RIP VI: Maigret's Christmas (Short Stories)

At the library on Wednesday night, I stumbled across a book of short stories: Maigret's Christmas by Georges Simenon. It'd been years--ten, at least--since I'd read a Maigret novel, which I remember enjoying but just never got around to picking up another one.

I'm glad I found this book. I've read the first two (of nine) stories, and it's quite a refreshing change from the Scandinavian crime fiction I've become so fond of. Rather than the dysfunctional relationships so common to Scandinavian crime fiction, Maigret and Madame Maigret have a loving, supportive relationship, and I enjoy the juxtaposition between cozy scenes of family life, with Madame Maigret knitting on the sofa; and scenes more typical to detective fiction. On the other hand, there are few if any women  in positions of power in the first two stories--the one woman who's managed to hold down any kind of job is portrayed to be cold and dishonest--so I might want to ration my Maigret lest I find myself screaming at Simenon while reading in public to write a strong female character already.

Anyway, the first story is called "Maigret's Christmas" and it's about a little girl who is known for her honesty and claims that Father Christmas has climbed into her bedroom through the window. As evidence of her claim, she has suddenly acquired a large, very expensive doll, which she says Father Christmas gave her. Her aunt, with whom she is living because her mother has died, is unwilling to investigate the little girl's claims, which obviously makes Maigret suspicious. But a neighbor who happened to be in the apartment when the little girl made her claim helps ensure that Maigret investigates--and eventually solves--the case.

This story was particularly heart-wrenching because of Madame Maigret's lack of, and longing for, a child of her own. She is clearly beyond child-bearing age, and although it's never explained, she was probably unable to have babies. Even before she's met the little girl, Madame Maigret becomes very attached to and concerned about her. According to the book, "Many of these stories feature observant and resourceful children, frightened yet resolute, who bring out a paternal streak in the childless Maigret." But in this story, it's Madame Maigret who is clearly more affected by a child in need, and the ending is somewhat unsatisfactory because the child's fate remains unclear.

The second story, "Seven Little Crosses in a Notebook," doesn't actually feature Maigret; instead, its hero is a switchboard operator named Lecoeur whose brother and nephew become involved in a manhunt for a killer. Once again, an endearing child, Bib, is at the center of the plot, although we hardly hear his voice until the end of the story. Bib's father has lost his job, but he's tried to keep that fact from Bib so he won't worry. However, Bib finds out when he tries to visit his father at his previous place of employment and ends up chasing a killer through the streets of Paris so he can get the reward money that's being offered and help his father.

The second story is quite a bit more intense than the first. Once again, the only female character is unsavory. We don't even get Madame Maigret in this story. I wonder if there will be any likable female characters in this book, other than Madame Maigret? I don't remember whether there were any in the last Maigret novel I read.

A note about the translation: I don't know if the same translator (Jean Stewart) has done all the Maigret books, but as a former French student, I thought it was interesting that she occasional seems to have kept the French syntax in the English translation. I had to slow down a few times and reread a few passages because the syntax was slightly different from what I'm used to, but I enjoyed that because I think it added to the French flavor of the stories. Unfortunately I didn't keep note of examples while reading, but I'll try to for the rest of the stories.

This book seems not to be in print anymore, but it's worth picking up from a library if you can find it.