Finished Pietr the Latvian which is the first Maigret book by Simenon. Interesting to see how much Maigret evolved over the years and how the books gained depth. The biggest disadvantage to English readers is that Simenon's books were translated by a variety of people and so you're never really sure if the book you're reading is actually better (or worse) than others because it could be in the translation. I became aware of this because Camilleri had the same translator for all the Montalbano books and the consistence was very evident. ( )

I was kind of lost in the sauce when it came to the actual mystery until the end, but man no one writes about walking around a city in the pouring rain like Simenon. ( )

Not among the best Maigrets, in my opinion. Maybe because it's Simenon's first Maigret, or maybe because I've read so many that I'm jaded. Then again, maybe because there were things that simply didn't hang together, as if Simenon wasn't paying attention. It felt like sloppy writing that had been put together a little too quickly. Nevertheless, thanks to Penguin for reissuing all the Maigrets -- one a month! ( )

After reading a number of Maigret novels I was curious to read the first one that Simenon wrote, which was Pietr-le-letton. According to my [Tout Maigret] omnibus, it was not the first of his detective novels that was published, it was one of the eight published in 1931, but this one was written in 1929. It is the first of a long series and people do like to start from the beginning: 1,151 members of LT own the book and there are 57 reviews.

In this stirring tale there are three murders, one being a policeman. Maigret himself is shot, but refuses to stop his hunt for the killers. He is described as a large powerful man and it is his dogged pursuit and solitary stake-outs that are the key to solving the mystery of Pietr-le-letton. The action takes place in tempest like conditions and Jules Maigret is soaked by rain water, by sea water and his own blood. He travels to the seaside port of Fécamp and prowls around the Jewish quarter, all fairly grim in the appalling weather. This is a far cry from later novels that I have read, where Maigret barely leaves his house or the prefecture. In this early incarnation he loves his wood stove that is the centre piece of his office and his pipe is rarely out of his mouth. He is a keen observer of peoples actions and reactions and his interviewing technique is already honed to a fine art. He is already drinking copiously, but horror of horrors we learn that he does not like champagne.

Of course it is fascinating to read a crime novel from the early 1930's when detective work and communications were so different; Maigret relied on people to run errands for him and to deliver messages. The train was used for long journeys and so the pace of detective work was carried out in accordance with train timetables. It was easier for detectives to cut corners, to pressure witnesses and to work on their own and all of this suited Maigret. This early novel has plenty of action and some good dialogue and reflects the suspicion of strangers from Germany and Eastern Europe. The mystery is well wrapped up: 4 stars and onto the next one. ( )

This is the first book featuring the French detective, Inspector Maigret. Let us not be concerned with the details of the story, because Simenon always gets to the heart of things: human frailty, temptation, the fall of the mighty and the defeat of evil. These are powerful themes of Simenon's writing and all are present in this first story.

Simenon writes from the perspective of a world-weary man who wants to do good but must constantly battle through an imperfect society. The writing is spare and very direct - not much in the way of flowery descriptions and discursive asides - but he draws the reader in and makes you care about the characters and their fates.

Originally conceived as pot-boilers, these are great examples of crime writing and this is the book that started it all off.

Recommended as a short read with plenty of depth and ethical thinking required. ( )