Inspector Cadaver (Inspector Maigret)

Interesting that this Maigret mystery novella was originally published during WWII, but makes no mention of that event or any other "time marker." In any event, "Inspector Cadaver" takes Paris Inspector Superintendent Maigret to a small village in the Vendee area of France. The locals refer to it as the Green Venice, but it is otherwise a quiet agricultural area where crime, especially murder, happens on a modest scale. A young man has been killed on the railway that passes through the area and there are locals who believe that the death was no accident. Fingers point to the family that Maigret has been asked by a colleague to assist through the investigation. The mystery is eventually resolved, though justice is not done. Watching Maigret sort it out is the sweet part, but the way that author Simenon evokes the social structure and daily habits of village life are also extremely enjoyable. The book is a good example of Simenon's flawless story-telling, his portrayal of complicated human behaviors and his sense of place. SPOILER (of sorts) - my only small quibble with this book is that it resembles a bit too closely the novella, "Maigret in Holland," with which a lot of the story line intersects.

The re-writing of titles by editors is a crime that victimizes the readers of popular mystery writers. I read and reviewed this book under the title of Inspector Cadaver. I'm reviewing the same book again to help protect other readers from buying the same book twice. Maigret stirs up all sorts of tension in the town of Saint-Aubin by investigating a murder there as a favor to an examining magistrate. In truth, although he's treated with great hospitality, some people wish he'd go home. Also on the scene is an ex-policeman turned private detective, nicknamed in the old days Inspector Cadaver. His shifty presence complicates matters even more. The fact that Maigret is out of his jurisdiction makes him more dependent than ever on his uncanny ability to read people and places. The quirky characters in this story give him plenty of material to work with. I suggest checking the reviews of Inspector Cadaver before rejecting this book. That edition is nicer, in any case, than this one.

An examining magistrate asks a favor of Maigret. Would he mind visiting the little town of Saint-Aubin for an unofficial investigation? The truth, as determined by Maigret, is bound to squash some ridiculous gossip about his brother-in-law. Maigret stays with the well-connected country family and finds them charming, sincere and hospitable. Nonetheless, there is that ugly rumor that the daughter of the house had a lover, and his murderer was her father. And how to explain the presence in the neighborhood of the ex-policeman known as Old Cadaver, dismissed in disgrace long ago from the force and now a private detective? This is an excellent little story. A few awkward moments for Maigret make it all the more enjoyable.

Since this is a Christmas present it has not been read yet. Knowing how well the author writes I am sure it will be enjoyed.

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 versions. Simenon also authored dozens of books described as "romans durs", or `hard stories' that had a darker tone than his Maigret novels. Simenon seems 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 (usually in groups of three mysteries) and the New York Review of Books Press has reissued many of his `romans durs'. "Inspector Cadaver is one of Penguin's latest Inspector Maigret Mystery reissues, along with My Friend Maigret (Inspector Maigret Mysteries) and Maigret and the Man on the Boulevard (Inspector Maigret). "Inspector Cadaver" finds Maigret in the village of Saint-Aubin-les Marais. Although the town itself is fictional it is planted by Simenon squarely in the Vendee region of France, southwest of Paris near the Atlantic coast. Simenon lived in the area during WWII (the story was originally published in 1943 under the title "Maigret's Rival") and, as portrayed by Simenon, Saint-Aubin was an isolated, self-contained area which rivals Peyton Place as far as its perchance for gossip and sense of isolation from the rest of the world is concerned. Maigret finds himself in Saint-Aubin at the request of a Magistrate in Paris. A young working-class man has been found dead apparently run over by a train. The town gossip seems to point its ugly finger in the direction of the Magistrate's brother-in-law and Maigret agrees (reluctantly) to travel to Saint-Aubin to help the brother-in-law out. Maigret is surprised to discover that a former policeman, Inspector Cavre (known as Inspector Cadaver) now working as a private detective, is also destined for Saint-Aubin. As the plot develops Maigret and the reader is introduced to life in this isolated village. Simenon does a wonderful job describing the sense of isolation Maigret feels at entering into this self-contained and xenophobic world. Maigret's unofficial investigation is made more complex (but more interesting to the reader) as he deals with old family ties, small town snobbery, class-distinctions, and a general aversion to strangers. The efforts by Inspector Cadaver also make Maigret's life more difficult (and actually lead me to conclude that the original title is the more apt of the two.) Simenon's Inspector Maigret mysteries are often compared to Christie's Hercule Poirot mysteries. There are many resemblances to be sure. There are some major differences however worth noting. The chief differences seem to me to be Simenon's darker touch and his rather cynical feelings toward the more `respectable' members of French society. This is very evident in "Inspector Cadaver" but it is not so intrusive that it gets in the way