| Xavier Marton, the head of the toy department at the Grands Magasins du Louvre, a model train specialist, visits Maigret to say that he thinks his wife wants to poison him, but leaves while Maigret is out of the room. Later in the day the man's wife, Gisèle Marton, also visits Maigret, to tell her side of the story, which is that her husband is having delusions. Marton comes the next day, and agrees to have another examination with a psychiatrist. But he warns Maigret that if she poisons him, he'll shoot her before he dies. Meanwhile, Maigret has had both of them investigated, and finds that Gisèle's sister, Jenny, is living with them, and that Marton is apparently enamored of her. Gisèle, on the other hand, is apparently the lover of her employer, Mr. Harris. Maigret has the house watched during the night, and by morning Marton is dead, accidentally poisoned by Jenny, when Gisèle switched her cup of tea with her husband's. He had poisoned his own, with enough to make him sick, but not to kill him. Jenny thought he hadn't the nerve, so she added the poison to kill her sister. | ||
|
Plot & Themes Tone of story - Dry-cynical How difficult to spot villain? - Very obvious Time/era of story: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - nearly 100% Misc. Murder Plotlets - "All in the family" murder Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 20 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 % 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: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: Motive of antagonist - revenge How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting Europe Yes European country: - France Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Unusual forms of death - poisoning Unusual form of death? Yes Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog |
||