspired reading list

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Features

How Georges Simenon reinvented the detective novel with Maigret

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Writing life: Georges Simenon

Letter to My Judge

A dark, psychological tale of deadly obsession, in a masterful new translation 
 
'My dear Judge, I would like one man, just one, to understand me. And I really hope that man can be you.' 
 
In a small town in western France, Dr Charles Alavoine seems to lead the perfect life: his own medical practice, two beautiful children, a new wife and a doting mother. Yet as each quiet day of bourgeois conformity passes, Alavoine begins to feel a sharp sense of futility. Then, one rainy day in December, he meets a mysterious young woman on a station platform. Fascinated by her innocence and the scars of her past, Alavoine’s passion soon gives way to a dangerous obsession, ending in a terrible act that will forever change the course of his life. 
 
First published in 1947, Letter to My Judge is a masterful exploration of the darkest corners of the human soul, and a harrowing exorcism of Simenon’s phantoms.

Haunting . . . this book sees Simenon reaching into the deepest recesses of the soul

The people in Simenon’s romans durs (“hard novels”) are driven and helpless, and [Letter to My Judge] ends, as it must, in tragedy. Has there ever been a more penetrating account of love’s destructive power?

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

The novels brim with atmosphere, insight and intelligence . . . quite unlike anything else written before or since

Irresistible... read him at your peril, avoid him at your loss

Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium in 1903. An intrepid traveller with a profound interest in people, Simenon strove on and off the page to understand, rather than to judge the human condition in all its shades. His novels include the Inspector Maigret series and a richly varied body of wider work united by its evocative power, its economy of means, and its penetrating psychological insight. He is among the most widely read writers in the global canon. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life.

My dear Judge, I would like one man, just one, to understand me. And I really hope that man can be you. 
 
In a small town in western France, Dr Charles Alavoine seems to lead the perfect life: his own medical practice, two beautiful children, a new wife and a doting mother. Yet as each quiet day of bourgeois conformity passes, Alavoine begins to feel a sharp sense of futility and solitude. Then, one rainy day in December, he meets a mysterious young woman on a station platform. Fascinated by her innocence and the scars of her past, Alavoine’s passion soon gives way to obsession, as he is drawn deeper into a web of desire and deceit, ending in a terrible act that will forever change the course of his life. 
 
First published in 1947, Letter to My Judge is a masterful exploration of the darkest corners of the human soul, and a harrowing exorcism of Simenon’s phantoms.

The Cat

'Remarkable' New York Times 
'No one is better than Simenon at showing how banal domestic conflict can lead to murderous catastrophe' Financial Times 
 
An acerbic tale of marital warfare and emotional estrangement, in a brilliant new translation 
 
In the oppressive silence of the sitting room, the woman finally smoothed out the paper and, without putting on her glasses, read the two words her husband had written: 
 
The cat. 
 
Amidst the din of their Parisian neighbourhood, Émile and Marguerite live in total silence. After a hasty marriage in their sixties, their uneasy peace was shattered when Émile’s beloved cat mysteriously disappeared and was later found dead. Branding his wife the culprit, Émile’s retaliation against Marguerite’s cherished parrot sparked a silent battle of wills. Now they live parallel lives, communicating only through spiteful notes, mocking glances and mute accusations. As their suspicion and resentment mount, this bitter game of psychological warfare becomes a twisted necessity, binding them together in a relentless cycle of torment from which there can only be one escape. 
 
First published in 1967, The Cat is a masterful exploration of marital discord, loneliness and the absurdity of human relationships, painting a vivid portrait of two souls trapped in quiet desperation.

A quite wonderful study of how uncompromising humans become in their old age ... This novel has been given the label of “classic” for a reason. The writing is rich, the plot is interesting — Simenon, in his infinite literary wisdom, ticks all the boxes of fine storytelling. But it’s the depth of character that boosts it from good to great ... If you’ve already read Simenon, it’s a reminder of his talent. And if you haven’t, think of The Cat as a gateway drug

The Belgian author’s genius comes to the fore in this dark domestic drama ... below the surface lie dark and fathomless depths ... only an artist of genius could have wrought pathos out of the ghastly plight of Émile and Marguerite, lost souls clinging to the raft of their mutual dependence

