3.75

A few years ago, I had picked up a book later in the series because it took place in a small French town I had lived in for a while, which has led me to slowly pick my way through the rest of the series. One of the things I love about this series is it's glimpse into bygone eras of French life. Originally published in 1931, The Yellow Dog features small town drama, an attempted murder, and a mysterious yellow dog that happens to keep popping up at the scene of the crime. While ultimately I don't find many of these stories all that memorable, but they are enjoyable ways to pass an afternoon. Those more familiar with the series might be a bit miffed about the passivity of Maigret in this book, but it didn't necessarily bother me here because I liked the atmosphere built here and some of the twists in the plot.

Thoroughly enjoyed this. The translation was seamless and the writing was smooth. Inspector Maigret is a 'character'. I probably will keep an eye out for other translations of Simenon's books. The plot was carefully crafted, held my attention, and wrapped up neatly.

The synopsis tells us that this is the fifth book in the new Penguin Maigret Series. And I went to find all of them as soon as I finished The Yellow Dog.

I watch a lot of British, UK and French mystery shows and this reminded me of those.and I loved it.

A small village rife with suspicion after a man is seemingly murdered after a drunken night out. Maigret arrives and confounds everyone.

The writing is so descriptive and almost poetic in some parts.

Excellent book and I look forward to reading more.

NetGalley/ Farrar,Straus, and Giroux June 03, 2025

Reading Georges Simenon’s The Yellow Dog reminded me that Simenon was a master of plot, character, and atmospherics. The Yellow Dog is brief, about 150 pages, first published in 1931; Linda Asher’s translation reads flawlessly. Simenon packs a lot into those few pages: action, atmosphere, personalities, romance, and mystery..

Simenon sets The Yellow Dog in Concarneau, a port town in Brittany. Simeon suffuses his Concarneau with claustrophobia and a web of overlapping social connections—the salt air and mist create a sense of shadiness and doom over the town and its people. Simenon’s initial paragraphs tell us all we need to know: "Concarneau is empty. The lighted clock in the Old Town glows above the ramparts; it is five minutes to eleven. / The tide is in, and a south-westerly gale is slamming the boats together. The wind surges through the streets. Here and there a scrap of paper scuttles swiftly along the ground. / There is not a single light on the Quai de l’Aiguillon. Everything is closed. Everyone is asleep.”

Maigret, gloomy, crusty, and ill-tempered, is dispatched from Rennes, 200km away, with a young, inexperienced assistant, to solve the shooting of Concarneau’s leading wine merchant. The eponymous dog, <i>”a big, snarling yellow animal”</i>, was apparently the sole witness to the shooting. Maigret inserts himself among Concarneau’s elite—the doctor, the mayor, the vice-counsel for Denmark—trying to learn more. As more attempted murders occur, both the mayor and Maigret’s superiors pressure him to avoid bringing disrepute onto the Concarnois and to wrap up his investigation rapidly. Maigret being Maigret, he shrugs off the pressures and proceeds deliberately. When Maigret finally solves the mystery, it’s a solution that indeed involve leading Concarnois.

Recognizing Simenon’s greatness and enjoying The Yellow Dog aren’t the same. The Yellow Dog is a tightly wound novel, demanding full attention from the reader. In reading <i>The Yellow Dog</i>, I sometimes wondered if Simenon had the same distain for his readers as Maigret had for Concarneau’s elite. If you allow your attention to wander for a page or two, the reader may find herself returning to earlier pages in order to better understand what happens. <i>The Yellow Dog</i> provides the reader with wonderful atmospherics, a great central character, an interesting plot, and dissection of small town France, but despite its brevity it can be difficult to follow.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4

I would like to thank NetGalley and Picador for providing me with access to this advanced reader’s copy.

Thanks to Net Galley, who gifted me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an unexpected delight-- a 1930s old school detective novel, brilliantly translated from French, appears on Net Galley in advance of a 2025 reissue. I might not have heard of it otherwise, but this unassuming novel has drawn me to investigate a whole new series, of which there are at least 30.

