| Plot Summary of Maigret in Society |
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"Maigret is requested by the Director to handle the murder of an ex-Foreign Ministry official, Comte Armand de Saint-Hilaire, who had retired 12 years earlier, found shot in his study, by his housekeeper of 42 years, Jaquette Larrieu. His death coincides with the funeral of Prince Hubert de Vth, of one of the great French familes. Prince Hubert's wife, Princess Isabelle de Vth, had been a lifelong friend of Saint-Hilaire's — they'd intended to marry, but circumstances weren't apt, and she'd married Prince Hubert. They'd maintained a life-long correspondence, and everyone had known the romantic story that they intended to marry at the death of Prince Hubert. Saint-Hilaire had no enemies, and there was no sign of forced entry. All of the people connected were old and noteworthy.
After reading Isabelle's letters to Saint-Hilaire, and interviewing everyone concerned, Maigret is at a loss. However, Maigret has Moers administer a paraffin test to Jaquette, and to everyone's shock, it is positive. She refuses to say anything until she confers with a priest. Saint-Hilaire had committed suicide, and when she'd found the body she'd been afraid he wouldn't be able to receive the last blessing of the Church, and so she'd made it look like a murder. Maigret learned from his "nephew", actually Isabelle's grandson, that he believed he had a terminal disease, and so killed himself from fear of subjecting Isabelle a life of caring for him as an invalid.
"
Dana Samson, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Maigret in Society |
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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 - 50%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
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?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
- 1960's-1970's
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- nearly 100%
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:
- Female
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- France
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
Unusual forms of death
- perforation--bullets
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog
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