Maigret at his best

Simenon’s detective at his peak certainly this is one of if not his finest novel

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Beautifully brought to life with a wonderful narration.

A story that take Maigret away from Paris and delays his departure on holiday in Alsace with his wife who travelled on ahead.

Maigret’s final act is to visit a young man on death row. The night before his execution this criminal has been reflecting on others who do not have to face the consequences of their murderous acts. While he will not give up this man he mentions their paths crossed at a riverside property known as the “The Two-Penny Bar.
By chance Maigret overhears talk about such a place just outside Paris and so Maigret’s break must wait while he takes up this cold case from some 6 years ago.

I loved Armstrong’s delivery which brings each character to life. He also has the understanding of the text to clarify Simenon’s words as well as Maigret’s mood and frustrations.

An early Maigret, full of all the qualities that bring readers and listens back to this wonderful series.

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Pure genius.

This is a short and simple review of all things Simenon. The man was an utter genius. He could tell a compelling and thrilling crime story (story, full stop) with so few but brilliant words, yet retain a deeply human connection throughout. Maigret is one of the greatest creations in literary fiction, and Gareth Armstrong brings him to life quite superbly. A great writer's words given vibrancy by a great communicator.

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Solid Maigret Tale

A conversation with a condemned man leads Maigret into the world of unusual group of people at The Two Penny Bar . Classic Maigret

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No waffle here!

I haven’t read a Maigret for 45 years or more but here I am listening to one now on Audible. Is the magic still there?

This story moves at even a faster pace than a James Bond novel. No wasted words but plenty of entertainment. Excellent dialogue, excellent narration. Lots of plot holes and coincidences but a brilliant quick listen. I bought two at once but think I’ll listen to many more than that.

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Down by the river…

It all begins when Maigret tells a villain, Lenoir, that his final appeal has been refused, and that he will be executed the next morning. In his bitterness, Lenoir says it’s unfair that he should pay the ultimate penalty when others who’ve committed equally serious crimes go free. He then tells Maigret of the night that he and a friend witnessed a man drop a body into the Canal Saint-Martin. They then blackmailed the man for a while, but he later disappeared. Then, a couple of years later, Lenoir saw him again, in a little place called The Two-Penny Bar. But Lenoir was arrested for the crime for which he’ll be guillotined before he got the chance to start his blackmail again. He doesn’t tell Maigret the man’s name, but Maigret decides to visit The Two-Penny Bar anyway…

This turns out to be one of the best of the Maigrets, but I must admit it has an incredibly sloppy start. Not only doesn’t Maigret ask for the name of the murderer, but nor does he get a description of him nor even the address of the bar. It also relies on the premise that the murderer frequents the bar all the time, and wasn’t just a casual visitor on the occasion Lenoir saw him there. And finally, by an amazing coincidence, another murder just happens to take place in the bar while Maigret is there. I did consider giving up on it at this early stage on the grounds that it was all so unlikely, but I’m glad I stuck with it.

It takes Maigret a while to find the bar (which he finally does by another amazing coincidence), but when he does he finds it’s on the Seine on the outskirts of the city, and frequented by a group of regulars who either live nearby or visit regularly to row on the river, play cards, drink and generally relax. They’re a close-knit group. Maigret strikes up an acquaintanceship with James, a man who drinks even more than Maigret but is full of a kind of good-natured charm. Maigret soon comes to think he might develop into a friend in time, and the feeling seems to be mutual. James gives him the entry to the group, and since Maigret’s wife is off visiting her sister for the summer, Maigret takes to spending a lot of time with them all, gradually getting to see the dynamics and relationships among them. But he still doesn’t know who the murdered man was, nor if anyone in the group is the murderer.

Short even by Simenon’s standards, the pace of the book picks up a lot once all this preparatory stuff is out of the way. As I mentioned, there is another murder and there’s an obvious suspect for this one. What’s not so clear is the motive, and since the suspect has run away Maigret’s first job is to find him. But this crisis in the group has brought some of its secrets to light and given Maigret the leverage he needs to investigate them on a more formal basis. Another coincidence gives him the name of the original murder victim, and now he can look for a connection with any of the bar regulars.

It’s the characterisation that makes this one so good, though of the group as a group rather than of each individual within it. They’re a rather louche bunch, lazily drinking their way into flirtations and affairs with each other’s spouses, but always willing to lend a hand to each other whenever trouble looms. Their social gatherings seem to be the main purpose of their rather empty middle-class lives – their tedious day jobs merely the things that fund their lifestyle. However there are a couple of them that we get to know individually – James, whose incipient friendship with Maigret is very well depicted and whose character flaws become clearer as we, and Maigret, get to know him better; and Basso, the man initially suspected of the second murder, and we see his weaknesses and guilt at his feeling that he has betrayed his put-upon but loyal wife. And the last few chapters, when Maigret manages to trick the murderer into a confession, have considerably more emotional depth than is often the case in this series.

Lest you’re wondering that I haven’t mentioned Maigret’s drink problem as usual, I shall merely say that his drink of choice in this one is Pernod, and he downs enough of the stuff over the course of a couple of weeks to float a good-sized armada. However, he manages to stay sober despite it all – what a man!

So after a distinctly dodgy start, this turned into one of my favourites so far. I loved the portrayal of the group and fell under James’ always tipsy but never drunk charm, helped by an excellent interpretation of his character by the ever-reliable narrator of the series, Gareth Armstrong, who always makes these books a pleasure to listen to.

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Good

I really enjoyed this tale, there was just enough of a twist to make it enjoyable and unpredictable. Well read as usual.

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A really excellent story & performance

The pleasure these fabulous stories are written & narrated is quite unique. They are produced so well & of course our man Maigret & his loyal team, and the charming Mrs Maigret are delightful characters

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Maigret on top form

I’ve listened to seven or eight Maigret books and this has been my favourite so far. It was well read, as ever, by Gareth Armstrong, and it’s quite a colourful tale featuring various different Paris locations. Very enjoyable.

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There are better

Second story in a row where there’s only one suspect and he talks a lot. The denouement is quick and it’s all over.
There are better Maigrets out there.

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