Maigret and the Madwoman [Paperback]

Georges Simenon (Author)

Book Description

Series: Maigret Mystery Series | Publication Date: June 16, 2003

Maigret is a registered trademark of the Estate of Georges Simenon.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, French (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

"Simenon created one of the great moral detectives . . .a master of the slow unfolding of the criminal mind."-JOHN MORT I M E R

Someone is moving a kind old woman's furniture while she is away, but by the time Maigret investigates, she is dead.

A kind, elderly lady-meticulously groomed and showing no signs of derangement-appeals to Inspector Maigret, frightened because someone has been moving furniture in her apartment. Nothing, however, has been stolen, and Maigret's subordinates at Police Headquarters shrug her off as "Maigret's madwoman." Touched by the imploring look in her eyes, Maigret promises to investigate-but someone gets there ahead of him.


"Simenon is . . . in a class by himself."-T H E N E W YO R K E R

G eorges Simenon (1903-1989) was born in Liège, Belgium. He published his first novel at seventeen and went on to write more than two hundred novels, becoming one of the world's most prolific and bestselling authors. His books have sold more than 500 million copies and have been translated into fifty languages.


Maigret is a registered trademark of the Estate of Georges Simenon

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Product Details

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (June 16, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156028506
• ISBN-13: 978-0156028509
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,550,012 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ideal summer vacation reading, July 10, 2003

By 

Mary E. Sibley (Carneys Point, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Maigret and the Madwoman (Hardcover)

Imagine drinking a glass of Calvados. The title is ambiguous. She was a tiny woman insisting upon seeing Chief Inspector Maigret personally. Madame Antoine, aged, having lived in her apartment for a long time, reported that her things had been moved. There is only the key she keeps in her bag. A niece and her son are her only relatives. She is pefectly aware that a young person might consider her mad. The concierge says she is very much like any other old person living by herself. Her clear gray eyes make an impression on Maigret. Then she is murdered, suffocated, and an investigation ensues. The police search and question, after all this is a police procedural. Maigret discovers that the victim had practiced twenty five years of thrift. A character named Le Grand Marcel is brought into the picture.

The fineness of the writing (translated?) transcends the genre. Picking up a Maigret novel is a matter of dealing in a brand name consumer good. One is never disappointed. The storytelling is simple, classical, felicitous. Simenon used masterful economy in his art. The short bursts of information create an almost Raymond Carverish style. One is transported to Paris in the Spring. Time spent in the company of Maigret and his gifted inspectors Lapointe, Lucas, and Janvier is a pleasure.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful Writing, November 25, 2003

By 

E. Clinton (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Maigret and the Madwoman (Paperback)

This is a thoughtful well-plotted mystery. The author does a fine job portrayng Maigret, the other detectives, the victim (an elderly lady), her niece and her niece's son. The writing is simple and easy to understand. Simemon does not waste words but he brings the characters to life. The reader will be kept guessing until the end of the book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No motives and few suspects, May 7, 2009

By 

Patto (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Maigret and the Madwoman (Paperback)

We all know how paranoia can grip the elderly. So when an 86-year-old lady tells the police that someone is entering her apartment when she's out and moving things around, and that someone may be following her too, can we blame Maigret for being a bit skeptical?

Will she have to be murdered before Maigret believes her?

This is a low-key case that doesn't make headlines, yet Maigret, once he gets started, gives it his all. There's a secret somewhere, maybe in the keeping of the needy relatives. Yet why rob or kill an old lady when you're going to inherit her money anyway? The Chief Superintendent is at a loss for a motive.

The sun shines persistently throughout the story, in contrast with Maigret's lack of inspiration.

Once again Maigret is cutting back on alcohol, but he does succumb to a second glass of wine at one point. After all, "Dr. Pardon would never know."