Les Scrupules de Maigret

Commissaire Maigret first appeared in four popular novels published by the author under the pseudonyms Georges Sim or Christian Brulls. These novels are not included in the official “Maigret” cycle because Simenon established — notably in 1975, when he strenuously downplayed any work predating 1931 — a distinction between his illegitimate output (works published under pseudonyms) and his acknowledged work (published under his own name).

The official cycle comprises 75 novels, 4 collections of short stories and 28 stories published in periodicals; 50 of these novels appeared with Presses de la Cité, whose designs went through four different presentations. Beginning with Maigret voyage (published in December 1957), the presentation became standardized, with a solid-colored background featuring a silhouette of the author in profile, wearing a hat and smoking a pipe, from which smoke rings — extending onto the front cover — contain the author’s name and the title. All titles in this series were issued as numbered first editions printed on fine paper, with the deluxe and ordinary printings sharing the same printer’s colophon.