Maigret takes the waters

     Georges Simenon. Maigret in Vichy (1968) Told by his friend and doctor to take the waters at Vichy, Maigret is enjoying a relaxed daily routine with his wife. On their regular walks, they see “the lady in lilac”, whose self-possession attracts Maigret’s attention. A few days on, she is murdered.
     The local inspector is a former colleague and protege of Maigret’s, so of course the great man is drawn into the investigation. It proceeds to its inevitable end through a series of interviews. That’s Simenon’s schtick: dialogue feels more immediate than narration, so we keep reading to find out where the new information will lead. As novels, these books are light weight, the characters are realised just enough to carry the story forward. As entertainments, they are first class. Simenon knows how to set the hook.
    

I enjoyed reading this confection, but it didn’t persuade me. We’ve watched a few episodes of Maigret played by Rowan Atkinson, which I find much more persuasive. Why is it that second rate books so often make first rate television? **½