Maigret and the Saturday Caller by Georges Simenon (Review)

Maigret and the Saturday Caller by Georges Simenon

Blurb

A man visits Inspector Jules Maigret at his home to tell him he wants to kill his wife and her lover. Although it is not an official case, Maigret is interested, particularly when the man later disappears.

Review

My second Maigret book and yet again I was shocked by the amount of alcohol that Maigret consumed. I also loved how Maigret was convinced he had a cold brewing so he kept drinking lots of hot rum as a remedy to prevent it.

This book started off very mysteriously with the man nicknamed by Maigret’s colleagues as ‘the Saturday Caller’. This strange ‘Saturday Caller’ has been appearing at the police station like clock work every Saturday but the man never says anything and runs away before anyone speaks to him. However, one evening when Maigret walks through his door he finds ‘the Saturday Caller’ in his living room.

Maigret eventually manages to get the ‘Saturday Caller’ to tell his story, with the help of several glasses of plum brandy. The story unfurls that ‘the Saturday Caller’ wants to kill his wife and the wife’s lover who lives with them. I must admit I felt so sorry for this man as he tells his story to Maigret and you can tell that Maigret also feels the same. Even though there is no crime committed Maigret takes an interest in this man’s story and so agrees with him that they will talk on the phone everyday.

As soon as Maigret goes back to work he starts his investigations into the non-existent crime and things start to unfold. Maigret does what he does best, he gathers every little scrap of information and builds the picture up.

I really enjoyed this book and I loved seeing the little tricks that Maigret got his men to use to get the information required even if they were a little underhand. I also loved that the police have a new forensics man who helps them with some signatures and Maigret finds these modern techniques very interesting. I finished this book in less than 24 hours and loved it. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.

🐲🐲🐲🐲

Purchase Links

Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

About the author

Georges Simenon (1903-1989) was a Belgian writer who published nearly 500 novels and many short stories. Simenon is best known as the creator of the Maigret stories.

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Mid Week Quote: Albert Einstein

Happy Wednesday!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far.

My chosen quote today is by Albert Einstein and I chose it because it really made sense to me.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
Albert Einstein

Happy Reading.

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

WWW Wednesday: 21/04/2021

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you will read next?

Hello!

I have actually been doing rather well on the reading front this week so far. Sadly, it is mainly due to being ill so I’m spending all my time studying and reading but It is rather nice to have time to really get into a book.

So here is what I have been up to on the reading front.

What I am Currently Reading

My third Maigret book and I must admit I am getting a little bit addicted to this wonderful detective. I will definitely be buying more Maigret books. The other advantage of these books is that they are short and snappy and just perfect for when your brain is full of stuff to do with assignments.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I have finished two of these books from the Folio Society set this week.

Maigret and the Calame Report by Georges Simenon

Maigret and the Saturday Caller by Georges Simenon – review to follow shortly.

What I Think I will Read Next

As usual I am never quite sure what I will choose but at the moment I am in the mood for shortish books so that will probably influence my decision.

Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head for a visit.

Happy Reading

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Maigret and the Calame Report by Georges Simenon (Review)

Maigret and the Calame Report by Georges Simenon

Blurb

In ‘Maigret and the Calame Report’ the detective is reluctantly drawn into the seedy world of political manoeuvring and corruption when 128 children are killed in a collapsing building.

Review

The first impression I had of this book is how does Maigret’s liver cope? I fully expected him to need a new liver at the end of this book. Everywhere he goes he has an alcoholic drink! It did make me giggle when Maigret admits he doesn’t get on with driving as he finds his mind wanders and he has only just managed to avoid an accident whilst driving in the past. I’m not sure about his mind wandering but I am sure the alcohol he is consuming is affecting his driving.

So this is my first Maigret book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maigret deals firmly with facts and good old fashioned police work which often involves the use of his officers to gather all the facts he needs to build his case. Maigret lives a simple life of going to work and coming home to his wife who always has his slippers ready and tea on the table and who never complains if he is late or summoned out of the house at random hours. However, there is one thing that Maigret likes to avoid and that is politics but sadly with this case politicians need him to solve the case. Maigret must find the person who stole the all important Calame Report and he needs to do it fast.

The thing I loved about this book is that Maigret is unlike other detectives you read in other detective books. Sherlock Holmes for instance will deduce things and make assumptions on the evidence he has before him but Maigret does not do that. He carefully and painstakingly gathers every little fact and piece of evidence he can find and he starts to build the picture until he has a result. He never tries to predict or assume anything and won’t do anything unless he has all the facts. As the story unfolds Maigret builds the picture of what happened and the reader sees it all happen with Maigret.

The book is only short and in reality it could be read in one day but due to tiredness it took me nearly a week but I really enjoyed the book and I can’t wait to read the next one and see what Maigret is up to next. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.

🐲🐲🐲🐲

Purchase Links

Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

Georges Simenon (1903-1989) was a Belgian writer who published nearly 500 novels and many short stories. Simenon is best known as the creator of the Maigret stories.

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

The Weekly Brief

Hello!

Firstly, my apologies for not posting this yesterday. I will be honest I have been struck down with my asthma and I haven’t been up to much apart from wheezing and coughing. However, the doctors have put me on a course of steroids today so fingers crossed things improve soon. Now I just have to deal with a very foggy brain that I get when on the steroids.

Anyway, here is what happened on the blog last week.

Posts this Week

As you can see a rather quiet week for me.

Currently Reading

I finished the second one of these books today so will be starting the third one later. So far I have really enjoyed reading about Maigret.

No books bought this week sadly but then I haven’t been doing very well on my reading so buying new books isn’t a good idea.

Happy Reading.

Friday Poetry: W. B. Yeats

Hello!

I hope everyone has fun plans for the weekend.

My chosen poem this week is by William Butler Yeats who won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.

The Song of Wandering Aengus

I went out to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout.

When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire aflame,
But something rustled on the floor,
And someone called me by my name;
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.

Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples or the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.

W. B. Yeats

Happy Reading

Mid Week Quote: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Happy Wednesday!

I hope you are all having a good week so far.

My chosen quote this week is by Arnold Schwarzenegger the one and only Terminator!

“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Happy Reading

WWW Wednesday: 14/04/2021

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you will read next?

Hello!

It feels so good to be doing this post again. I missed last week as I had no new book info to announce and I must admit I really missed taking part in my favourite meme! I did enjoy reading everybody else’s WWW Wednesday posts though.

So here we go…

What I am Currently Reading

I have started reading The Calame Report from this set and I am really enjoying it, not just because reading this book could be an excellent drinking game. Every time Maigret has an alcoholic drink you also have one to match and I doubt many of us could keep up!

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I loved this book and simply couldn’t put it down. My review is here.

What I Think I will Read Next

As per usual I am never sure, it might be one of these and it might be something completely different.

Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.

Goodreads Monday: 12/04/2021

Goodreads Monday is hosted by Lauren’s Page Turners. All you have to do is show off a book from your TBR that you’re looking forward to reading.

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone has had a good start to the week so far.

My chosen book this week is one that I have recently bought and I am very excited to read it.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.
Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man–now a god–responsible for their deaths.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to bind her fate to Athena’s and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost–and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

I’m really looking forward to this book because I love the blurb and it just sounds like my type of read. I also love anything to do with the Greek Gods.

Please drop me a comment if you have also taken part in Goodreads Monday or you have read this book, I love a chat.

Happy Reading