Penguin continues to do impeccable service to the legacy of the great French crime writer Georges Simenon with The Cat, expertly translated by Ros Schwartz; the latter’s work eclipses every earlier version of this 1967 classic. Émile and Marguerite are a mature Parisian couple who no longer talk, their mutual antipathy exacerbated by the death of Émile’s much loved cat and Marguerite’s parrot. What results is a terrifying battle of wills. No one is better than Simenon at showing how banal domestic conflict can lead to murderous catastrophe, and this is one of his most authoritative non-Maigret romans durs

This grimly fascinating novel is written in a clear, efficient fashion, the better to tell us what led to this peculiar domestic arrangement … It is a tribute of sorts to the capriciousness of humans that people can become accustomed to, or even dependent on, the most bizarre approaches to life. This novel, first published in 1967, illustrates our idiosyncrasies unsparingly

Simenon's skill is such that he never misses a trick in this brilliant study of old age, of obsession and of a human relationship gone wrong. The novel is done with great economy, and the author's psychological perceptions are sharper than ever. It is a remarkable achievement by a remarkable writer

A fine new translation ... As always, Simenon’s prose is both spartan and rich with meaning ... Superb

Read this classic (issued with a dazzling new English translation) and you’ll realise your family and marital woes aren’t so bad after all ... a disturbing tale that’s lifted out of total bleakness thanks to a generous sprinkling of black humour

This reissue of The Cat is ‘a classic’: an acerbic story of two souls trapped within their desperation, their obsession, and the expectations of their age. It is a universal story that brims with insight, wit, and atmosphere

Exquisite, amazing books... brilliantly executed... a master

A great writer of detail, of atmosphere. His descriptions of Paris influenced me

The romans durs are extraordinary: tough, bleak, offhandedly violent, suffused with guilt and bitterness, redolent of place . . . utterly unsentimental, frightening in the pitilessness of their gaze, yet wonderfully entertaining

Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium in 1903. An intrepid traveller with a profound interest in people, Simenon strove on and off the page to understand, rather than to judge, the human condition in all its shades. His novels include the Inspector Maigret series and a richly varied body of wider work united by its evocative power, its economy of means, and its penetrating psychological insight. He is among the most widely read writers in the global canon. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life.

In the oppressive silence of the sitting room, the woman finally smoothed out the paper and, without putting on her glasses, read the two words her husband had written: 
 
The cat. 
 
Amidst the din of their Parisian neighbourhood, Émile and Marguerite live in total silence. After a hasty marriage in their sixties, their uneasy peace was shattered when Émile’s beloved cat mysteriously disappeared and was later found dead. Branding his wife the culprit, Émile’s retaliation against Marguerite’s cherished parrot sparked a silent battle of wills. Now they live parallel lives, communicating only through spiteful notes, mocking glances and mute accusations. As their suspicion and resentment mount, this bitter game of psychological warfare becomes a twisted necessity, binding them together in a relentless cycle of torment from which there can only be one escape. 
 
First published in 1967, The Cat is a masterful exploration of marital discord, loneliness and the absurdity of human relationships, painting a vivid portrait of two souls trapped in quiet desperation.

And Other Novels

The Hand

'Irresistible... read him at your peril, avoid him at your loss' The Sunday Times 
 
A trio of Simenon’s finest psychological novels from the 1960s, including: The Hand, Betty and The Blue Room 
 
Amidst the fury of a relentless snowstorm, the loyalties of two friends are put to the ultimate test, with fatal consequences. 
 
In the shadows of 1960s Paris, a woman on the brink of despair is offered a chance at redemption. But as the haunting truth of her past begins to emerge, it threatens to consume her. 
 
In a secluded hotel, an adulterous affair spirals into a terrible nightmare that will transform the couple’s lives forever. 
 
This new edition brings together Georges Simenon’s most gripping psychological novels from the 1960s, capturing the raw essence of human frailty and resilience during a time of profound social upheaval, and revealing the chilling brilliance of Simenon’s romans durs.

A brilliant portrait of betrayal, hypocrisy, love and loss

Amidst the fury of a relentless snowstorm, the loyalties of two friends are put to the ultimate test, with fatal consequences. 
 
In the shadows of 1960s Paris, a woman on the brink of despair is offered a chance at redemption. But as the haunting truth of her past begins to emerge, it threatens to consume her. 
 
In a secluded hotel, an adulterous affair spirals into a terrible nightmare that will transform the couple’s lives forever. 
 
