Maigret Afraid is an interesting work for fans of the
series.
The plot itself is fairly standard. He rolls into town,
there have been murders and there are more to come. Maigret takes a back seat
and watches everything, from the process of the law to the main suspects and eventually
does put all the pieces together in the way we have come to expect.
Included is a fairly heavy dose of class analysis and our
detective provides an excellent filter through which to see the world as is
always the case. The subtle and the obvious are all pointed out as he wanders
between the homes of the rich and poor and the roles of the women are of particular
interest.
What I found to be more engaging than the plot was Maigret’s
personal reflection. He’s returning from a course where the young pups have
made him feel his age. He also happens to be staying with an old university
friend who is the town’s Examining Magistrate. By watching his friend, he draws
parallels with his own life. We get to see into the distant past and into the very
real present of a man who really just wants to go home.
Worth reading for any crime fiction fans, but especially so
for admirers of Maigret who like to collect nuggets about his personal life and
history.
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