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Nov 2018
9:10am, 26 Nov 2018
36,892 posts
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McGoohan
Sank 'eaven for ze Cheeky Girls, zey grow up in ze most frightful way...
This is the discussion thread for George Venice-Simplon's Christmas selection, A Maigret Christmas, featuring Agatha Christie's beloved detective Sherlock Marbles solving crimes in post-war Prague.
When you have read this slender tome, why not collect your thoughts and attach them below, perhaps using tinsel and coathangers like the Blue Peter Advent candle?
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Nov 2018
9:54am, 26 Nov 2018
10,124 posts
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Serendippily
We had one of those decorations for years! Eventually the toilet roll and tinsel fell off so we just hung up the coat hangers
A lovely Christmas romp through 3 tales. I got quite absorbed in tale 2 and mildly annoyed by tale 3. It appears I’m fine with Simenon imagining himself a thief or a drunk but presumptuous imagining himself a whore which is probably hypocritical of me. Tale 1 i was surprised by their relaxed adoption laws but enjoyed the cool female accomplice. Next 
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Nov 2018
10:08am, 26 Nov 2018
36,895 posts
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McGoohan
It's not even December yet! How many mince pies have you eaten?
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Nov 2018
7:05pm, 28 Nov 2018
24,655 posts
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LazyDaisy
Oh I hope you all like this one. I've bought it as part of a friend's Christmas present, if you all hate it I shan't be comfortable giving it to him (no pressure then, anyone )
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Dec 2018
9:59pm, 4 Dec 2018
42,049 posts
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Bintmcskint
I really enjoyed the first story. Stayed up late to finish it (and forgot to set my alarm for the next day!). As McG said on the Book Group thread, very readable.
Half way through the second story and will no doubt stay up to finish it tonight.
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Dec 2018
5:18pm, 7 Dec 2018
32,718 posts
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Diogenes
La la la, not reading any other comments yet...
First story finished, I warmed to famille Maigret, but not to the mechanical unraveling of the case. It was a sloe day at the office, much of the action happened off-stage
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Dec 2018
5:25pm, 7 Dec 2018
37,254 posts
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McGoohan
*suspects Dio won’t enjoy the second one where Everything happens offstage*
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Dec 2018
5:41pm, 7 Dec 2018
10,391 posts
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Snowqueendippily
The second was by far my favourite and I can remember nothing about it at all now
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Dec 2018
2:49pm, 8 Dec 2018
32,741 posts
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Diogenes
Au contraire, Monsiuer McGoohan, I much preferred the second story. I suspect the difference was that, although the drama was off-stage, it was contemporaneous with André Lecœur’s unravelling of the case, and his brief moment in the limelight. Also, it had a happy ending, whereas the first tale was unremittingly grim, even down to Madame Maigret’s desperate longing to foster the child to fill the void in her thankless life for a week or two. I liked the closing story, that had real heart to it.
Initially I was drawn to this book by the cover photograph, and by Simenon’s name. It might be that the photo remains my favourite thing about the book, but I’m glad I read it.
I gave it a 7 overall.
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Dec 2018
2:50pm, 8 Dec 2018
37,267 posts
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McGoohan
*twirls moustache*
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