Maigret's Revolver
Author | Georges Simenon |
---|---|
Original title | Le Revolver de Maigret |
Translator | Nigel Ryan |
Language | French |
Series | Inspector Jules Maigret |
Genre | Detective fiction |
Published | 1956 Hamish Hamilton (UK) 1984 Harcourt (US)[1] |
Media type | |
OCLC | 11325763 |
Maigret's Revolver is a novel by the Belgian writer Georges Simenon. The original French version Le Revolver de Maigret appeared in 1952.[2] The theft of Inspector Jules Maigret's revolver from his home begins a detective story that leads to Maigret travelling from Paris to London to find the young man who stole it, and the woman who is in danger of being his victim.
Summary
An agitated young man visits Maigret's home while he is out, wanting to talk to him, but instead steals his revolver. Maigret and his wife later go to a dinner party of his acquaintance Dr. Pardon, where an expected guest, François Lagrange, a patient of Pardon whose occupation is a mystery, fails to appear. Dr. Pardon visits Lagrange, who seems to have had a shock, and whose son has disappeared. Aware of a possible link between Lagrange and the young man. Maigret visits the agitated Lagrange, learns something of his family and obtains a photograph of his son Alain; on his way out the concierge says that Lagrange had a trunk removed from his apartment the previous night. This is investigated: the trunk, left at the Gare du Nord, contains the body of André Delteil, a lawyer and deputy, well known for exposing scandals. He had been murdered before Maigret's revolver was stolen.
Lagrange is incoherent, and Maigret, wondering if his behaviour is genuine or a pretence, has him taken to the Police Infirmary. The photograph, which Maigret's wife has confirmed is that of the mystery visitor, is circulated. Alain Lagrange has robbed someone of a wallet, threatening with Maigret's revolver, and has come to an apartment block nearby; the concierge says he did not visit anyone, but soon afterwards a resident with suitcases left for the Gare du Nord. This is Jeanne Debul: her maid tells Maigret she has a high-class social life, and François Lagrange regularly visited her. She is on her way to England via Calais.
Maigret, suspecting that Alain Lagrange is following Jeanne Debul with the intention of killing her, travels to London, by air from Le Bourget Airport to Croydon Airport. He has found that Jeanne Debul's destination is the Savoy Hotel, and visits her in her room, but does not find out what business there is between her and François Lagrange. He spends some time in the reception hall waiting for Alain's appearance; detectives from Scotland Yard are also looking out for him. Maigret eventually finds Alain waiting in Jeanne Debul's room while she is out. Treating him to a meal in the hotel restaurant, Maigret learns about Alain's father and recent events at his home; the links between his father, Jeanne Debul and André Delteil become clear.
Television
The story was included in the first series of the BBC television dramatizations of Maigret stories featuring Rupert Davies as the detective: "The Revolver" was broadcast in 1960.
References
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- Bibliography
novels
- The Strange Case of Peter the Lett (1931)
- The Crime at Lock 14 (1931)
- The Death of Monsieur Gallet (1931)
- The Crime of Inspector Maigret (1931)
- A Battle of Nerves (1931)
- Maigret and the Yellow Dog (1931)
- Maigret at the Crossroads (1931)
- The Sailors' Rendezvous (1931)
- Maigret at the Gai-Moulin (1931)
- Guinguette by the Seine (1931)
- The Shadow in the Courtyard (1932)
- Maigret Goes Home (1932)
- The Flemish Shop (1932)
- Death of a Harbour Master (1932)
- The Madman of Bergerac (1932)
- Maigret in Exile (1940)
- Maigret and the Hotel Majestic (1942)
- Maigret and the Spinster (1942)
- To Any Lengths (1944)
- Maigret and the Toy Village (1944)
- Maigret in Retirement (1947)
- Maigret in New York (1947)
- A Summer Holiday (1948)
- Maigret's Dead Man (1948)
- Maigret's First Case (1948)
- My Friend Maigret (1949)
- Maigret and the Coroner (1949)
- Maigret and the Old Lady (1950)
- Madame Maigret's Own Case (1950)
- Maigret's Memoirs (1950)
- Inspector Maigret and the Strangled Stripper (1950)
- Maigret and the Burglar's Wife (1951)
- Maigret, Lognon and the Gangsters (1951)
- Maigret's Revolver (1952)
- Maigret and the Man on the Boulevard (1953)
- Maigret's Mistake (1953)
- Maigret Goes to School (1954)
- Maigret and the Headless Corpse (1955)
- Maigret Sets a Trap (1955)
- Maigret's Failure (1956)
- Maigret Has Scruples (1958)
- Maigret and the Lazy Burglar (1961)
- Maigret and the Saturday Caller (1962)
- Maigret and the Dosser (1963)
- Maigret on the Defensive (1964)
- The Patience of Maigret (1965)
- Maigret Hesitates (1968)
- Maigret and the Killer (1969)
- Maigret and the Mad Woman (1970)
- Maigret and the Loner (1971)
- Maigret and Monsieur Charles (1972)
- Les Fiançailles de M. Hire (1933)
- The Night Club (1933)
- Tropic Moon (1933)
- Chit of a Girl (1938)
- The Man Who Watched the Trains Go By (1938)
- Le Bourgmestre de Furnes (1939)
- The Strangers in the House (1940)
- Strange Inheritance (1941)
- La Veuve Couderc (1942)
- Young Cardinaud (1942)
- Act of Passion (1946)
- The Mahé Circle (1946)
- The Couple from Poitiers (1946)
- Pedigree (1948)
- The Bottom of the Bottle (1949)
- Belle (1952)
- Red Lights (1953)
- The Watchmaker of Everton (1954)
- The Little Man from Archangel (1956)
- The Cat (1967)
- The Man on the Bench in the Barn (1968)
- The Prison (1968)
- The Disappearance of Odile (1971)
- The Glass Cage (1971)
- The Man Who Wasn't Maigret (1992 biography)