'The father of contemporary European detective fiction' Ann Cleeves

'Florentin pulled one of those faces which had once amused his classmates so much and disarmed the teachers . . .

Maigret didn't dare to ask why he had come to see him. He studied him, struggling to believe that so many years had passed . . .

He was so used to acting the fool that his face automatically assumed comical expressions. But his face was still greyish, his eyes anxious.'

A visit from a long-lost schoolmate who has fallen on hard times forces Maigret to unpick a seedy tangle of love affairs in Montmartre, and to confront the tragedy of a wasted life.

This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret's Boyhood Friend.

'His artistry is supreme' John Banville

'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century' Guardian

A visit from an old school-friend leads Maigret to a murderous affair.

About the Author
Georges Simenon was born in Liege, Belgium, in 1903. He is best known in Britain as the author of the Maigret novels and 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.

Reviews
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 *
The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *



Book Information
ISBN 9780241304235
Author Georges Simenon
Format Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint Penguin Classics
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 145g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 130mm * 11mm