Maigret et les témoins récalcitrants
One of the first 100 deluxe copies (no. 85).
Simenon’s preparatory notes record an original title, Maigret et le témoin récalcitrant. The novel appeared in serial form in Le Figaro, from 17 February to 13 March 1959 (in 22 instalments).
Inspector Maigret first appeared in four popular novels that Simenon published under the pseudonyms Georges Sim or Christian Brulls. These novels do not belong to the official “Maigret” cycle because Simenon himself — notably in 1975, a period when he vigorously suppressed any work predating 1931 — drew a distinction between his illegitimate work (books published under pseudonyms) and his acknowledged work (books published under his own name).
The “official cycle” comprises 75 novels, 4 short-story collections and 28 short stories (in periodicals); 50 of these novels were published by Presses de la Cité, whose covers went through four different designs. Beginning with Maigret voyage (published in December 1957), the design was standardized: a colored background showing the author’s silhouette in profile, wearing a hat and smoking a pipe, from which smoke rings — extending onto the front cover — carry the author’s name and the title. Every title in this series was issued as a numbered first edition printed on fine paper, with the deluxe and ordinary issues sharing the same printer’s colophon.