Maigret and the Ghost
- a fascinating tale of murder and two forms that love can take: the
love a collector has for great works of art and the love a man can have
for a beautiful woman.
The drama began when Maigret was informed
that, Lognon, a police inspector he was fond of, is currently in
critical condition, having been shot on the pavement of Avenue Junot in
Montmartre the previous night.
A reader deserves to find out each
new facet of the unfolding mystery when turning the pages. Not for me
to spoil. What I can do is zero in on an exchange between Maigret and
one of his detectives from the opening chapters to share the flavor of
this novel set in Paris. Actually, as much as plot, at the heart of the
Maigret series are the scenes where the Chief Inspector discovers a
wealth of information with every new encounter.
Maigret has the
neighbors along Avenue Junot questioned. He pays keen attention when
Inspector Chinquier reports back and begins talking about his
conversation with a cantankerous, old crippled hermit by the name of
Maclet who has spent his last years shut away in his second floor
apartment, watching the world outside his window. This window just so
happens to overlook the spot on the street where poor Lognon was shot.
Maclet
tells Chinquier about all the comings and going across the street in a
Dutchman's large house, a private mansion with the second floor glazed
like the studio of an artist. The Dutchman, Norris Jonker, age
sixty-four, has a much younger wife who is a dazzling beauty. And here
Simenon writes: “Once again, Maigret wished he could have carried out
these door-to-door inquiries himself. He would like to have met this
rheumatic old misanthrope who had withdrawn from the world in the middle
of Paris, in the middle of Montmartre, and spent his time spying on the
people across the road.” Ah, Maigret can sense a kindred spirit in this
hermit who takes such delight in a life of sharp observation.
Chinquier
then informs Maigret about his interview with wealthy Norris Jonker. It
becomes clear Chinquier was in awe of this “charming, elegant, and
cultured” man, and overwhelmed by the opulence of his mansion, most
especially the paintings – Gauguin, Cezanne, Renoir, among other
familiar names – in the Dutchman's extensive collection.
Maigret
decides to pay his own visit to this wealthy Dutch art collector. Since
the Chief Inspector enters the opulent mansion with all the insights
and information Chinquier gleaned from old Maclet, he's, as they say,
loaded for bear. And as any seasoned Simenon fan will know, although
Maigret might appreciate a person of refinement and taste, he will most
certainly not be in awe of such a man or woman, particularly if they
could be hiding something connected with a murder.
Each and
every answer Jonker provides leads Maigret to another laser-like
question. And the drama being played out between these two men
intensifies when Maigret finally gets to meet Jonker's stunning wife.
Again,
I wouldn't want include any spoilers from those pivotal scenes in
Jonker's mansion. But what I can note is Simenon's light touch when
Maigret is once on the street outside the premises. "Maigret nearly gave
a friendly wave to old Maclet stalwartly keeping watch. He was even
tempted to go and knock on his door, but more urgent matters awaited
him."
Toward the end of the novel, Norris Jonker, speaking to
Maigret, says, “You'll find it hard to believe me because you're not a
collector.” Maigret curtly replies, “I collect people.”
If
readers are looking for links between Maigret and Simenon, there exists
no clearer evidence than this “I collect people”. Georges Simenon stated
he also collected people since he frequently would observe someone on
the street, pick out an interesting face, usually a man, and imagine him
dealing with an unexpected event that would strip him of all
comfortable social clothing and push him to the limit.
If you're looking for a topnotch Maigret, you'll do no better than this one. Highly recommended. 
Georges Simenon, 1903-1989
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