La Locanda degli Annegati e altri racconti

by Georges Simenon, Marco Bevilacqua (Translator)

Tutti, compresa una decina di automobilisti di passaggio, facevano capannello attorno al relitto ripescato dal fiume, e alcuni tastavano distrattamente la carrozzeria o si chinavano per guardare dentro. Ed è proprio a uno di quegli sconosciuti che venne in mente di girare la maniglia del bagagliaio. Che, contro ogni aspettativa, nonostante la vettura fosse così deformata, si aprì facilmente; l'uomo cacciò un grido e indietreggiò di qualche passo, mentre chi gli era a fianco si precipitava a vedere. Maigret si avvicinò come gli altri, aggrottò la fronte e, per la prima volta dal mattino, non si limitò a borbottare qualcosa, ma fece sentire chiaramente la sua voce: «Via, fate largo!... Non toccate niente!». Anche lui aveva visto. Aveva visto una forma umana stranamente ripiegata su se stessa, pigiata in fondo al bagagliaio come se quest'ultimo fosse stato richiuso a fatica. Sopra quella specie di fagotto, una cortina di capelli biondo platino suggeriva che si trattava di una donna.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction

161 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1938

About the author

Georges Joseph Christian Simenon (1903 – 1989) was a Belgian writer. A prolific author who published nearly 500 novels and numerous short works, Simenon is best known as the creator of the fictional detective Jules Maigret.
Although he never resided in Belgium after 1922, he remained a Belgian citizen throughout his life.

Simenon was one of the most prolific writers of the twentieth century, capable of writing 60 to 80 pages per day. His oeuvre includes nearly 200 novels, over 150 novellas, several autobiographical works, numerous articles, and scores of pulp novels written under more than two dozen pseudonyms. Altogether, about 550 million copies of his works have been printed.

He is best known, however, for his 75 novels and 28 short stories featuring Commissaire Maigret. The first novel in the series, Pietr-le-Letton, appeared in 1931; the last one, Maigret et M. Charles, was published in 1972. The Maigret novels were translated into all major languages and several of them were turned into films and radio plays. Two television series (1960-63 and 1992-93) have been made in Great Britain.

During his "American" period, Simenon reached the height of his creative powers, and several novels of those years were inspired by the context in which they were written (Trois chambres à Manhattan (1946), Maigret à New York (1947), Maigret se fâche (1947)).

Simenon also wrote a large number of "psychological novels", such as La neige était sale (1948) or Le fils (1957), as well as several autobiographical works, in particular Je me souviens (1945), Pedigree (1948), Mémoires intimes (1981).

In 1966, Simenon was given the MWA's highest honor, the Grand Master Award.

In 2005 he was nominated for the title of De Grootste Belg (The Greatest Belgian). In the Flemish version he ended 77th place. In the Walloon version he ended 10th place.

Reviews

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. It was puzzling. What was going on here? In more than one section of this short story, it seemed straightforward. But then Superintendent Maigret became suspicious. Little facts keep nagging at him. Our famous detective has left Paris to deal with an administrative matter in Nemours, a town to the southeast on the Loing River in the Ile-de-France region. He mutters to himself when, at 6am, the phone rings at the home of Captain Pillement where Maigret is a guest, "This was bound to happen." The captain informs him that a curious accident has happened. Would he like to visit the scene? A delivery truck has accidently rammed the back of a car parked by the road next to the river and it ended up submerged in the Loing. The incident occurred next to a little inn, L'Auberge des Pecheurs, locally known by the derogatory name of The Drowned Men's Inn because of its sad reputation. When the car is pulled out, a woman's body is found in the luggage compartment. Oops. But two bodies weren't found - the young driver and his teenaged girlfriend. What was at first not a concern to Maigret was now the a puzzle demanding his full attention. (April 2022)

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Premetto che preferisco i romanzi ai racconti brevi con protagonista Maigret perché la brevità delle storie spesso va a scapito dell’atmosfera e dei personaggi. Però questi quattro racconti mi sono piaciuti, in particolare il secondo, La vecchia signora di Bayeux, in cui il commissario risolve il caso della morte misteriosa di una anziana vedova ricca, avvenuta in casa del nipote, che vive al di sopra delle proprie possibilità ed è sempre in cerca di soldi. E’ un bel racconto, che ricostruisce bene l’atmosfera provinciale e sonnacchiosa in cui contano le formalità e le differenze di ceto che proteggono il nome della famiglia da chi, come Maigret, con la sua arguzia scava sotto la superficie. Il primo racconto, L’innamorato della signora Maigret, e l’ultimo, Stan l’assassino, mi sono piaciuti meno: il primo perché il finale è deludente, l’altro perché ho avuto la sensazione che la soluzione finale sia affrettata e poi mi ha deluso il comportamento di Maigret, che mi aspettavo diverso. Infine c’è il racconto che ha dato il titolo alla raccolta, La locanda degli annegati. Anch’esso è un buon racconto, con un limite, forse, l’eccessiva brevità, che, come dicevo all’inizio, non permette di calarsi al meglio nelle situazioni e nelle atmosfere.