This new edition brings together Georges Simenon’s most gripping psychological novels from the 1960s, capturing the raw essence of human frailty and resilience during a time of profound social upheaval, and revealing the chilling brilliance of Simenon’s romans durs.

Inspector Maigret

The Saint-Fiacre Affair

'A small but resonant masterpiece... this is fiction of the highest order, transcending all conventions of mere genre' John Banville, The Times 
 
A sinister note predicting a murder brings Inspector Maigret back to the town of his birth in this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend 
 
The last time Maigret went home to the village of his birth was for his father's funeral. Now an anonymous note predicting a crime during All Souls' Day mass draws him back there. Before long the prediction has become a brutal reality - and the Inspector discovers he is no longer welcome, as troubling memories resurface, and hidden vices are revealed. 
 
Translated by Shaun Whiteside 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret's Holiday, Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret Defends Himself, Maigret's Doubts, Maigret's Pickpocket, Maigret's Patience, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, The Carter of 'La Providence', Maigret and the Old People, Maigret's Dead Man and Maigret in Vichy 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere

Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor

Terrific...the 75 Inspector Maigret books are almost uniformly wonderful. They are not crime or even detective fiction as ordinarily understood...they are about human foibles, moral failings and compromises, set in an evocatively atmospheric Paris

Exceptional… Simenon’s writing still seems fresh…one of the great pleasures is the summoning of France’s many landscapes and accompanying social milieux . . . There is also, and it’s a chief glory of the books, a whole range of different Parises, from the shiny rich to the hypocritical bourgeois middle to the struggling, furious world of the poor, desperate and professionally criminal

I never read contemporary fiction–with one exception: the works of Simenon

One of the most important writers of our century

An astute observer of human nature, writing in a spare and vivid style

The father of contemporary European detective fiction . . . I loved the exotic setting of Parisian bars and run-down hotels, the economic storytelling

Strangely comforting…so many lovely bistros from the Paris of the mid 20th C. The corpses are incidental, it’s the food that counts

To inhabit the vividly realised world of Parisian streets, dives, bistros and high-class hotels . . . it is this unfailing humanity that makes the Maigret books truly worth reading

The last time Maigret went home to the village of his birth was for his father’s funeral. Now an anonymous note predicting a crime during All Souls’ Day mass draws him back there. Before long the prediction has become a brutal reality – and the Inspector discovers he is no longer welcome, as troubling memories resurface, and hidden vices are revealed. 
 
 
Translated by Shaun Whiteside

Maigret's Dead Man

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
A series of mysterious phone calls lures Inspector Maigret into a network of dangerous criminals in this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend 
 
It seems like a hoax when Inspector Maigret receives a series of strange phone calls from a terrified man claiming he is being followed - and that his life is at risk. But that night, the man is found dead in the Place de la Concorde. To catch the killer, Maigret must delve into his dead man's life - and into the murky Parisian underworld. 
 
Translated by David Coward 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret's Holiday, Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret Defends Himself, Maigret's Doubts, Maigret's Pickpocket, Maigret's Patience, The Saint-Fiacre Affair, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, The Carter of 'La Providence', Maigret and the Old People, and Maigret in Vichy 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

Georges Simenon (Author) Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1903. An intrepid traveller with a profound interest in people, Simenon strove on and off the page to understand, rather than to judge, the human condition in all its shades. His novels include the Inspector Maigret series and a richly varied body of wider work united by its evocative power, its economy of means, and its penetrating psychological insight. He is among the most widely read writers in the global canon. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life. David Coward (Translator) David Coward is Emeritus Professor of French at the University of Leeds and has translated many books from French for Penguin Classics.

It seems like a hoax when Inspector Maigret receives a series of strange phone calls from a terrified man claiming he is being followed – and that his life is at risk. But that night, the man is found dead in the Place de la Concorde. To catch the killer, Maigret must delve into his dead man’s life – and into the murky Parisian underworld. 
 
Translated by David Coward

Maigret's Holiday

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
Inspector Maigret's Holiday takes an unexpected turn in this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend 
 
Inspector Maigret's wife has fallen ill during their seaside holiday at Les Sables-d'Olonne. When he visits her in the hospital, he receives a strange note instructing him to see a patient in another ward. Soon he finds himself unexpectedly drawn into a quest to find justice for a young girl - and confronting an evil that is hidden in plain sight. 
 
