From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

The Two-Penny Bar (Maigret #11)

Georges Simenon,

David Watson (Translator)

Start date: May 15, 2023

Finish date: June 7, 2023

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Next in the classic Maigret series.
[close] Next in the classic Maigret series.

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What Members Thought

Nov 25, 2019 Adrian rated it it was amazing

Shelves: det-georges-simenon, zz-paper-books, favorites, zz-audiobook

January 2023 Audiobook Lunchtime Listen
A wonderful listen over a week of lunchtimes. Gareth Armstrong delivers an excellent audio performance truly encapsulating Maigret's sudden involvement in a diverse group of Parisian's regular weekend antics by the Seine. From the initial discovery of the two penny bar and its weekend regulars to the Pernod afternoons at the Royale where he gets sidetracked by alcohol.
All through the story , Paris is in the grip of a heatwave and Mme Maigret keeps expecting January 2023 Audiobook Lunchtime Listen
A wonderful listen over a week of lunchtimes. Gareth Armstrong delivers an excellent audio performance truly encapsulating Maigret's sudden involvement in a diverse group of Parisian's regular weekend antics by the Seine. From the initial discovery of the two penny bar and its weekend regulars to the Pernod afternoons at the Royale where he gets sidetracked by alcohol.
All through the story , Paris is in the grip of a heatwave and Mme Maigret keeps expecting him at her sisters in the country.

November 2019 Long term Maigret read
So here we are, 2 Maigret novels read in a couple of weeks, purely to catch up with my challenge.

I think its fair to say that as I mentioned in my previous review, these books are proving exceptionally enjoyable. They are well written, with fantastic characters, a very charismatic lead player and brilliantly atmospheric descriptions of Paris between the wars. Having lived in France, I just love the pictures painted of France by Simenon's wonderful books.

In this episode Maigret is caught up in a old forgotten case that is related to him by a man on death row. Maigret believes the condemned man's tale and starts to investigate this years-old case. He gets caught up with a group of people who meet every Saturday and Sunday at a bar near the Seine, the so called "sleazy underside" of Parisien life. Food, drink and games are their life through the weekend away from their various hum-drum jobs. Somehow Maigret gets involved and becomes part of their clique, until another murder occurs.
Mrs Maigret is away on their annual vacation, and is expecting Maigret to arrive any day. Unfortunately for her Maigret is too involved with the case to escape on his hols and keeps informing his wife he'll arrive.
The days go by and Maigret feels he's closer and closer to a solution to both the ancient case and this new murder. He strikes up an unlikely friendship with one of the main suspects in the case and very quickly they become regulars at the Taverne Royale drinking Pernods early on a Summer's evening. As events unfold, he is still delaying his departure from Paris to join his wife on holiday, and then he gets a final breakthrough. So confident is he in his ability to finally solve the case, that he sends a card to his wife announcing his arrival by a late night train.
Needless to say by means of a clever ruse he forces the killer to reveal himself and so disappears off on holiday for the final few days, promising to return and pop into the Taverne Royale.

Again a wonderfully atmospheric novel, this time describing the sleazy exploits of the Parisien middle class in a hot and sultry Summer and Maigret's superb intuition, intelligence and capability ...more

66 likes · Like · see review

Oct 18, 2015 KOMET rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: georges-simenon, zz-out-of-residence, mysteries-and-thrillers

“THE BAR ON THE SEINE” can be summed up as a nice and tidy detective novel peopled with an interesting array of characters, some of whom Inspector Maigret matches wits with.

The drama begins in a prison cell where a man (Monsieur Lenoir) –-- a petty criminal sentenced to death whom Maigret had arrested some time earlier --- awaits word about a possible reprieve. Maigret pays Lenoir a visit, tells him that a reprieve will not be forthcoming, and that he will be put to death at dawn the next day. ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 28, 2016 John rated it really liked it

Shelves: detective, georges-simenon

A good plot. Maigret at his best solving a six year old murder without really wanting too. The scene setting is excellent and the weekend escapades of the characters. Of course Maigret's long suffering wife is left waiting for him to arrive. ...more

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Jul 05, 2016 Tony Fitzpatrick rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Maigret is thankfully back in Paris. It is summer - the stifling heat of Paris in July/August is well described. Mme. Maigret is awaiting him in Alsace for a holiday but Maigret needs to clear up a murder first. There follows a tale of adultery, blackmail, a corpse murdered six years ago, a fresh killing, and high weekend living amongst the Parisian middle class. The Two Penny Bar of the title is a dive, outside Paris where a set congregate on the weekend - to drink, dance, enjoy themselves. Mai ...more

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Apr 28, 2023 Jill rated it it was amazing

Shelves: georges-simenon

This begins with Maigret visiting a man who has been condemned to death. The prisoner tells Maigret about a murder he had witnessed some years before, and although no names are mentioned, Maigret pursues a line of investigation to see if he can uncover the the unsolved case. The only clue that Maigret is able to glean from this talk is the name of a tavern. He duly visits the place, and gets caught up in a crowd of people that frequent it on a regular basis. This leads to another murder which ta ...more

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Apr 27, 2015 Nanosynergy rated it liked it

Shelves: mysteries-thrillers-espionage, translated, 2015read, series, france, fiction, reviewed, fiction-1930s

While visiting a young criminal on death row before his execution, the condemned man tells Maigret of a man he and another boy had watched dump a body in a Parisian canal six years before. Maigret decides to try to find the man, but has only a few clues. Unexpectedly, he finds the bar and stumbles into a group of people who may lead him to this killer.

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