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Simenon? Didn't he write those Maigret novels about a burly, pipe-smoking, French chief-inspector of police? That is
how he is generally remembered. Many people became fans through watching the BBC TV series with Rupert Davies in
the Sixties, or the Granada TV series with Michael Gambon in the Nineties. At one time the Belgian writer Georges Simenon
was one of the world's best-selling authors, with over 500 million copies of his books in 55 languages. There are 230 works
in his own name, many still not translated into English, and a further 200 under pseudonyms. Many renowned directors, such
as Jean Renoir, Claude Chabrol and Henry Hathaway, have been inspired to film his novels.
This book provides a general introduction, a brief biography, and an account of the origins of the Maigret character.
There are also checklists of all the novels available in English, with publication details and commentaries, as well as a
filmography.
Originally published to coincide with the centenary in 2003 of Simenon's birth, the book is a handy work of reference
for established fans and the ideal introduction for new readers.
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