Liberty Bar by Georges Simenon

JetBlackDragonfly
Mar 11
2 min read

Updated: Apr 7

Georges Simenon brings us another unusual Maigret mystery, the 17th of the series written in 1932. Maigret is directed to cause 'no drama', and yet, Simenon introduces one of his most maudlin, hysterical characters yet.

It began with a holiday feeling; it was hard for Maigret to believe he was in the Cote d'Azur to investigate a crime. Inspector Boutigues shows him the villa on the exclusive coast between Nice and Cannes, where William Brown lived with his buxom mistress and her mother. Last week, Brown stumbled home and fell dead from a knife wound to the back. His car was then seen driving erratically before it crashed, the two women caught running away from it. Maigret finds them more concerned about Brown's mysterious finances than the man himself. He disappeared for a few days each month, returning with a few thousand francs. No one knew he once left behind a wife and family in Australia, living off an agreed allowance.

But this is called Liberty Bar, and Maigret finds a connection to a small, narrow bar below street level with a few chairs, run by an oversized woman they call Big Jaja. It's a favourite of regulars who feel at home, a place where no one talked of the past. Swedish sailors and young prostitute Sylvie are fixtures, and Brown was fond of sleeping his days away on the couch. Even Maigret warmed to the comfort of the Liberty Bar, where you felt like an old friend.

Brown's son is found and arrives for a funeral, where Jaja and Sylvie meet Gina and her mother. A surprising will is found, there is a little extortion, and still the mystery remains open until an overwrought Jaja begins to tell the truth. Then, all bets are off! She explodes with emotion.

All Maigret mysteries are different, and this contained many suspects to ponder as he walked the long seaside promenade. This was another highly enjoyable novel. You cannot go wrong with Simenon - each is a little gem with a solid plot and fascinating mystery. Recommended!

This was filmed in 1960 as both a French TV movie and BBC episode of Maigret starring Rupert Davies. In 1979, it was filmed for French TV starring Jean Richard, and in 1980 as Maigret et la Liberty Bar starring Bruno Cremer.

The word of the day describing the mistress Gina: Callipygean (look it up)

1932 / Tradeback / 160 pages