Maigret and the Gangsters: Georges Simenon

Published in 1951 in France after Simenon's long stay in the U.S., this dandy story projects the author's experiences abroad onto famed Supt. Maigret. A body that vanishes after it's tossed from a speeding car arouses Maigret's suspicions that mobsters from America are in Paris. Beginning his careful investigation, the detective relentlessly questions a shady restaurateur but gets no solid leads to the imported criminals or their presumed victim. Maigret gradually realizes that friends from the FBI are working behind his back and pride insists that he compete with them to solve the case. Simenon gives a larky twist to his seriocomic police procedural, as riveting as his graver works. (September 22)