The Yellow Dog

Inspector Maigret; Book 6

By: Georges Simenon, Linda Asher - translator

Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong

Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Georges Simenon's gripping tale of small town suspicion and revenge, part of the new Maigret series.

There was an exaggerated humility about her. Her cowed eyes, her way of gliding noiselessly about without bumping into things, of quivering nervously at the slightest word, were the very image of a scullery maid accustomed to hardship. And yet he sensed, beneath that image, glints of pride held firmly in check. She was anaemic. Her flat chest was not formed to rouse desire. Nevertheless, she was strangely appealing, perhaps because she seemed troubled, despondent, sickly.

In the windswept seaside town of Concarneau, a local wine merchant is shot. In fact, someone is out to kill all the influential men and the entire town is soon sent into a state of panic. For Maigret, the answers lie with the pale, downtrodden waitress Emma, and a strange yellow dog lurking in the shadows...

Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1903. Best known in Britain as the author of the Maigret books, his prolific output of over 400 novels and short stories have made him a household name in continental Europe. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life.

Linda Asher is a former fiction editor of the New Yorker and the award winning translator of many works from French including those of Milan Kundera.

©2014 Georges Simenon (P)2014 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

“Compelling, remorseless, brilliant” (John Gray)
“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century ... Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories” ( Guardian)
“A supreme writer ... unforgettable vividness” ( Independent)

Maigret, the great detective, WILL prevail...

The good and wise detective once again shows his talents as he solves a case involving betrayal that leads to murder...multiple murders. The yellow dog in the title seems always to be around when blood is spilled...but the dog did not do it...so what is his role? The book is easy to listen to and easy to follow. I listened while working out at the gym and had no trouble keeping up with the story line. And the story has a satisfying ending...with Maigret and his pipe and his wisdom once again on display. Oh, and there is some sex thrown in for those who like a little sex with their violence.

A really

Good installment in the series great characters well plotted and a typical twist at the end

Lovely

Enjoyed every moment. Looked forward to listening to the book in the evenings and on the weekends

Delighted to finally get Maigret audiobooks!

What did you love best about The Yellow Dog?

In this early story, we already see Maigret unique personality. And his approach to solving crimes by observing and understanding people's personalities. Quite different than the usual mysteries.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes. I had not read this particular Maigret book, so I did not know the story in advance, as with other books. Nothing is what it seems, and people are revealed to be very different than what they appear.

Have you listened to any of Gareth Armstrong’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, I have all his Maigret books, and will buy more as they come available. He is a bit dry, but does get the personality across.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, but I love reading Maigret stories, it is like meeting an old friend.

Any additional comments?

Please keep them coming!

A Pernod in Brittany

Maigret is seconded to Brittany when a wine merchant is attacked in Concarneau. While sitting down for a drink and a chat with a few of the town's denizens, the local doctor notices some white crystals floating in the Pernod. It's strychnine. And it's in the Calvados, too...

Shortly thereafter the doctor goes missing, and one mystery after another deepens the first. And what about this pathetic little dog that keeps reappearing? As if that were not enough, Maigret has to deal with the press, and they're getting right up his nose.

Simenon works his magic with characterizations, bringing to life Bretons with little to lose and much to hide. There are moments of pathos, and some louche and dispiriting situations, but this gritty realism is part of what makes a great Maigret story. The conclusion is as straightforward and satisfying as a dish of the local cotriade.

I always love it when our beloved detective is out of Paris.

Most definitely worth a listen.