Inspector Cadaver by Simenon
Translated by William Hobson
I’ve often remarked (either here or to myself) that you can’t go wrong with a Maigret; I’ve read a number of them for our various Clubs, and because Simenon was such a prolific author, there’s usually one of his most famous creation’s escapades available for reading, whatever the year we pick! 1944 is no exception, and there were numerous short stories and novels to choose from; however, I ended up with one which I came across on one of my trips to London over the summer – “Inspector Cadaver”.
I was particularly pleased to come across it in Skoob, because it’s the first of the new Penguin translations I’ve read; I’ve been keen to find out what they’re like and also how I got on the with translation. The latter was just fine, and the story intriguing – it turned out to be a bit of a slow burner that suddenly took off for me mid-read and I ended up being absolutely gripped.
“Cadaver…” finds Detective Chief Inspector Maigret somewhat out of his comfort zone again (Simenon *did* seem to like to do that to his character…) Our sleuth is comfortably established and well-known in Paris; however, the examining magistrate, Brejon, has asked a favour of Maigret and sent the latter out into the country, to Saint-Aubin-les-Marais. Brejon’s brother-in-law is in trouble: a local youth was found dead on the train tracks but the country gossips have got to work, implying that the death was not accidental and that Naud (the brother-in-law) is implicated. Brejon hopes that Maigret can help sort things out, but that may not be so easy…
For a start, Maigret has no official status. Then there is the attitude of the locals, who close ranks against the interloper and seem to have no intention of helping him find the truth. And there is the titular Inspector Cadaver… His actual name is Cavre, and he and Maigret know each of old, from a time when Cavre was drummed out of the force. What is Cavre doing in Saint Aubin? Who employs him and why does he always seem to be a step ahead of Maigret? What are the Naud family hiding, in particular the daughter? And will Maigret ever find the solution?
It was so easy being Maigret. You had a whole apparatus of the most sophisticated kind at your disposal. And you only had to casually drop your own name for people to be so dazzled they would bend over backwards to be agreeable to you. Whereas here he was such an unknown that, despite all the articles about him, all the photographs of him in the papers, Etienne Naud had marched up to Justin Cavre at the station.
Well, of course, he does get to the truth, and in his particularly distinctive way, though not without a lot of grumpiness and poking into secrets and annoying people – pretty much his modus operandi, really. What was noticeable to me, as someone who’s read quite a lot of Maigret now, is the detective’s ambivalence. He often sides with the poorer people he meets with, the victims of society who are often sacrificed for the sake of the rich. Yet he finds himself seduced by the rich lifestyle, finding it hard to shake off the inbred respect he feels as the son of a poor family. But Maigret being Maigret will never entirely let the rich off the hook, despite having sympathy for some of them. In this story he dispenses his own kind of justice and fate takes a hand at the end too, leaving you with the feeling that what goes around comes around, and that a certain kind of person will always gravitate towards their own kind.
As always, it’s a joy watching Maigret going through his detecting process; appearing to bumble around but actually having a very definite purpose. His encounters with Cavre are pointed and amusing, and seeing him finally getting the better of his ex-colleague is marvellous. Reading this, I realised how much I felt that the recent adaptations for TV with Rowan Atkinson got it wrong. The bits I watched were glossy and melodramatic, and that solidity of Maigret, his almost impenetrable character, seemed to elude Atkinson…Plot-wise, I did get a major strand about two-thirds of the way in, which kind of revealed the whole reason for what had happened. That wasn’t a problem, as it was still a delight to watch the whole facade built up by the Naud family unravel under Maigret’s investigation, and Simenon’s ability to capture the tensions and atmospheres around the family was impressive. Very satisfying!
So my first read for the #1944Club was a good one. I rarely find myself disappointed with a Maigret, but I don’t always remember to pick one up. The Club reads are a great excuse to revisit favourites, and I often return to crime – in fact, I might well be heading to a rather wonderful re-read later in the week. Watch this space… 😉
madamebibilophile
Oct 16, 2018 @ 07:52:49
It’s incredible how prolific Simenon was. This sounds an entertaining and satisfying read!
