Review: A MAIGRET CHRISTMAS, Georges Simeon

• format: Kindle (Amazon)
• File Size: 4021 KB
• Print Length: 214 pages
• Publisher: Penguin; 01 edition (November 2, 2017)
• Publication Date: November 2, 2017
• Sold by: PEN UK
• Language: English
• ASIN: B073XXGDJ3

Synopsis (Amazon)

It is Christmas in Paris, but beneath the sparkling lights and glittering decorations lie sinister deeds and dark secrets...

This collection brings together three of Simenon's most enjoyable Christmas tales, newly translated, featuring Inspector Maigret and other characters from the Maigret novels. In 'A Maigret Christmas', the Inspector receives two unexpected visitors on Christmas Day, who lead him on the trail of a mysterious intruder dressed in red and white.

In 'Seven Small Crosses in a Notebook', the sound of alarms over Paris send the police on a cat and mouse chase across the city.

And 'The Little Restaurant in Les Ternes (A Christmas Story for Grown-Ups)' tells of a cynical woman who is moved to an unexpected act of festive charity in a nightclub - one that surprises even her...

My Take

Maigret and Madame Maigret become very aware of the fact that they don't have children every Christmas. Maigret tries to avoid reminding her of the fact by following a ritual on Christmas morning. However in the first story Madame Maigret becomes very involved in the case of a bedridden child who lives near them and wakes to find Father Christmas in her bedroom early on Christmas morning, seemingly making a hole in her bedroom floor.

Seven Small Crosses is set on Christmas Eve in a police control room that monitors events occurring in the various arrondissements. In particular they are waiting for a murder to strike for the 9th time. This story does not feature Maigret himself, but a couple of his colleagues.

The third story does not feature Maigret either. A man walks into a bar on Christmas Eve and shoots himself dead without warning.

This e-book contains a bonus short story in which Maigret is taking an enforced three week holiday and decides to spend it at home.  The discovery of a body at a nearby doctor’s surgery provides interest in what he sees as an interminable stretch of boredom.

These stories have apparently been extracted from a longer collection of nine stories, and the first three are quite long.
They are carefully written, characterised by Simenon’s usual economy of expression, and very enjoyable to read.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read
4.4, MAIGRET & the MAN on the BOULEVARD
4.5, MAIGRET & THE HEADLESS CORPSE
4.3, PIETR THE LATVIAN
THE LATE MONSIEUR GALLET
4.4, THE RULES OF THE GAME
4.2, THE MAN WHO WATCHED THE TRAINS GO BY
4.3, THE CARTER OF LA PROVIDENCE
4.3, LOCK NO 1. Maigret #18
4.0, MAIGRET IN NEW YORK
4.2, A MAN'S HEAD