Translated by Ros Schwartz 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret Defends Himself, Maigret's Doubts, Maigret's Pickpocket, Maigret's Patience, The Saint-Fiacre Affair, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, The Carter of 'La Providence', Maigret and the Old People, Maigret's Dead Man and Maigret in Vichy 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

Georges Simenon (Author) Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1903. An intrepid traveller with a profound interest in people, Simenon strove on and off the page to understand, rather than to judge, the human condition in all its shades. His novels include the Inspector Maigret series and a richly varied body of wider work united by its evocative power, its economy of means, and its penetrating psychological insight. He is among the most widely read writers in the global canon. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life. Ros Schwartz (Translator) Ros Schwartz is an award-winning translator from French. Acclaimed for her new version of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince, published in 2010, she has over 100 fiction and non-fiction titles to her name. 
 
The French government made Ros a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2009, and in 2017 she was awarded the Institute of Translation and Interpreting's John Sykes Memorial Prize for Excellence.

Inspector Maigret’s wife has fallen ill during their seaside holiday at Les Sables-d’Olonne. When he visits her in the hospital, he receives a strange note instructing him to see a patient in another ward. Soon he finds himself unexpectedly drawn into a quest to find justice for a young girl – and confronting an evil that is hidden in plain sight. 
 
Translated by Ros Schwartz

Maigret and the Old People

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
The death of a beloved former ambassador unearths disturbing truths in this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend 
 
Inspector Maigret is called to the home of the Comte de Saint-Hilaire, a highly respected official who has been found shot dead in the study of his elegant Parisian home. The violent death of this distinguished former ambassador - an old man without political secrets or enemies - confounds the detective. Then a mysterious bundle of old letters leads him closer towards a tragic truth. 
 
Translated by Shaun Whiteside 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret's Holiday, Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret Defends Himself, Maigret's Doubts, Maigret's Pickpocket, Maigret's Patience, The Saint-Fiacre Affair, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, The Carter of 'La Providence', Maigret's Dead Man and Maigret in Vichy 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

Georges Simenon (Author) Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1903. An intrepid traveller with a profound interest in people, Simenon strove on and off the page to understand, rather than to judge, the human condition in all its shades. His novels include the Inspector Maigret series and a richly varied body of wider work united by its evocative power, its economy of means, and its penetrating psychological insight. He is among the most widely read writers in the global canon. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life.

Inspector Maigret is called to the home of the Comte de Saint-Hilaire, a highly respected official who has been found shot dead in the study of his elegant Parisian home. The violent death of this distinguished former ambassador – an old man without political secrets or enemies – confounds the detective. Then a mysterious bundle of old letters leads him closer towards a tragic truth. 
 
Translated by Shaun Whiteside

Maigret and the Lazy Burglar

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
In this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend, Inspector Maigret delves into the murkiest depths of the Paris underworld 
 
Inspector Maigret is supposed to be working to stop the gangs of robbers terrorising Paris, but then a body is found, dumped in the Bois de Boulogne. It turns out to be a quiet, likeable burglar he has known for years, and for whom he cannot help feeling affection. Defying orders from his superiors, he determines to discover who killed his old acquaintance - even if it leads him into terrible danger. 
 
Translated by Howard Curtis 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret's Holiday, Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret Defends Himself, Maigret's Doubts, Maigret's Pickpocket, Maigret's Patience, The Saint-Fiacre Affair, The Carter of 'La Providence' Maigret and the Old People, Maigret's Dead Man and Maigret in Vichy 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

Inspector Maigret is supposed to be working to stop the gangs of robbers terrorising Paris, but then a body is found, dumped in the Bois de Boulogne. It turns out to be a quiet, likeable burglar he has known for years, and for whom he cannot help feeling affection. Defying orders from his superiors, he determines to discover who killed his old acquaintance – even if it leads him into terrible danger. 
 
 
Translated by Howard Curtis

Maigret Defends Himself

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
Inspector Maigret is subject to unexpected scrutiny in this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend 
 
For the first time in his career Inspector Maigret receives written summons to the Prefect's office, where he is shocked to discover himself accused of a crime. With his career and reputation on the line, Maigret must fight to prove his innocence. Has he, for once, come up against a malicious evil he cannot defeat? 
 