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 16, 2018 @ 19:14:42
He really was a productive man, but I never sense a dropping off of quality, which is quite an achievement. In another life, with endless reading time, I would attack the Maigrets from beginning to end in sequence…. 😉
Harriet Devine
Oct 16, 2018 @ 08:46:49
I would have read this if I hadn’t somehow missed the announcement. I love Maigret more and more these days. I really dislike Atkinson’s version of Maigret and won’t watch them, but I’ve seen a brilliant French TV version of this novel with the sublime Bruno Cremer – they made every novel over a 10 or ore year period, Highly recommended.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 16, 2018 @ 19:13:22
It’s a good one, and I’m never disappointed with a Maigret. I was though with Atkinson’s version, so I’m glad it’s not just me! If my French was good enough, I’d try to track down the Cremer version! 🙂
Paula Bardell-Hedley
Oct 16, 2018 @ 09:34:11
A lovely review, Karen, and an excellent start to your 1944 Club reading. You can’t beat a good Maigret!
Jonathan
Oct 16, 2018 @ 13:56:44
Crime fiction isn’t really my thing but if I were to try a Simenon book which one would you recommend?
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 16, 2018 @ 19:10:31
Wow! That’s a hard one as there are so many and I’ve read a lot but by no means all. You can’t really go wrong with Maigret – I recall Maigret at the Crossroads as being particularly strong, or you could just start at the beginning or just pick out one of the Parisian ones – the choices are endless!
buriedinprint
Oct 16, 2018 @ 18:57:16
I rather envy you your Maigret and Christie stacks for this event. What quick and pleasant and reliable options!
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 16, 2018 @ 19:06:07
They definitely are! I rarely (no, never!) go wrong with a Christie or a Maigret!
heavenali
Oct 16, 2018 @ 19:34:31
The Maigret books always sound very enticing. Great review as always.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 16, 2018 @ 19:36:27
Thanks Ali! Yes, I love the Maigrets – always such a satisfying read! 🙂
winstonsdad
Oct 16, 2018 @ 20:30:09
Just reading this myself like you say can’t go wrong with a Maigret novel
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 16, 2018 @ 20:33:30
You can’t, can you? And this one is a good one!
JacquiWine
Oct 17, 2018 @ 08:24:57
Well, it wouldn’t be a Club week without one of your lovely Maigret reviews! It’s interesting what you say about Maigret’s sympathies, almost as though he sits somewhere between the two classes in society giving him an ability to see things from more than one perspective.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 17, 2018 @ 09:51:33
No, I do tend to turn to Maigret for a club read! And yes, I agree – he does seem to belong to neither sector which perhaps gives him his insight!
Brona
Oct 18, 2018 @ 23:37:17
I’m reading one of the three 1944 Maigret as well – Signed, Picpus. You’re right about them bring so easy to fall into – mine is very much about being inside Maigret’s head as he ‘bumbles’ his way through solving the crime. Curiously I’m getting no sense of 1940’s Paris though as I read this though.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 19, 2018 @ 06:05:40
Oh, that’s interesting. I’m not sure I’ve read that one, although many I’ve read really do give you that sense of Paris. Perhaps that comes later In the series!
Inspector Cadaver by Georges Simenon | Winstonsdad's Blog
Oct 21, 2018 @ 19:03:52
Romy Paris
Oct 23, 2018 @ 21:42:42
I posted this on Winston’s Dad’s thread too. The book makes up episode #28 in the Bruno Cremer/Maigret series and is now being released with all the Bruno Cremer episodes, 50 something of them, by MHz at a ridiculously low price.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 24, 2018 @ 08:50:57
Thanks! I’ll take a look!
Gordon Watson
Oct 27, 2018 @ 14:30:17
I haven’t read the entire post, for fear of any spoilers. But I completely agree with you, on the fact that you can’t go wrong with Maigret. It never fails to disappoint. I’ll be sure to give this a read, when I finish reading the book. I would also be extremely grateful if you checked out my blog, where there are indeed a few Maigret books discussed upon. Thanks.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 27, 2018 @ 16:57:58
Simenon’s books are always a joy, definitely! Luckily with our reading Club weeks, there’s usually a Maigret I can enjoy as he was just so prolific! 😀