"His psychological intensity marks him as a leading writer of the century" New York Times
In the fourth mystery starring Inspector Maigret of the Paris Police Judiciaire, Georges Simenon has created a complex puzzle around a man he knows nothing about, who committed suicide for unknown reasons, a man who is not even a suspect or person of interest, as Maigret is not even investigating an official case.
At the railway junction between Holland and the German border, Maigret is among the few commuter passengers in the stuffy restaurant. A man sticks out as a curiousity, with his cheap cardboard suitcase, ordering in French, seeming weary and lost. The day before, Maigret had seen this shabby traveller wrapping thirty 1,000 franc notes in plain paper and mailing them to 'Louis Jeunet' at a Paris address, unregistered mail. Disembarking at Bremen, Maigret follows the man to a seedy hotel where he rents the adjoining room, spying through the keyhole. After opening his suitcase, the man wields a revolver and shoots himself in the mouth. Maigret is already on the scene, and finds inside the suitcase a man's large suit, soiled and shoddy, encrusted with dried blood, and his passport stating Louis Jeunet, mechanic, a fake.
At the morgue, despite the man being a complete unknown, a Frenchman from Bremen happens to visit. Monsieur VanDamme does not know this man, he read about the death in the morning paper. Over the next few days, Maigret will follow the dead man's tracks, searching every lead, while VanDamme tries to befriend him over meals and a drive back to Paris. VanDamme knows two other men whom Jeunet knew, a banker and an engraver, and the trio show up where Maigret investigates - his workplace and his rental flat, where Maigret finds piles of money burned in the fire. Very odd considering this was a man who scraped through life, a weary alcoholic.
Maigret's inquiries of newspaper archives and police incidents reveals that VanDamme has been one step ahead of him, erasing any evidence or information which would complete the story. Two attempts are made on Maigret's life as VanDamme boldly challenges him in a chase of cat and mouse, a face-to-face battle of wits.
It all started in Bremen a few days ago, or did it start ten years ago?
It's clear from his entrance VanDamme is a liar, but he is also gutsy enough to stare down his opponent eye-to-eye. Maigret will have to force VanDamme to stop his play acting and reveal the truth about the unknown dead man. This entry in the series is all about psychological conflict, a chase for information in which Simenon maintains a strong tension.
As always Simenon is highly recommended.
My other reviews for Georges Simenon:
1931 / Tradeback / 138 pages
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