Very happy to read this book again, I remember the TV episode with Michael Gambon also with great fondness.Maigret sees a warning note alerting the police of a murder which will take place in Saint-Fiacre, the village where Maigret's mother and father lived and where he was born and grew up. No-one takes the threat seriously but Maigret is keen to observe and return "home".This is a modern translation as part of Penguin's desire to re-print all Inspector Maigret's cases with an up to date revision. So far I have enjoyed returning to one of my favourite literary detectives and this book; I am reading them in order; previously fans could read them only in part when and if reprinted or buying older copies via the internet.This is a typical Maigret novel with his usual busybody investigations asking questions repeatedly of any witnesses and potential suspects. It also speaks to the soul of all of us who have reached adulthood and put away childish things. Maigret cannot be anything but disappointed by characters he used to literally and emotionally look up to and respect. The author therefore helps us question with the police officer our own disappointments, values and memories from our earlier years both in terms of people and places.The book also shows how the experience challenges Maigret as we see him give full reign to others to provide justice where the law couldn't.An interesting story on many levels and one which cements Simenon's place in crime fiction. He doesn't follow a safe pattern, his books move from Paris to surrounding parts with differing crimes and motives. His laid back detective remains constant, a brooding force that oversees the investigation and its conclusion, leaving a reader such as me with a great smile across my face.
Je l'ai trouvé fort bein, bien que je n'ai pas tous compris, surtout, pourquoi le meurtrier (ou est ce que c'était quelqu'un d'autre?) envoya à Maigret une mise en garde avec les mots: "je vous annonce qu'un crime sera commis à l'église de Saint-Fiacre pendant a première messe du Jour des Morts". Je l'ai trouvé aussi difficile à accepter que tous les suspects se laissent rassmebler au chateau à la fin. J'ai aussi vu le film, qui se distingue du roman dans certains aspects importants. Dans le film, avec Jean Gabin, "monsiueur le commissaire" joue un role plus important que dans le livre, dans le-quel, il reste quasiment un spectateur impotent des evenments qui se realsisent dans son village natale. Fascinant dans les histoires de Simenon, sont les perspectives socio-culturels et les charactères tres bien depeintes et authentiques ou disons, convaincantes. Je me demande si Maurice le comte de Saint-Fiacre ne soit pas un portrait de Roger Peyrefitte, (avec des petites amies au lieu de petits amis)? Est ce que Simenon a connu Roger Peyrefitte?
Punteggio pieno per questo romanzo (finora il secondo su tredici) in cui Maigret è alle prese con un caso dalle dinamiche atipiche; in primo luogo perché l'omicidio fulcro della vicenda "tecnicamente" non prevede un colpevole, in quanto apparentemente non esiste assassino o arma del delitto convenzionale; motivo per cui l'ispettore è più spettatore che investigatore. Gli altri elementi che conferiscono spessore sono legati al luogo. Simenon inserisce non più Parigi o una grande città, ma il piccolo paese di cui Maigret è originario, facendo ripercorrere i primi anni della sua vita con i ricordi legati all'infanzia, al padre e al suo lavoro, alla chiesa; in questi aspetti l'autore conferma la sua maestria nel creare e ricreare sensazioni vivide e intense con poche piccole pennellate (quando entra a casa del sovrintendente o nei dialoghi con il chierichetto). Come se non bastasse, la cena finale al castello è ridondante di così tanti spunti in così poche pagine (i dialoghi, l'alcol, il piede sotto al tavolo, il conto alla rovescia, i moventi…) da renderla una perla di assoluto valore nell'ampio panorama dei gialli/noir di ogni tempo.
—Filippo Bossolino
Maigret returns to the country city that was his home, where his father worked as the manager of an estate. The countess of the estate is killed by the son of the new manager and Maigret witness the countess son draw out the killer at a dinner mystery murder conversation. The sounds, smells, people, of the town remind Maigret of his youth. Even though I did not grow up in the time frame that Maigret did, Simenon is a master of describing details (like a drafty actic or a past friend's quirks) that everyone can identify with.
—Bryan Boyd
Originally published in France in 1931 as L'AFFAIRE SAINT-FIACRE, this classic mystery by famed Belgian author, Georges Simenon finds Chief Inspector Jules Maigret returning to the village where he was born in order stop a murder he has been informed will take place at first mass on All Souls' Day.When the Countess de Saint-Fiacre falls over dead in the church, Maigret must discover how she died and who was responsible.Everyone is a suspect: the priest, the lawyer, the doctor, and even the son, Count de Saint-Fiacre.Combining a tight narrative structure with a keen eye toward human behavior, this is yet another reminder of George Simenon's immense skill, and why he remains so popular even today.
—Jeffrey
