| Inspector Maigret is called one morning by his nephew, Paul Vinchon, inspector at the Belgian border at Jeaumont who asks for his help in a complicated murder case: the killing of Otto Braun, a Jewish banker from Stuttgart. Until Maigret gets there, a man carying a large sum of money in securities is arrested and brought to Jeaumont. He tried to run away from the train. Maigret questions the other passengers to find out more about his seating arrangement in the cabin.
The situation gets more complicated as a woman, Lena Leinbach appears and the scene. Thus, the inspector finds out that Otto Braun had been fleeing Germany with as much money as he could carry, as the National Socialists had taken over. Braun had given Lena the money and supplied her with a luggage with a false bottom so that she could pass the money at the border check. The question is now: did the woman have a part in revealing the German's secret and having him killed or was she innocent? | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - Dry-cynical How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given Time/era of story: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - nearly 100% Murder of certain profession? Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Any non-mystery subplot? descript. of violence and chases - 20 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20 % Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 40's-50's Ethnicity/Race Unusual characteristics: Main Adversary Identity: - Female Age: - 20's-30's Profession/status: Motive of antagonist - money/treasure How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting Europe Yes European country: - France Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths Unusual forms of death - perforation--swords/knives Unusual form of death? Yes Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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