Gareth Armstrong

The Dancer at the Gai-Moulin Gareth Armstrong

In the 10th installment to the Inspector Maigret series, the city of Simenon's youth comes to life in this new translation of this disturbing tale set in Liege.

In the darkness, the main room is as vast as a cathedral. A great empty space. Some warmth still seeps from the radiators. Delfosse strikes a match. They stop a moment to catch their breath, and work out how far they have still to go. And suddenly the match falls to the ground, as Delfosse gives a sharp cry and rushes back towards the washroom door. In the dark, he loses his way, returns, and bumps into Chabot.

Maigret observes from a distance as two boys are accused of killing a rich foreigner in Liege. Their loyalty, which binds them together through their adventures, is put to the test, and seemingly irrelevant social differences threaten their friendship and their freedom.

Georges Simenon was born in Liege, Belgium, in 1903. Best known in Britain as the author of the Maigret books, his prolific output of over 400 novels and short stories have made him a household name in continental Europe. He died in 1989, in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life.