Inspector Maigret Omnibus: Volume 1: Pietr the Latvian; The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien; The Carter of 'La Providence'; The Grand Banks Café

If you like Georges Simenon and his Maigret mysteries/character studies this omnibus is good value. There are four novels for one price. The only one which I did not care for is THE CARTER OF LA PROVIDENCE in which I found the solution to be fairly obvious.

This is a wonderful collection of stories. Interesting, so well writtenand so haunting and filled with atmosphere, that I could hardly put themdown.

I was curious about the progression of Georges Simenon's portrait of Inspector Maigret. Pietr the Latvian came first; then The Carter of La Providence (also known as Lock 14); The Late Monsieur Gallet came third. It wasn't until the fourth novel, The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien, that we saw the character of Maigret come to light. This portrait was expanded in A Man's Head and The Yellow Dog.What a joy to see the character come to life! This helped me to determine how to read the rest of the books. I think other people will enjoy seeing how the character was formed.

A GREAT!!! read ... or reads. 4 novels in one omnibus. Georges Simenon's writing is masterful. Such a depth of storytelling. . Detective Maigret is a great literary character. Real and without affectations.The four novels are compelling ... be prepared to lose sleep, as these tales just refuse to be put down.The turn of human foibles and the imperfections of the human condition are stunningly put forth ... and I use that adverb carefully. I was left stunned by the ending of the third novel, "The Carter of 'La Providence'" and moved deeply by the passion of the fourth novel, "The Grand Banks Cafe".Each of the stories has characters that feel so real, and the writing of Mr Simenon brings back to vivid life the taste, the smells, the sounds, the squalor and the vivacity of post-WWI Europe and France.I like the writing of Arturo Perez-Reverte, Steig Larsson, Jo Nesbo and Jussi Adler-Olsen. I wonder if these writers have read George Simenon?? They are definitely carrying forth the mantle of great detective writing he set forth.

I read these books (it's an omnibus) after reading an article about Simenon's creation of Maigret in the London Review of Books. It pointed out that Maigret is a policeman's detective - he acts like a policeman and he doesn't always succeed - like a policeman. I'd never read Maigret before and I enjoyed the quirkiness of the writing - not only is it dated and translated, it is also intimate. I'd recommend them, but then, you may be rather better educated than me and familiar with the inimitable Inspector Maigret.

3 of Georges Simenon's earlier stories. It's worth a read, especially if you are a fan of Simenon. See how it compares to his later works. In these, there seems to be a lot of rehashing over the story as he is trying to move the story along. I found myself wanting just something to happen, yet my interest was still held. Whereas in his later books, as his writing style had developed, I'm on the edge of my seat eagerly awaiting what is on the next page. I think Simenon is always the master of describing the human mindset behind all the characters in his books. This is what makes him such a fascinating read. But if you are a person who has read many of his works already, you would be able to tell that these were early on in his writing career.

I have read almost everything by Simenon, mostly in French. But I saw this and thought I would give it a ry. I hadn't read any of these books and enjoyed them. He has great sympathy for those who struggle.

I read Maigret novels with excitement. Love Simeon's style. No writer compares to him except Robert B. Parker. The omnibus format is perfect for these relatively short, perfect mysteries.

Maigret is an inspector with the Parisian police in these stories from the early 1930s, the first of many Simenon went on to write. Our hero is a pipe-smoker, in Holmesian style: highly perceptive, physically strong - and perhaps most of all a very philosophical investigator. These are stories of lust and human frailty which lead to crime. Maigret is confronted with moral dilemmas, and often might well turn a blind eye to a crime — if he believes taking action would cause even more problems. The stories are full of great period detail, and there’s some beautiful descriptive writing. The translations can make the prose a little unwieldy at times, but in general it flows well. The second story in the omnibus is the best, but the others are also strong - the opener is probably the least successful. There’s also a variety of locations, from bustling Paris to small-town France, with a mystery focusing on the canal boats scene and another on the murder of a fishing boat captain. Maigret, a melancholy pragmatist, is enigmatic enough to hold your attention throughout - his empathy and perceptiveness shining through the swirling mists and squalor of pre-war Paris.

It has been some years since I read Simenon. Either I had quite forgotten how brilliant the books are, or I am reading them with a fresh eye. The new omnibus books are for me a rediscovered delight. Simenon was a masterly story teller. His writing style is very satisfying for the reader. The stories are original, well thought through and intriguing. The style disciplined, not an unnecessary word to be seen, nuanced and beautifully observed. This reader loves the Maigret stories.

All the Maigret books are very short but you soon appreciate the format as it allows you to finish in a few hours. The writing is superb and is often more about human nature, rather than the plot. Surprisingly, all the books are expensive to buy, and this one is no different, but sometimes you've just got to have it! Actually, many of the 80 or so books in the series are available at most public libraries so buy the occasional one as a treat.

i've seen the maigret shows from itv with michael gambon and rowan atkinson. both were very good with mg getting my verdict quite comfortably. with that in mind, i had to read the books. as with any translation, some of the nuances of the original text is going to be lost. however, i found the four books to be superb reads. personally, i like to read books in order, and this penguin compilation is books 1, 3,4, and 8. that's a bit disappointing but the books do not need to be read in order. each book is thoroughly entertaining, reads easily and smoothly, as there is no padding to the narrative. for an introduction to maigret's world i would heartily recommend this omnibus edition.

Can be a bit heavy going at times - these books were written in the 1950's rather than being 21st century creations and merely set in the past, and writing was different then. All the the stories are lovely though.Not too many dead bodies and not too much description of those that there are. And the suspense is gentle and the characters believable. The descriptions of mid 20th century France and French life are most enjoyable too.