| Maigret is interrogating Théo Stiernet, a young man who'd killed his own grandmother for a few francs, when a message comes in from the 17th that Oscar Chabut, a wealthy wine merchant, had been killed. Going to the scene, he recognizes the house in the Rue Fortuny, belonging to Mrs. Blanche, which Oscar Chabut was leaving when he was shot. Maigret finds Mrs. Blanche, and after a while Chabut's private secretary, Anne-Marie Boutin, the Grasshopper, with whom he'd gone there once a week. Chabut's wife is a beautiful woman in her forties, and when Maigret goes to their house in the Place des Vosges, she seems no more upset than Anne-Marie had been. Chabut had been a fanatic womanizer, and seemingly had gone out of his way to make enemies. Jeanne Chabut, his wife, prepares a long list of possible liaisons for Maigret. During his investigation, Maigret receives an anonymous phone call, say that Chabut was a swine. Maigret suspects it's the murderer, and that he'd seen him in the street. The Grasshopper remembers that the former bookkeeper, Gilbert Pigou, had been fired in a crude way not six months before. He becomes the focus of Maigret's investigation, and calls again, apparently having followed Maigret around. Finally, when Maigret has set a manhunt in progress, Pigou shows up late at night at Maigret's house to surrender. Chabut had fired him in a way to make him more or less unemployable, and his poverty and hatred of Chabut had finally led to the killing. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - Dry-cynical How difficult to spot villain? - Challenging Time/era of story: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - nearly 100% Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 40 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % 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? - moderately detailed references to deaths Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog |
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