Maigret and the Hotel Majestic (French: Les Caves du Majestic) is a 1942 detective novel by the Belgian writer Georges Simenon featuring his character Jules Maigret.^[1]

This novel was first published in English in 1977 by Hamish Hamilton (London) and Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (New York), translated by Caroline Hillier, later also published under the title The Hotel Majestic.

In 2015, this novel was reissued in English under the title The Cellars of the Majestic, newly translated by Howard Curtis (ISBN 9780241188446).

Synopsis

Maigret is called to the high-class Hotel Majestic to investigate a body. The wife of a wealthy American has been killed - but to Maigret's surprise she has a gun in her purse. He begins to follow up the handful of clues that could explain her secret life and her demise.

Adaptations

It has one major big-screen adaptation. It was filmed in 1945 as Majestic Hotel Cellars starring Albert Préjean as Maigret.^[2]

It has been adapted for television on four occasions: In 1963 it was made into an episode of BBC's Maigret starring Rupert Davies (It aired as the fourth episode of the fourth season).

In 1987 it was made into an episode of the long-running French series Les Enquêtes du commissaire Maigret starring Jean Richard. (It aired as episode No. 73.)

In 1993 it was adapted twice, first for the French-language international production of Maigret starring Bruno Cremer, airing in its second season. Also in 1993, it was featured on British TV as an episode of the ITV drama Maigret starring Michael Gambon. (It aired as the second episode of the second season.)^[3]

References