A Maigret Christmas: And Other Stories
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- Create Date：2021-10-15 09:55:10
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Georges Simenon
- ISBN：0241356741
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Summary
Three seasonal stories set in Paris at Christmas， from the celebrated creator of Inspector Maigret。
It is Christmas in Paris， but beneath the sparkling lights and glittering decorations lie sinister deeds and dark secrets。。。
This collection brings together three of Simenon's most enjoyable Christmas tales， newly translated， featuring Inspector Maigret and other characters from the Maigret novels。 In 'A Maigret Christmas'， the Inspector receives two unexpected visitors on Christmas Day， who lead him on the trail of a mysterious intruder dressed in red and white。 In 'Seven Small Crosses in a Notebook'， the sound of alarms over Paris send the police on a cat and mouse chase across the city。 And 'The Little Restaurant in Les Ternes （A Christmas Story for Grown-Ups）' tells of a cynical woman who is moved to an unexpected act of festive charity in a nightclub - one that surprises even her。。。
It is Christmas in Paris， but beneath the sparkling lights and glittering decorations lie sinister deeds and dark secrets。。。
This collection brings together three of Simenon's most enjoyable Christmas tales， newly translated， featuring Inspector Maigret and other characters from the Maigret novels。 In 'A Maigret Christmas'， the Inspector receives two unexpected visitors on Christmas Day， who lead him on the trail of a mysterious intruder dressed in red and white。 In 'Seven Small Crosses in a Notebook'， the sound of alarms over Paris send the police on a cat and mouse chase across the city。 And 'The Little Restaurant in Les Ternes （A Christmas Story for Grown-Ups）' tells of a cynical woman who is moved to an unexpected act of festive charity in a nightclub - one that surprises even her。。。
Reviews
Peter Allum
，
Early post-War crime stories; excellent。First published in 1951， during Simenon's 1945-1955 stay in the United States， a period viewed as his creative peak。 The collection comprises three short stories， only the first of which features the famous Maigret。 1） "A Maigret Christmas": Maigret is approached by his neighbors from across the street after a convalescing girl sees "Santa Claus" in her room during the night， mysteriously lifting up the floor boards。2） "Seven Small Crosses in a Notebook": Early post-War crime stories; excellent。First published in 1951， during Simenon's 1945-1955 stay in the United States， a period viewed as his creative peak。 The collection comprises three short stories， only the first of which features the famous Maigret。 1） "A Maigret Christmas": Maigret is approached by his neighbors from across the street after a convalescing girl sees "Santa Claus" in her room during the night， mysteriously lifting up the floor boards。2） "Seven Small Crosses in a Notebook": crimes across Paris are tracked on a map during Christmas Eve at the police switchboard。 When a crime is committed close to the home of one of the switchboard operators， he is pulled into a 24-hour investigation。3） "The Little Restaurant Near Place des Ternes": while the first two stories have an uplifting ending， this is the darkest of the three， featuring the lonely lives of two women ejected from a bar as it closes on Christmas Eve。 The three stories are each touching in their different ways。 Simenon provides an entirely credible view of the difficult， often lonely lives of Parisians in the post-War period。 He includes drunkards， prostitutes， gossips， and the unemployed， treating each with sympathy and respect。 A very nice collection， and my introduction to Simenon。My Simenon reviews 。。。more
Jack Heath
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5 Stars。 I really liked the book。 The author wrote about 100 Inspector Maigret novels and short stories and multiples of both not featuring him。 "A Maigret Christmas and Other Stories" accents a Maigret novella but also includes 2 non-Maigret short stories which are just as good。 Simenon has a way of taking the reader and his characters from their every day existence into tense situations in a progressive build up。 "A Maigret Christmas" is just that。 Jules and Louise are enjoying a quiet Christm 5 Stars。 I really liked the book。 The author wrote about 100 Inspector Maigret novels and short stories and multiples of both not featuring him。 "A Maigret Christmas and Other Stories" accents a Maigret novella but also includes 2 non-Maigret short stories which are just as good。 Simenon has a way of taking the reader and his characters from their every day existence into tense situations in a progressive build up。 "A Maigret Christmas" is just that。 Jules and Louise are enjoying a quiet Christmas morning when there's a knock on the door。 Visitors from across the street who need his expertise。 One of the women is the guardian of a delightful 7 year-old girl。 She saw Father Christmas last night in person and he gave her a doll。 Really。 Very strange。 It develops into much more than that with a previous crime becoming the main event。 "Seven Small Crosses in a Notebook" brings together two apparently unrelated matters - police phone boxes are being broken across Paris and a nighttime killer may have struck again。 Lastly， "The Little Restaurant in Place des Ternes" will show you a new kind of Christmas spirit。 Read that one carefully。 （July 2021） 。。。more
Mark Anthony
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3 fun crime stories centred around Georges Simenon's famous detective during the festive period。 Well worth a look if you like your detective fiction fast and creative。 3 fun crime stories centred around Georges Simenon's famous detective during the festive period。 Well worth a look if you like your detective fiction fast and creative。 。。。more
