Carter Of La Providence (Maigret Series) by Georges Simenon

A glamorous woman suddenly turns up dead in the middle of nowhere in a tragic, mysterious puzzle that only Georges Simenon’s legendary detective can solve. 

Georges Simenon (1903-1989) is one of the most widely read novelists of all time. He wrote more than two hundred books under his own name - including seventy-five Jules Maigret novels, for which he is best known. Simenon's Maigret series is now credited with introducing one of the most common formats for books, movies and television: the police procedural.

The first Maigret novel, Pietr the Latvian, was published in 1931 and the last one, Maigret and Monsieur Charles, was published in 1972. The main character Maigret, a gruff-but-empathetic detective who is aware of social issues and moral complexity, is lovable for not only his crime-solving abilities but also his favored habits and creature comforts. In addition to being well-written mystery stories that are major , the short and engaging books provide a wonderful, multi-faceted view of Parisian life over this long timespan.