This was a short but memorable read, filled with moody depictions of a small, seaside town where a string of seemingly random crimes surround a group of well-to-do men who frequent a local bar. Around the time when events begin to occur, a strange yellow dog is seen in the neighborhood.

The attention to setting and atmosphere is so strong it brings to mind the Japanese concept of "ma," the space between moments of action many folks see in films by Miyazaki or Kurosawa. Simenon isn't afraid to give the story time to breathe, and much of the drama happens off screen. Instead we focus on the building tension of the characters and the growing anxiety of the town, all in contrast to the detective's cool and reserved demeanor.

Although we don't learn much about the detective Maigret--he encourages his junior not to make deductions and keeps it pretty close to the chest--we know that he sees and observes much more than what's presented to him. He also seems to keep his own sense of what is just, with subtle commentary on the ethics of the criminal justice system. In this way he's able to be a detective, not a cop, which makes his adventures so much more interesting.

Recommended for mystery fans who like a slow burn. A perfect companion for a rainy day.

Review also posted on Goodreads.

Loved this story? Sat down and read in one sitting! Very compelling story. Had to find out who did it! Please read, you will enjoy!

Inspector Maigret is an old friend, always good for an evenings entertainment. Simenon writes great mysteries but in some ways that is not the point. The characters are what make his books worth reading and even more so re-reading. In this case, the setting is a fishing village in which a killing has occurred with more to come. Maigret, as usual, makes his grumpy phlegmatic way through the small town characters who populate the village. Each one is realized as much as the plot allows. Each one has a surprise for us and and concludes the case as the characters are all gathered together. As always a very enjoyable read.

Inspector Maigret is called to the Admiral Cafe, when a man left the to go home was shot thru the door of a house while trying to light his cigar out of the wind. Then the Yellow Dog shows up and nobody knows who owns it. Maigret talks to all that was in the bar that might know about it. More things happen and the Yellow Dog seems to be seen all the time. After someone shoots the dog and Maigret has it taken to the bar to be taken care of. Maigret has everyone involved come together after the outcome of the crimes!

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

A customs guard sees a drunkard sheltering in a doorway to light his cigar; he staggers and falls to the ground. Shortly thereafter, a snarling yellow dog appears.

When the guard realizes the man is not drunk, but has been shot, he runs into the Admiral Hotel café to report the crime. The victim, Monsieur Mostaguen, is Concarneau’s biggest wine dealer, a man with no enemies. And yet, he lies on the kerb, a shooting victim. When Mostaguen is carried off to the hospital, the yellow dog remains, lying at the feet of Emma, the café waitress.

Later, as Inspector Maigret speaks with journalist Jean Servières, the two are nearly poisoned by strychnine in the bottles of Pernod and brandy. Then Servières vanishes, his car is found with bloodstain on the front seat. Fear grips the town

And then someone shoots the yellow dog . . .

=========

Fifth in the Inspector Maigret series, “The Yellow Dog” is engaging, emotional, and captivating. No one is above suspicion; everyone seems to have something to hide. The unfolding mystery slowly reveals its secrets; unpredictable and with a strong focus on the characters rather than on the mystery, readers will find themselves pulled into the telling of the tale from the outset.

Readers of the series as well as those who enjoy atmospheric tales and mysteries will find much to appreciate in this satisfying, absorbing tale.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Picador and NetGalley
#TheYellowDogInspectorMaigret #NetGalley

This was my introduction to the Inspector Maigret series which was written from 1931-1973 (!). This short mystery is a straightforward narrative introducing a number of characters from a small fishing town where a series of strange crimes occurred over a few days. It's a throwback to the old style of mystery novel where clues are parsed out throughout the chapters culminating in a big reveal at the end where the inspector announces the perpetrator with all the suspects (and others) in attendance. This was an enjoyable and very quick read and I'd pick up some other stories from this series especially when I'm looking for something a bit lighter, while being entertaining.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Picador, Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the e-arc of this reprint.

