The Yellow Dog (Inspector Maigret Mysteries) [Paperback]

Georges Simenon (Author), Linda Asher (Translator)

Book Description

Series: Inspector Maigret Mysteries | Publication Date: July 25, 2006

The small French town of Concarneau is a summer resort. In winter it becomes the deserted, rainswept scene for a series of murder attempts that attract the interest of Maigret. While his assistant Leroy uses "science" and "deductions" to trace the murderer, Maigret's instincts unerringly guide him to the real killer past a labyrinth of fascinating characters: a paranoid failed medical doctor turned real-estate shark; a passive, working class waitress whose heart secretly burns a torch of passion; an aristocratic politician who pressures Maigret to "make some arrests"; and a snarling stray dog that knows the murderer's real identity.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Georges Simenon was born at Liege in Belgium in 1903. He published over 160 books and his work has been admired by almost all the leading French and English critics. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages and more than 40 have been filmed. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (July 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0143037315
• ISBN-13: 978-0143037316
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #671,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quick and Satisfying, December 22, 2006

By 

John Sollami (Stamford, CT) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Yellow Dog (Inspector Maigret Mysteries) (Paperback)

This is my first Simenon title ever. Yet Inspector Maigret is hardly foreign to my sensibilities, as his independence, brilliance, and taciturn pipe-smoking personality have disseminated throughout countless popular mysteries, films, and TV shows. I found this mystery quite entertaining, even though it follows the well-worn path for such works as throwing out dead-end clues, and assembling a cast of peculiar characters together in a dreamy mysterious setting. Penguin's neat new printings of these classic tales are easy on the eyes. In this particular story, the coastal town of Concarneau is thrown into a frenzy by a series of attacks on its prominenet citizens. A skittish hotel waitress is obviously part of the mystery, as is a large yellow dog who suddenly appears on the scene. Everything is satisfyingly resolved in the end, and Maigret appears to be a genius. This is a quick, neat read, full of atmosphere and literary sensibility. I'll be visiting Simenon again shortly.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Who let the dog out?, October 25, 2006

By 

Leonard Fleisig "Len" (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Yellow Dog (Inspector Maigret Mysteries) (Paperback)

Georges Simenon was the author of over 100 Inspector Maigret mystery stories. They were immensely popular in the 1930s through the 1960s. Inspector Maigret stories also appeared in film and TV version. Simenon and Maigret seem to have fallen under the radar in recent decades but in recent years he seems to have been rediscovered by a new generation of mystery/detective story fans. Penguin Books has begun to reissue some of those Maigret mysteries and the New York Review of Books Press has reissued some of his `hard stories', stories that did not feature Inspector Maigret. Simenon's Inspector Maigret Mystery, "The Yellow Dog" was a fun book to read and is as good a place to start for anyone wishing t discover (or re-read) Simenon.

The Yellow Dog, written in 1931, is set on a fishing town in Concarneau, France. One of the town's leading citizens has been shot. A series of murders or attempted murders soon follow. At the same time a stray, rather mangy looking yellow dog is wandering around the town. Inspector Maigret is sent to clear up the mess. In so doing he must deal with panicked locals, an irate mayor demanding an end to the affair, and a cast of characters who each, in their way, have done something to make themselves suspicious. The rest of the story involves Maigret's attempt to unravel the chain of events and find the guilty party or guilty parties.

This is a `classic' detective story in the sense that Simenon does not stray for the general formula or boundaries found in classic stories by Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie. There are twists and turns in the plot, red herrings, and fake clues, but eventually justice (or some semblance of justice) is served.

What sets Simenon apart is the character of Maigret and the supporting cast. Maigret was, or seems, ahead of his times in his aversion to `higher authority'. He also seems to have a deep and clearly defined set of moral values that does not necessarily coincide with the values held by his higher ups or by those reporters or office holders that seem to second guess his every move. This personality, this ahead of its time jaundiced eye, may explain the resurgence of interest in his books.

The Yellow Dog is an enjoyable read. Recommended. L. Fleisig

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Early Jules Maigret Story, July 3, 2008

By 

Marco Antonio Abarca (Colorado) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Yellow Dog (Inspector Maigret Mysteries) (Paperback)

This story was written in 1931 soon after the very first Jules Maigret stories started coming out. It takes place in a small fishing village on the coast of Brittany. Someone is trying to kill town notables and the only clues are a stray yellow dog and some very large foot prints. A perfect location and jumping off point for a Jules Maigret mystery.

The fun of a Georges Simonon novel is the unique way in which Inspector Maigret approaches a crime. At one point Maigret notes, "I ran this investigation from the end backward-which doesn't mean I won't go the other way in the next one. It's a question of atmosphere, a question of faces...When I first got here, I came across one face that appealed to me, and I never let go of it."

It is this odd perspective that is so appealing in the Maiget stories. It is an approach which separates him from the Anglo-American tradition of mystery writing. It is the individual genius that counts and not the investigative procedure. Jules Maigret is the essential "bella figura" or man of genius. The fun of this novel is that the reader sees the character of Maigret while he still being formed by Simenon. Maigret evolves into a character who will appear in 75 novels of which more than 500 million editions will be sold. For those who love Inspector Maigret, these initial novels are an important indicator of what type hero he will become.