One of Simenon’s final Maigret books portrays a 53 year old Maigret nearing retirement and starts with the Chief Inspector and his wife just returning from their new country home where they will soon be living instead of Avenue Richard Lenoir.  Maigret is abruptly jolted back to reality from a beautiful Paris spring morning by news of the murder of one of his favorite informers, Manuel Palmari, shot to death in his wheelchair in his apartment.  Maigret had long suspected Palmari to be involved in a jewelry robbery ring, but had not been able to bring his suspicions to closure.  Through his patient application of his ‘method’, he is finally able to solve the riddle of the jewelry thefts as well as Palmari’s murder.  The ‘method’ which Maigret denies he has involves slowly working his way into the minds and manners of those involved in crimes, eventually sorting out the key facts and coming to the right conclusion.  This is one of Simenon’s best with interesting characters and some intriguing sub plots.  A good one to begin with if you don’t know Simenon and Maigret.

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