This sounded great to me - love Agatha Christie and the like - but found this one sort of lackluster and flat. It’s not awful or anything, just sort of average? Also found some descriptions of female characters off putting. Made it halfway through and decided not to finish… just was not invested in any of it. The cover is great though!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

How do you review a Maigret novel -- or a Simenon novel for that matter? 94 years later, this early entry into the series feels not only fresh, but as if he's already deconstructing the procedural novel he came close to inventing. Compact, compelling, and thrilling.

In The Yellow Dog, Georges Simenon transports readers to the rain-swept streets of Concarneau, a small seaside town in Brittany, where a curious crime unfolds against a backdrop of 1930s French provincial life. Published in 1931 as an early entry in the Inspector Maigret series, this short, sharp mystery begins with a local wine dealer staggering home drunk from a hotel bar, only to be felled by a gunshot. Summoned by the mayor to lead a mobile squad from Paris, Maigret arrives to find a cast of secretive townsfolk—big frogs in a small pond—each hiding their own motives. As the case escalates with a poisoned gathering, a missing journalist, and a vagrant’s arrest, a mysterious yellow dog lurks at every turn, amplifying the tension.

Simenon’s strength lies less in the whodunit—though the resolution, held tight until the final pages, satisfies—and more in his mastery of atmosphere and psychology. The stormy, damp setting seeps into every scene, making you feel the chill of coastal France, while the petty rivalries and cutthroat politics of the petits bourgeois (a group Simenon famously despised) crackle with authenticity. Maigret himself is a delight: a laid-back, classy gentleman detective who seems more intrigued by a barmaid and that ubiquitous yellow mutt than by the panic gripping the town. His cool-headed approach, paired with old-fashioned sleuthing, unravels the mystery at a leisurely pace, culminating in a neat epilogue that assures justice prevails.

At under 200 pages, The Yellow Dog is a fast-paced, unpredictable read that offers a flavorful taste of 1930s Brittany—gritty, real, and wholly immersive. It’s less about the puzzle and more about the people and place, a formula that foreshadows Simenon’s prolific Maigret legacy. For fans of atmospheric detective tales or those new to this French icon, it’s a perfect curl-up-with-coffee escape. Just don’t expect a translation for every Maigret gem—grab this one in English and savor a master at work.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with advanced digital copy in exchange for a review.

I wanted to like this, from a classic mystery author, but I just couldn't connect with it. Sometimes a translation is difficult to translate. I did like the cover, though.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

I’m a fan of murder mysteries but this was the first Maigret novel I’ve read. The plot was reasonably interesting, but I found the characters a little flat and difficult to distinguish between. I love the humour and social interaction you get in a Christie novel, but ‘The Yellow Dog’ offered nothing comparable. Even the mysterious appearance of a yellow dog at the scenes of crime was underdeveloped and dropped off the radar midway through the novel. I enjoyed how Maigret resolved the crimes, but wasn’t impressed with the journey getting there.

I just finished a new mystery. The Yellow Dog by Georges Simenon was a good read. Pick this one up on publication day.

Shortly after leaving the local cafe, a man is shot outside a nearby house, with a mysterious yellow dog appearing at the scene. Though Inspector Maigret shows up to investigate the next day, soon, more incidents occur, involving a small group of prominent men in the village, with that same yellow dog appearing. Poisonings, shootings, a giant vagrant and more will have to be puzzled out by Maigret to solve the case.
This was my first Maigret book, and not sure there will be others. On the plus side, the story is fairly short. The motive behind the crimes is actually quite complex, and a lot happens without a lot of fluff. However, Mairgret's ability to figure everything out simply by being there and somehow knowing what all the secrets are would put just about any other detective to shame. The plot was certainly sophisticated, the detective's ability to solve everything without much effort just baffling. If you don't want to have to think, just have the mystery presented and then explained for you, this would the book for you. 2 stars for "it was OK."

A classic Inspector Maigret novel, that combines a gripping mystery, with minute detail of life in the French countryside. The atmosphere is fully realized, as is the mystery. It's dark and gritty at times, but short enough to make for an enjoyable read.