The Madman of Bergerac

The Madman of Bergerac | Georges Simenon

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A quick and fun read about a series of murders in a French provincial town, into which Maigret is painfully plunged by happenstance. It's an example of the crime-genre trope of the invalided detective who must solve the crime from their sickbed, and disentangling the actual clues from the parochial gossip brought to his convalescent room exercises Maigret's fevered mind. Mrs Maigret is rather active in this case: I like her 🙂

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Bookwomble

The Madman of Bergerac | Georges Simenon

Reading while walking at a brisk pace is a habit I developed as a child while going to school, and it's stuck with me. Not that I often do exercise for its own sake, but I have a go every now and then. Anyway, enjoying reruns of Rowan Atkinson's Maigret inspired me to pick this off the shelf for my walk - my first Maigret, though the 15th in the series. Thanks to the TV adaptations, I'm familiar with the character, so it's been easy to get into.

rretzler I've been reading the series when I can get my hands on a copy. I've been enjoying them, although I haven't yet tackled the TV adaptations. 5y

Bookwomble @rretzler I can vaguely remember my nan reading them -I think- so Maigret has been in my awareness forever, but I'm only just trying them now. There seems to be dozens of them, so I probably won't collect them, but get them from the library. The Atkinson series is good, once you get over him *not* being Mr Bean! Michael Gambon did a god turn as Maigret, too, a few years ago. Is there any need to read them in order? 5y

rretzler I haven't been always able to find copies in order, so I haven't actually figured that out yet. I also haven't been buying them because there are so many, and my library doesn't have them all, so it's been really hit or miss. There is a really good website with the order and the various titles - which I reference because each book has several different titles: http://www.trussel.com/maig/maig.htm and http://www.trussel.com/maig/cheklist.htm ! 5y

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Aimeesue J'aime Maigret! J'ai lu maigret en français la première fois. Not sure I could still do that. ? 5y

Bookwomble @Aimeesue I definitely couldn't - I need somebody to do the hard work of translation for me 😁🇫🇷🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 5y

Bookwomble @rretzler I've finished this one and enjoyed it. I think, like you, I'll read any more on a hit and miss basis. They seem comfortably designed for that 🙂 5y

Emilymdxn I‘ve never read one of these books but thought they looked interesting. Would you recommend?? Is there one that‘s a good one and a good place to start? I‘ve never seen any of the tv (edited) 5y

Bookwomble @Emilymdxn On a random sample of 1, the 16th in the series, I would recommend. Simenon has been popular for 80 years, and continually adapted, which must say something about the quality of his stories. The one I've just read is straight forward enough, but engagingly told. I don't think the books are linked, so you could just jump in anywhere, but if you're totally unfamiliar with the character, perhaps an earlier one would be a good introduction? 5y

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