Translated by Howard Curtis 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret's Holiday, Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret's Doubts, Maigret's Pickpocket, Maigret's Patience, The Saint-Fiacre Affair, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, The Carter of 'La Providence', Maigret and the Old People, Maigret's Dead Man and Maigret in Vichy 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

For the first time in his career Inspector Maigret receives written summons to the Prefect's office, where he is shocked to discover himself accused of a crime. With his career and reputation on the line, Maigret must fight to prove his innocence. Has he, for once, come up against a malicious evil he cannot defeat? 
 
 
Translated by Howard Curtis

Maigret's Patience

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
In this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend, the death of an infamous gangster puts all of Inspector Maigret's skills to the test 
 
Inspector Maigret finds himself back on Paris's Rue des Acacias just ten days after cracking another case there. This time it is the murder of a gangster he has known for over twenty years - and one he always suspected was a behind a string of jewellery robberies in the city. Can he prove his theory? Maigret must bide his time, explore every angle and interview every neighbour until he can get to the truth. 
 
Translated by David Watson 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret's Holiday, Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret Defends Himself, Maigret's Doubts, Maigret's Pickpocket, The Saint-Fiacre Affair, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, The Carter of 'La Providence', Maigret and the Old People, Maigret's Dead Man and Maigret in Vichy 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

Georges Simenon (Author) Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium in 1903. An intrepid traveller with a profound interest in people, Simenon strove on and off the page to understand, rather than to judge, the human condition in all its shades. His novels include the Inspector Maigret series and a richly varied body of wider work united by its evocative power, its economy of means, and its penetrating psychological insight. He is among the most widely read writers in the global canon. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life.

Inspector Maigret finds himself back on Paris’s Rue des Acacias just ten days after cracking another case there. This time it is the murder of a gangster he has known for over twenty years – and one he always suspected was behind a string of jewellery robberies in the city. Can he prove his theory? Maigret must bide his time, explore every angle and interview every neighbour until he can get to the truth. 
 
Translated by David Watson

Maigret's Pickpocket

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
In this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend, a curious encounter on the tram leads Inspector Maigret to a sinister case 
 
Inspector Maigret is savouring a beautiful spring morning in Paris when he has his wallet stolen by a pickpocket - only to find it returned the next day, on the condition he visit the thief's apartment. What Maigret discovers there sees him investigating an unusual murder, and embroiled in the world of aspiring film-makers - one where ever-changing loyalties can have tragic consequences. 
 
Translated by Siân Reynolds 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret's Holiday, Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret Defends Himself, Maigret's Doubts, Maigret's Patience, The Saint-Fiacre Affair, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, The Carter of 'La Providence', Maigret and the Old People, Maigret's Dead Man and Maigret in Vichy 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

A great writer of detail, of atmosphere

Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1903. An intrepid traveller with a profound interest in people, Simenon strove on and off the page to understand, rather than to judge, the human condition in all its shades. His novels include the Inspector Maigret series and a richly varied body of wider work united by its evocative power, its economy of means, and its penetrating psychological insight. He is among the most widely read writers in the global canon. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life.

Inspector Maigret is savouring a beautiful spring morning in Paris when he has his wallet stolen by a pickpocket – only to find it returned the next day, on the condition he visit the thief’s apartment. What Maigret discovers there sees him investigating an unusual murder, and embroiled in the world of aspiring film-makers – one where ever-changing loyalties can have tragic consequences. 
 
 
Translated by Siân Reynolds

Maigret in Vichy

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
In this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend, Inspector Maigret's holiday in a spa town goes awry as he gets entangled in a local case 
 
Inspector Maigret and his wife take a much-needed rest cure in the spa town of Vichy, where they quickly become used to the leisurely pace of life. But when a woman who they regularly pass by on their daily strolls is murdered, Maigret can't help but offer his assistance to the local investigation - no matter where it leads. 
 
Translated by Ros Schwartz 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret's Holiday, Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret Defends Himself, Maigret's Doubts, Maigret's Pickpocket, Maigret's Patience, The Saint-Fiacre Affair, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, The Carter of 'La Providence', Maigret and the Old People, and Maigret's Dead Man 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

Inspector Maigret and his wife take a much-needed rest cure in the spa town of Vichy, where they quickly become used to the leisurely pace of life. But when a woman who they regularly pass by on their daily strolls is murdered, Maigret can't help but offer his assistance to the local investigation – no matter where it leads. 
 