Gail Kennon
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i was disappointed that maigret was only in the first and my favorite one。 others were good。
Renita D'Silva
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Wonderful
Kb
，
My library book that I borrowed contained the three stories in this description， but the description of the book I borrowed said it had nine stories！ So I still feel cheated。As it happens， the three stories were great， even though only one of them had Maigret in it。 The others were Paris Christmas stories from the 1950s， one a procedural set in the office containing the main police switchboard， and the other a kind of atmospheric Paris story （almost like Damon Runyon’s New York stories） told fro My library book that I borrowed contained the three stories in this description， but the description of the book I borrowed said it had nine stories！ So I still feel cheated。As it happens， the three stories were great， even though only one of them had Maigret in it。 The others were Paris Christmas stories from the 1950s， one a procedural set in the office containing the main police switchboard， and the other a kind of atmospheric Paris story （almost like Damon Runyon’s New York stories） told from the point of view of a woman called Long Tall Jeanne， who normally supported herself on the streets of Paris， but decided to do something different this particular Christmas Eve。Simenon is a great writer， and authentic Paris in the 1950s is almost exotic， like the best of old Noir movies。 It’s a different world， and definitely one worth visiting。 Recommended。 。。。more
Susan
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This set of three stories each take place at Christmastime in Paris。 Each story is unique and interesting， but sometimes hard to follow。 I liked the first story the most， as it was easy to follow and I liked the last story the least as it was not coherent and had an unfulfilling ending。 The story in between was longer than necessary and just kind of meh。
Lauren
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These short stories were my first foray into Simenon’s writing and I’ll definitely be looking out for his other works。 I found the first two stories here to be particularly engaging and whilst I didn’t try to work out the plots I was left pleasantly surprised by how good they were。
Alison Bowman
，
Georges Simenon's writing continues to amaze me。 The style is so sparse and yet I can envisage the characters， surroundings and events very clearly。 This collection of three short stories highlighted some of the supporting cast from the novels and gave them more of a voice。The first story made me fall a little bit more in love with Mrs Maigret。 Georges Simenon's writing continues to amaze me。 The style is so sparse and yet I can envisage the characters， surroundings and events very clearly。 This collection of three short stories highlighted some of the supporting cast from the novels and gave them more of a voice。The first story made me fall a little bit more in love with Mrs Maigret。 。。。more
Kathleen
，
a classic to read every Christmas。 Truly different。
Deborah Gaspar
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MysteriesThis is my first book by this author。 The stories have great characters。 They seem to drag a bit for me but it is probably the complexity of writing style。
Rogeagle
，
Great stuff A master a describing the everyday folk with out sentimentality showing them warts and all but ultimately with compassion and respect。 Done through an engaging storytelling
Tristan Black Wolf
，
Three stories set on Christmas Day， in Paris of 1951 （that is， at least， the date of publication）。 The first is about Maigret， who is called to a flat across the street from his own， where a bedridden young girl saw Father Christmas trying to pull up some floorboards in her room。 The proof of her story is the huge， beautiful doll that had been left behind -- a doll that had come from no other source。 The mystery has all of the best factors of a Simenon story， including the clues that no one else Three stories set on Christmas Day， in Paris of 1951 （that is， at least， the date of publication）。 The first is about Maigret， who is called to a flat across the street from his own， where a bedridden young girl saw Father Christmas trying to pull up some floorboards in her room。 The proof of her story is the huge， beautiful doll that had been left behind -- a doll that had come from no other source。 The mystery has all of the best factors of a Simenon story， including the clues that no one else could connect and the connections that lead Maigret to solve the puzzle the no one else could have seen。The other two stories do not concern Maigret， but they are both well-told tales。 The first is a clever mystery-suspense tale of an officer on the police switchboard whose ability to track and remember minutia helps to solve a perplexing string of murders and to rescue a young boy。 The second is an oddly amusing tale of how a drunken， brawling young woman becomes a variation of Father Christmas to help another young woman through the pains of an empty Christmas Eve。All three tales have Simenon's fine writing and smooth storytelling。 Strange to say it， but to read Simenon is to be read to。 His prose that sense of flow that marks the best tales told in smooth， gentle voices， the kind where you hold still in order to hear and enjoy every word。 Recommended。 。。。more
Paul Lariviere
，
A nice change of paceFirst time reading Mr Somehow。 Reminds me of Hercules Poirot stories and Agatha Christy novels。 Been entertained by the short stories and got disappointed to be left hanging。
Nancy Kilpatrick
，
Great stories。 Maigret is always a delight。 Another time， another place， a pleasant escape。
Jacky
，
An atmospheric read for Christmas。 Maigret always makes me wistful for Paris！
