"While Inspector Pyke of Scotland Yard is staying with Maigret to observe his methods, Maigret receives word of a murder in the Midi, on the island of Porquerolles, of Marcellin, a man who claims to have been Maigret's friend. Actually, he'd been a criminal whose girlfriend, Ginette, a prostitute, Maigret had helped to find a sanatarium years ago. Maigret and Pyke go to the island. Jojo, a maid at the hotel, mentions to Maigret that Marcellin had boasted that he could get money any time he wanted. Maigret checks with the local telephone operator, and finds that Marcellin had called Ginette to find out "what year Van Gogh had died". Maigret makes the connection. Marcellin had discovered that Jef de Greef, a vagabond painter, had forged a Van Gogh, and Philippe de Moricourt had bought it for his mistress, Mrs. Ellen Wilcox, an Englishwoman. One or both of them had killed Marcellin to stop him from revealing the truth. "
Dana Samson, Resident Scholar
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Review Analysis of My Friend Maigret
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book descript. of violence and chases - 10% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 70% 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?
- Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story:
- 1960's-1970's
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 80%
Murder of certain profession?
- criminals
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, Foreign
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- theft/fraud investigation
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?
- none
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:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- wealthy
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- almost none
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- France
Island?
Yes
Island:
- on vacation
Misc setting
- resort/hotel
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
Amount of dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog
