MAIGRET'S LITTLE JOKE

Maigret is a detective created by French novelist Georges Simenon. Maurice Denham plays the chief inspector in these four radio dramas produced by BBC Radio: "The Yellow Dog," "Inspector Cadaver," "Maigret's Little Joke," and "Maigret and the Burglar's Wife." Each drama is well acted and enhanced with sound effects. The dramas offer no introduction or background information on Maigret, so a listener unfamiliar with his stories may find the occasional focus on his foibles and mannerisms puzzling. The mysteries themselves are typical; selfish, smooth-tongued characters complicate the detective's investigations, which are eventually completed and then presented in the climactic scenes. Simenon's Maigret compares well with Christie's Poirot and Conan Doyle's Holmes. S.D.D. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 07/ JAN 08]