Novel, 1931

Maigret mystery set in the wonderfully, bleakly evoked Northern French port of Concarneau, and following the running down and persecution of a group of friends who hold high and respectable offices in the town’s civic life. A book which offers both a dreamy account of a humdrum life and existence, and in doing so, sets up a story which runs its course, but does so in lively and occasionally delightfully unpredictable fashion. Some great, muscular writing as well – a dialogue heavy book whose narrative is painted broadly, giving the reader a reasonable amount of work to while, while leaving them in no doubt – or very little doubt – how and where sympathies should lie. Moral ambiguity is thrown into the bargain too.