Maigret and the Saturday Caller

Rating:
Summary: Confession Before the Crime
Review: The Maigret series are a refreshing alternative to the contempory mysteries of today. There is no explicted detail of the crime, no over the top fiction, but when you read a Maigret mystery you get a swift, interesting read with suspensful dialouge and clever twists. This story in particular is about the curious, pathetic, cleft lipped Leonard Planchon who after many failed attempts to contact the suscessful, celebrity like Detective Maigret with letter, reluctantly finds himself in the detective's home to confess a crime not yet comitted. See, Leonard's marriage is a joke to his employees and anyone who knows them. You almost can't feel bad for him. A once suscessful man running a home decorating business finds his life taken over by an employee, an intimidating, handsome man who bullies his way into taking over Planchon's business and then Planchon's wife. Moving into Planchon's home, replacing Planchon's spot in bed next to his wife, all that keeps Planchon from sleeping, without dignity, stubbornly on a cot in the dinning room is his young daughter who he loves deeply. With low self esteem due to his disfigured mouth, all Planchon feels he can do to keep his daughter safe is to kill his wife and her lover, the man who has invaded his life. He goes to tell Maigret before attempting the murder, which frustrates Maigret because he can't quite put his finger on what Planchon wants him to do. He reluctantly follows the pathetic man and comes to find out the ridiculous life he claims to live is more saddening than thought possible, the true woman who calls herself his wife, and a murder twist that results in a shocking trial. I enjoyed this book for it's intense dialouge and a story, I feel, to be a little ahead of it's time. This book can be read in one sitting, and if you enjoy this book there is an entire collection of Maigret stories well worth adding to the mystery lover's book shelf. A complete classic.