| Plot Summary of Two Bodies on a Barge |
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"Commissar Maigret is called to the lock at Le Coudray, where a barge, the Astrolabe, cut loose, has drifted. On the board there were three dead bodies: an old Alsacian dog, Claessens, the skipper, Arthur Aerts, hanged with his dog's chain and his wife, Emma Aerts, hanged with a bedsheet. Everyone believes that the murderer is Emile Gradut, the stoker of the Aiglon VII, who was known as Emma's “boyfriend” and who had disappeared. Later, he was captured in the Forest of Rougeau, but he pretended he was innocent.
Maigret visits the bistro at La Citanguette, where the incident had taken place, then he decides to spend the night on board of the Astrolabe. During the night, he realizes that the reason of the murder was the money, as he knew that Emma had married Arthur for his reputed hoard of 100,000 francs. He digs through the concrete floor and finds the stash, truly 100,000 francs in gold coins. But, if the reason was robbery, why is the money still there and why was the barge cut loose. Also, if Emma wanted her husband's money, why was she dead? Or did Emile kill them both?
"
Dana Samson, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Two Bodies on a Barge |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 20%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
Tone of story
- Dry-cynical
How difficult to spot villain?
- Challenging
Time/era of story:
- 1960's-1970's
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- nearly 100%
Special suspect?
- relative
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, Foreign
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
Ethnicity/Race
- French
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Genius (really!)
Physique
- healthy but a geeky weakling
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- accused criminal
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- France
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 2
Unusual forms of death
- hanging
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog
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