[Procyon Lotor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Che dai racconti siano stati tratti tanti film quanto dai romanzi dice già molto della robustezza; inoltre si capisce da dove tirarono fuori il Maigret televisivo italiano, molto più rude, duro e poliziottesco di quello dei romanzi.

[paper0r0ss0 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Racconti piu' "densi" e lunghi rispetto a quelli raccolti in "Rue Pigalle". Il personaggio del commissario Maigret sembra piu' delineato anche se i suoi modi di azione e i suoi schemi mentali sono ancora in divenire.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From BBC Radio 4 Extra:

Georges Simenon's famous French detective Inspector Jules Maigret investigates a seemingly ordinary car crash.

Not my favorite Maigret's story but good anyway.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imported from tablet:



The Drowned Men's Inn

R4x
spring 2012
mystery

Georges Simenon's famous French detective Inspector Jules Maigret investigates a seemingly ordinary car crash.

1. Inspector Maigret investigates a seemingly ordinary car crash.
2. After finding a body in the boot of a car, Inspector Maigret gathers more evidence.

3*
Finished 11/5/2012

[Tori Sherman]

comment

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A most disconcerting and tragic case that appears beyond Maigret’s grasp to resolve.
A splendid location but somewhat comic establishment, the Inn of the Drowned.
To add to the detective’s sullen demeanour the weather is atrocious and it is bucketing down.

Maigret books have quite a few mentions of the weather. That and his moods, his hands in his pockets, a pipe between his teeth, all are common points of reference in these stories.

This short story starts with a sense of frustration; being stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time. Pure happen-chance, called to an accident in the driving rain and obliged to lead the investigation when a car is recovered from the river along with a body.

An interesting insight into Maigret’s methods; how he asks the right questions and is able to talk with people, obtain information and interview witnesses. I particularly enjoyed the aspect of conducting a re-enactment of the incident when the vehicle plunged into the fast flowing river. Very revealing and surprising that Maigret feels so confident to tackle issues and potential threats alone with no back-up. More surprising, he clears up the mystery, can explain exactly what happened that fateful night and is in a position to make an arrest.

Classic Maigret.
Someone who weighs up the evidence; discerns truth from fiction and although keen to delegate never afraid to get stuck in, a man of the people, a man of action.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars for the atmosphere Simenon is so masterly at creating. Poor old Maigret, stuck on a case he doesn't want and isn't his. It got dropped in his lap, so to speak, from mere propinquity. A car goes off the curve into the River Loing. Where are the young couple the car belongs to? Who is the body in the rumble seat? And will it ever stop raining?

I saw the Bruno Cremer teleplay of this...novella? Long story? and something just seemed to be missing. Having read the text, I can unequivocally state that--it isn't there. Atmosphere, mystery, events...but it just seems to fizzle out. And yet Simenon drew me in; if he hadn't I wouldn't have been so disappointed in the ending.

[Holly Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Detective Chief Inspector Maigret and the more I read or listen in this series the better I like him. This is just a short story about an attempt to cover up a murder by crashing a car into a river when the car is pulled out a woman's dead body is discovered in the trunk Maigret must figure out this disturbing mystery before all the key players can disappear on him

[Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simenon riesce a conquistarti anche con i racconti brevi che nulla tolgono al suo Maigret.

[Stefano Satriano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Maigret sono sempre letture piacevoli, le pagine scorrono una dopo l'altra, sono ben fatti.

[Elisa Venuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libro delizioso. 4 brevi racconti per niente scontati. Simenon (🐐) e il suo Maigret sono capaci di tenerti attaccata alla trama pagina dopo pagina.

[Marcello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lettura estiva senza infamia e senza lode: quattro racconti gialli carini, ben scritti e congegnati, che vedono come protagonista il commissario Maigret.

[Mario · Rating 4 out of 5]

3*1/2

[paperopap · Rating 3 out of 5]

Racconti brevi, non particolarmente calamitanti ma comunque ben scritti. Ovviamente.