 
Translated by Ros Schwartz

Maigret's Doubts

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
Inspector Maigret must do everything to prevent a murder from taking place in this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend 
 
Xavier Manto, a mild-mannered toy salesman from a Paris department store, has come to confide his secret fears to Inspector Maigret: he suspects his wife is plotting to poison him. Then when Maigret receives a visit from Madame Manton on the same day, he is not sure who to trust. Soon he becomes caught up in a treacherous feud between husband and wife, where nothing is as clear cut as it seems. 
 
Translated by Shaun Whiteside 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret's Holiday, Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret Defends Himself, Maigret's Pickpocket, Maigret's Patience, The Saint-Fiacre Affair, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, The Carter of 'La Providence, Maigret and the Old People, Maigret's Dead Man and Maigret in Vichy 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

Xavier Manto, a mild-mannered toy salesman from a Paris department store, has come to confide his secret fears to Inspector Maigret: he suspects his wife is plotting to poison him. Then when Maigret receives a visit from Madame Manton on the same day, he is not sure who to trust. Soon he becomes caught up in a treacherous feud between husband and wife, where nothing is as clear cut as it seems. 
 
 
Translated by Shaun Whiteside

The Carter of 'La Providence'

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
Inspector Maigret finds himself drawn into the secrets of an isolated community in this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend 
 
Inspector Maigret is standing in the pouring rain by a canal near the town of Épernay. A well-dressed woman, Mary Lampson, has been found strangled in a stable nearby. Why did her glamorous, hedonistic life come to such a brutal end here? Surely her taciturn husband Sir Walter knows - or maybe the answers lie with the crew of the barge La Providence. 
 
Translated by David Coward 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret's Holiday, Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret Defends Himself, Maigret's Doubts, Maigret's Pickpocket, Maigret's Patience, The Saint-Fiacre Affair, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, Maigret and the Old People, Maigret's Dead Man and Maigret in Vichy 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

Inspector Maigret is standing in the pouring rain by a canal near the town of Épernay. A well-dressed woman, Mary Lampson, has been found strangled in a stable nearby. Why did her glamorous, hedonistic life come to such a brutal end here? Surely her taciturn husband Sir Walter knows – or maybe the answers lie with the crew of the barge La Providence. 
 
 
Translated by David Coward

Maigret Sets a Trap

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
In a sweltering Paris summer Inspector Maigret works against the clock to catch a serial killer in this classic novel featuring Simenon's literary legend 
 
Inspector Maigret is known for his infallible instinct, for getting at the truth no matter how complex the case, but when someone starts killing women on the streets of Montmartre, he finds himself confounded. In the sweltering Paris summer heat, with the city in a state of siege, Maigret hatches a plan to lure the murderer out. 
 
Translated by Siân Reynolds 
 
Other titles in this collection include: Maigret's Holiday, Maigret Defends Himself, Maigret's Doubts, Maigret's Pickpocket, Maigret's Patience, The Saint-Fiacre Affair, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, The Carter of 'La Providence', Maigret and the Old People, Maigret's Dead Man and Maigret in Vichy 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend' The Times

Inspector Maigret is known for his infallible instinct, for getting at the truth no matter how complex the case, but when someone starts killing women on the streets of Montmartre, he finds himself confounded. In the sweltering Paris summer heat, with the city in a state of siege, Maigret hatches a plan to lure the murderer out. 
 
 
Translated by Siân Reynolds

Maigret's Memoirs

'Compelling, remorseless, brilliant' John Gray 
 
I can still see Simenon coming into my office the next day, pleased with himself, displaying even more self-confidence, if possible, than before, but nevertheless with a touch of anxiety in his eyes.' 
 
Maigret sets the record straight and tells the story of his own life, giving a rare glimpse into the mind of the great inspector - and the writer who would immortalise him. 
 
'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

I can still see Simenon coming into my office the next day, pleased with himself, displaying even more self-confidence, if possible, than before, but nevertheless with a touch of anxiety in his eyes . . . He trumpeted these last words as if they were a sensational discovery. 'Making it seem truer than life, that's the crux of it. Well, I've made you truer than life.'

Maigret's Madwoman

'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves 
 
'He hadn't seen her arrive. She had stopped on the pavement a few steps away from him and was peering into the courtyard of the Police Judiciaire, where the small staff cars were parked. 
 