Paul
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Christmas Eve in 1950s Paris - an evening at the theatre or cinema， followed by a late restaurant supper （featuring foie gras or black pudding！） then midnight Mass and home to the presents！
Carol
，
QuirkyIn this collection， highly rated mystery author， George’s Simenon’s Inspector Maigret is involved in 3 short stories， all very different。 The American reader will have to concentrate to follow the understated and somewhat wry thinking of the Inspector and his subjects。 Looking forward to more to chew on in a full length novel。
Rebecca Souza
，
I had watched the two excellent series on Maigret: one starred Michael Gannon and one with Rowan Atkinson。 （Really wish Gambon had played Dumbledore a little more like his Maigret）This is one of those rare cases when I like the written version as well as the television。 David Suchet's Poirot， John Nettles' Barnaby， Eddie Davis' Miss Phrynne Fisher， and Ashley Jenson's Agatha Raisin are more enjoyable than the novel versions， larger because of the fleshing out of secondary characters/series regul I had watched the two excellent series on Maigret: one starred Michael Gannon and one with Rowan Atkinson。 （Really wish Gambon had played Dumbledore a little more like his Maigret）This is one of those rare cases when I like the written version as well as the television。 David Suchet's Poirot， John Nettles' Barnaby， Eddie Davis' Miss Phrynne Fisher， and Ashley Jenson's Agatha Raisin are more enjoyable than the novel versions， larger because of the fleshing out of secondary characters/series regulars。 But the characters of George's Women in are as strong on the page （even if Maigret speaks in Dumbledore's voice。 。。。more
Richard
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3。5
Blasr
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It's Paris with Maigret and his colleagues， what's not to like？ It's Paris with Maigret and his colleagues， what's not to like？ 。。。more
Ying Ying
，
I don't usually read short stories， but it was Christmas， and I wanted some Christmas stories。 These three short stories exceeded my expectations， as they kept me engaged and wanting more。 I loved how the endings of the stories were sudden yet artistically beautiful: Despite their abruptness， upon reflecting， you'd realize that that's how the story should have ended and not have gone any sentence longer。 I am also happy that I discovered Inspector Maigret。 I'd love to read more of Maigret's case I don't usually read short stories， but it was Christmas， and I wanted some Christmas stories。 These three short stories exceeded my expectations， as they kept me engaged and wanting more。 I loved how the endings of the stories were sudden yet artistically beautiful: Despite their abruptness， upon reflecting， you'd realize that that's how the story should have ended and not have gone any sentence longer。 I am also happy that I discovered Inspector Maigret。 I'd love to read more of Maigret's cases in the future。 。。。more
Morpheyy
，
Don't read before bed。 Unputdownable。 Love the characterisation。 Don't read before bed。 Unputdownable。 Love the characterisation。 。。。more
Sorin Hadârcă
，
Goes well with the season。 Too bad Maigret was in only one of the three novellas。
Kate
，
Note to self: read more of Simenon's Maigret Note to self: read more of Simenon's Maigret 。。。more
Thomas
，
My last Christmas themed book for this year （unless I read one by Anthony Trollope） and what a superb read it was。 I am a big fan of George Simenon's Maigret books and am reading them in order but couldn't resist reading this one， I believe it's not Canon and part of the order and what a treat it was。 The book contains three stories A Maigret Christmas， Seven Small Crosses In A Notebook and The Little Restaurant Near Place des Turnes Although the book is labelled a Maigret one it only features o My last Christmas themed book for this year （unless I read one by Anthony Trollope） and what a superb read it was。 I am a big fan of George Simenon's Maigret books and am reading them in order but couldn't resist reading this one， I believe it's not Canon and part of the order and what a treat it was。 The book contains three stories A Maigret Christmas， Seven Small Crosses In A Notebook and The Little Restaurant Near Place des Turnes Although the book is labelled a Maigret one it only features one story with Maigret， the second has Janvier and the third features Inspector Hard-done-by。 A Maigret Christmas - Very enjoyable read which features the Inspector solving a case which occurs in the apartment building opposite his。 A very sweet and touching ending to this story。 Seven Small Crosses In A Notebook - A Christmas thriller involving a cat and mouse chase and a serial killer。 Very enjoyable and my first （well technically second non-Maigret Simenon）。 The Little Restaurant Near Place des Turnes - A very eventful evening on Christmas Eve for a pair of ladies。 This i read a few days ago in the Penguin Book of Christmas Stories so technically my first non-Maigret Simenon。 A superb collection of three stories and all good in their own right， for me the last one is the weakest of the lot but I would quite happily read this book every Christmas and intend to do so。 。。。more
Bea
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I now read this book every December。 It’s becoming a Christmas tradition。 Last Christmas was the first year for my starting this。 Having visited France several times I have come across some of the places that Simenon describes。 I like the thoughtful Inspector Maigret character and I enjoy seeing how his mind works。 It’s the next best thing to spending Christmas in Parisand solving cases with the famous detective。
Sue
，
Three stories
BillReader
，
Three different enjoyable short stories。 Only one featured Maigret but all three had a nice gentle pace。
Ken Kirkberry
，