This novel is about Maigret. Oh sure, there's a murder and an investigation, and we eventually get to know a good deal about the victim and about the suspects, but above all else, we get to know Maigret.Scotland Yard has heard about the famous Maigret, and with the permission of the Paris police has assigned an inspector Pike to shadow Maigret and observe his methods. Maigret feels terribly self-conscious about that, knowing as he does that he basically has no method, or no method that can be observed in a few days. Pike is absolutely correct in his dealings with Maigret, never imposing himself, always speaking perfect and precise French, and for that reason, and others, Maigret feels oppressed by Pike's presence, and begins to feel that he must prove himself.He soon gets the chance: he is called to investigate a murder that has occurred on an island just off the southern French coast. Though it is out of his jurisdiction, he is assigned to the case because the victim had bragged, shortly before being murdered, that Maigret was a good friend of his. Of course, Maigret was not a good friend of his, but had been acquainted with him years earlier, in the course of a criminal investigation.Maigret and Pike go to the island. It is late spring and the weather is hot. Maigret immediately feels heavy and sleepy and wants nothing other than to simply wander and observe, get the feel of the place. But with Pike watching his every move, he feels compelled to act in a more official way, more energetically. Soon, though, he settles almost into his normal mode: he talks to people, he daydreams, he has a drink. And in the end he catches the killer.There are something like 70 Maigret novels. If you have never read any, this would be as good as any to start with.
More than the investigation this book was for me about the tensions and observations between cultures. The differences between the city and island culture, between French and international visitors, and I especially liked the small tensions he creates between the inferior sensibilities of the French police when working with the visiting British detective. It's fun and with some beautiful passages."There was an unprecedented noise of bells. They were not proper church bells, but small, high-pitched ones, like chapel or convent bells. One was led to the belief that the quality the density of the air was not the same as elsewhere. One could distinctly hear the hammer striking the bronze, which gave out some sort of a note, but it was then that the phenomenon would begin: a first ring would carry into the pale and still cool sky, would extend hesitantly, like a smoke ring, becoming a perfect circle out of which other circles would form by magic, ever increasing, ever purer. The circles pass beyond the square and the houses, stretched over the harbour and a long way out to sea where small boats were anchored. One felt them above the hills and rocks, and they hadn't ceased to be perceptible before the hammer struck the metal once more and other circles of sound were born so as to reproduce themselves, then others, which one listened to in innocent amazement, as one watches a firework."
What do You think about My Friend Maigret (2006)?
Not actually true that I have read this because I gave up about half way through. The most charitable thing I could say is that perhaps this type of book is not my thing. It isn't a full on police procedural where clues are provided. It is more whimsical and interested in an arch style of humour. I could have put up with all that, but my main problem is that I could not keep track of the characters as they were not properly developed and lazily and thinly drawn. The book is an example of a crime in an isolated community but there was no attempt to develop any sense of the different characters. The effect of this is that you could not remember who was who, they all seemed the same sort of louche posh stereotypes, and therefore you cannot care less who committed the crime.
—Mark Walker
The Maigret series had been a conspicuous omission from both my collection and the list of books that I have read, so when I came across this English translation of Mon Ami Maigret, I couldn't wait to start on it and judge for myself how good this much-written about French detective is. I enjoyed the book. Maigret is a little similar in his style and approach to the Colin Dexter creation Inspector Morse. He's easy-going, not too particular about procedures and sharp but without giving the impression of smartness. This particular story is about the death of a trampish character in a sunny French island. The evening before his death, he announces to all that he is a friend of Maigret's and that night he is killed. Maigret is called in because of this connection and he's only too happy to escape from a rain-drenched Paris to sunny Porqueroles. He is accompanied by a Scotland Yard inspector who has come over to study Maigret's methods. The location is exotic with a good mix of colourful characters. Simenon conveys the atmosphere of the place very well. The mystery itself is light but its enjoyable to keep company with Maigret as he progresses it at a steady pace to a satisfactory conclusion. Good, light, enjoyable read. http://theprintedword.wordpress.com/2...
—Ram
From BBC radio 4 Extra:Georges Simenon's detective creation, Jules Maigret, brings his unique style to investigating crimes.Plot:Maigret reçoit la visite de Mr. Pyke, agent de Scotland Yard, désireux de connaître ses fameuses méthodes. Mais aucun cas intéressant ne se présente à Paris. C'est alors qu'un coup de téléphone de Porquerolles informe Maigret du meurtre d'un certain Marcellin qui, peu de temps avant sa mort, a prétendu être un « ami » du commissaire.Two TV series were made based on this book: Mon ami Maigret (1973) with Jean Richard, Micheline Luccioni, Marie Daëms ; And Mon ami Maigret (2001) with Bruno Cremer, Alexandre Brasseur, Michael Morris.It should be noticed that in the 1973 version, in the role of De Greef, Gérard Depardieu played in its beginning. He turned, a year earlier, with Jean Richard for some unspeakable scenes in "The Life annuity" Pierre Tchernia, where the two men camped a tasty duo of small-time gangsters ...
—Laura
