Penguin Books is currently publishing the entire series of Georges Simenon’s novels starring Inspector Maigret. In "The Maigret Project" I share some observations about each novel.
In The Two-Penny Bar, the character that immediately caught inspector Maigret’s attention and that kept fascinating him throughout the novel, turned out to be the killer. This happens regularry in the Maigret novels. There it is again, in The Flemish House [Chez les Flamands, 1932], where Maigret is asked by a family member of a murder suspect to look into the case – and straight away it is this family member that tickles Maigret’s curiosity, far more than the case itself.
The Flemish House takes us to Givet, a village on the French-Belgian border. The Peeters family, Flemish migrants, have shown quite some ambition and the entire (jealous) village is convinced the Peeters son has killed his mistress, who disappeared without a trace. Maigret is immediately considered a friend of the rich, come to Givet to deliver some class justice.
Maigret spends some time in Givet, mostly in the Peeters’ dining room, where he is fed Flemish dishes, several types of cake and numerous spirits. For a while he is a part of the family, and enjoys analysing the family dynamics. A certain gender inequality is evident. Everyone looks up to the eldest son, Joseph, who is studying law and personifies the family’s incessant climb on the social ladder. Joseph is a weak man, however, and spoilt. Maigret is much more impressed by Joseph’s self-effacing sister Anna, whose strength and intelligence eclipse those of Joseph. How far would she go to protect the family’s position?
Stray observations:
• When you think about it, it’s odd that the Maigret novels have been turned into movies or tv shows so often. After all, with their lack of action, summary descriptions and focus on dialogue and atmosphere, they lend themselves much better to the theatre. The Flemish House in particular is just screaming to be put on the stage.
• About doctor Van de Weert: ‘A true Fleming like the ones one sees in the posters advertising a brand of genever, a Fleming with full lips and clear eyes, proclaiming the simplicity of his soul.’ In the original French:
Un vrai Flamand comme on en voit sur les chromos, vantant une marque de genièvre, un Flamand aux lèvres fleuries, aux yeux clairs proclamant la simplicité de son âme.
Being a Fleming myself, this description bemuses me. Simenon often inserts some Flemings into his stories, as minor characters, and they’re always simple folk, honest in all their emotions. This must be one of the very few truly antiquated elements in the Maigret novels.
The Flemish House was translated by Shaun Whiteside.
Flemish and Dutch readers may be tempted to check out my much more extensive article on The Flemish House, right here.
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