She ventured as far as the entrance, looked the officer up and down, then turned round and walked away towards the Pont-Neuf' 
 
When an old lady tells Maigret someone has been moving things in her apartment, she is dismissed as a fantasist - until a schocking event proves otherwise. 
 
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century' Guardian

A kind but seemingly paranoid old lady turns to Inspector Maigret for help. Against the judgement of his subordinates, he decides to pay a visit to her Parisian apartment to investigate, but is he already too late?

The New Investigations of Inspector Maigret

A gripping new translation of the iconic short story collection featuring Simenon's celebrated literary detective 
 
'The truth was, Maigret knew nothing! Maigret felt. Maigret was sure he was right, would have bet his life on it. But in vain he'd turned the problem over a hundred times in his head, in vain he'd had every taxi driver in Paris questioned' 
 
A sumptuous mansion hiding terrible crimes, a distressed young woman's cry for help, a gunshot on a rainy Dieppe street, a runaway couple with a secret: these seventeen Inspector Maigret short stories, written and published in journals during the Second World War, show Simenon's celebrated detective uncovering the darkness beneath ordinary lives. 
 
These stories have been published in a previous translation as Maigret's Pipe 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor' Boyd Tonkin, The Times

'The truth was, Maigret knew nothing! Maigret felt. Maigret was sure he was right, would have bet his life on it. But in vain he'd turned the problem over a hundred times in his head, in vain he'd had every taxi driver in Paris questioned' 
 
Written and published in journals during the Second World War, these seventeen short stories distil the atmosphere, themes and psychological intensity that make Simenon's famous detective series so compelling. 
 
Translated by Howard Curtis and Ros Schwartz 
 
'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor' Boyd Tonkin, Times

Maigret Takes a Room

'Compelling, remorseless, brilliant' John Gray 
 
'What he thought he had discovered, in place of the joyful candour that she usually displayed, was an irony which was neither less cheerful nor less childish, but which troubled him ... He wondered now if his exultation wasn't down to the fact that she was playing a part, not just to deceive him, not just to hide something from him, but for the pleasure of acting a part' 
 
When one of his best inspectors is shot, Maigret decides to book himself into Mademoiselle Clément's well-kept Paris boarding house nearby in order to find the culprit. 
 
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century' Guardian 
 
'A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness' Independent

What he thought he had discovered, in place of the joyful candour that she usually displayed, was an irony which was neither less cheerful nor less childish, but which troubled him . . . He wondered now if his exultation wasn't down to the fact that she was playing a part, not just to deceive him, not just to hide something from him, but for the pleasure of acting a part.

Maigret and the Tall Woman

'Compelling, remorseless, brilliant' John Gray 
 
'When he had set them to work, Maigret had had a merry, almost fierce glint in his eye. He had set them loose on the house like a pack of hounds on the trail of a scent, encouraging them not with his voice, but by his whole attitude . . . would events have played out in the same manner, if the man from Rue de la Ferme hadn't been a heavyweight like him, both physically and psychologically?' 
 
 This novel has been published in previous translations as Maigret and the Burglar's Wife. 
 
'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

Maigret's attitude came as a surprise to those who were working alongside him in Rue de la Ferme. Ever since the morning there had been something unusual in the way that the inspector had been directing operations. It wasn't the first search of this type in which he had participated, but as it went on it began to take on a character all of its own.

Georges Simenon

Howard Curtis

Sin and green shutters: both entailed lots of unexpected consequences that weren’t easy to see at first glance . . . 
 
In the autumn years of his illustrious career, ‘The Great’ Emile Maugin, a celebrated actor, receives devastating news: he does not have long left to live. Hounded by rage, alcoholism and the memories of his fractured childhood in the Vendée marshes, he haunts the stage doors and dimly-lit bars of pre-war Paris. Yet, faintly visible on the horizon of his mind, stands a white house with green shutters and manicured lawns, whose inhabitants lead the ‘normal life’ that lies just beyond Maugin’s reach. 
 
First published in 1950, The Green Shutters cuts to the depths of the human soul and asks: what is left to us when time runs out?

Georges Simenon

Books by Georges Simenon

Series by Georges Simenon

Inspector Maigret75 Books

Maigret Capsule Collection13 Books

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The ultimate Eurovision-inspired reading list

How Georges Simenon reinvented the detective novel with Maigret

Writing life: Georges Simenon

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