Susan: @thebooktrailer

What a perfect read for the first French Friday here on The BookTrail! Ah I've read these stories in French but now they're in a lovely little collection which is perfect for Christmas and any time you want to be transported to Paris really.

Maigret is an iconic French character and it's a treat to have him in bite size here so to speak. The three stories are nicely chosen and very smoothly translated whilst encompassing all the French flourishes Maigret is so well known for. I found the stories so different yet they complemented each other well. No spoilers here but a good collection and there might only be three but three is the magic Maigret number in this case.

Maigret and Paris At Christmas. What's not to like?

Absolutely love Maigret and this didn't disappoint. It's a gentle Christmas mystery which shows the iconic French detective at his best with a formidable adversary and the usual cast of characters from the Quai d'Orfevres and the delightful Mde. Maigret. It's the ideal read for a Winter's afternoon, easily transporting the reader back to the Paris of the '30's and 40's.

This has been such an enjoyable read and short enough to follow the plot without having to check back. I adore the age that this is set in, when people took note of everyday occurrences happening around them and life was lived at a gentile pace.

A interesting short story that kept moving and your interest going. Examining personal relationships as well as playing the detective.

This ARC only includes the first of the three published stories so this review is only partial. As ever, Simenon concocts a taut tale in his characteristic tight-lipped prose. It's Christmas day and Maigret finds himself drawn into a case that starts with a neighbour's child waking up to find Santa in her room... The plotting spins out from here, and Mme Maigret has a strong role to play, adding a bittersweet feel to the story. An excellent taster.

I was really looking forward to this collection of three Christmas stories, as I have really liked the Maigret books. So I settled down for this festive read, looking forward to spending Christmas in Paris. To my horror, there was only one story, the two others are missing. I really enjoyed it albeit I would have preferred it to be longer. I think it was a shame the trio of short stories had two missing. It is difficult to write a review on this collection on the basis of one. Perhaps the publisher will correct this? Many thanks to Penguin Classics for the one story ARC.

This is a short story of a Christmas Day with the detective Maigret ad his wife when a nei9ghbour has an uninvited visitor. An enjoyable short story with a sad window into Maigret's personal life.

My first taste of Simenon did prove the likes of Dard and Garnier do have the same DNA, which I was very happy to have proven, but it sucks this file was a third of the finished book.  Netgalley should enforce a notice to the effect before every download.  I loved what I read, but I haven't read this book, and so I'm not in a position to give it a positive mark.

As I write this, although there are actually three tales in this book only the first one, A Maigret Christmas is actually downloading on this site.  As you would expect though the quality of this short story is very good.

It is Christmas Day but for our intrepid detective he is called upon to solve a puzzle by neighbours from the apartment building across the road from his.  For a seven-year-old girl awoke in the night to find Santa in her bedroom, and he gave her a doll.  But what was he really up to?

Taking us into the darker side of life this is full of atmosphere, and gives us a greater insight into Maigret at home, and especially his wife.  This story is well worth reading.