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Pietr the Latvian cover art

Pietr the Latvian

By: Georges Simenon,David Bellos - translator
Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong
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Summary

The first audiobook which appeared in Georges Simenon's famous Maigret series, in a gripping new translation by David Bellos.

Inevitably Maigret was a hostile presence in the Majestic. He constituted a kind of foreign body that the hotel's atmosphere could not assimilate. Not that he looked like a cartoon policeman. He didn't have a moustache and he didn't wear heavy boots. His clothes were well cut and made of fairly light worsted. He shaved every day and looked after his hands. But his frame was proletarian. He was a big, bony man. His firm muscles filled out his jacket and quickly pulled all his trousers out of shape. He had a way of imposing himself just by standing there. His assertive presence had often irked many of his own colleagues.

In Simenon's first novel featuring Maigret, the laconic detective is taken from grimy bars to luxury hotels as he traces the true identity of Pietr the Latvian. Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1903. Best known in Britain as the author of the Maigret books, his prolific output of over 400 novels and short stories have made him a household name in continental Europe. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life.

David Bellos is Director of the Program in Translation and Intercultural Communication at Princeton University and has won many awards for his translations including the Man Booker International Translator's Award (2005).

©2013 Georges Simenon (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

"Compelling, remorseless, brilliant" (John Gray)
"One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century.... Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories" ( Guardian)
"A supreme writer... unforgettable vividness" ( Independent)

What listeners say about Pietr the Latvian

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

At last the book not the play.

What made the experience of listening to Pietr the Latvian the most enjoyable?

Great to see the books out and translated well - not the BBC plays which are good but not good enough - well paced and full of character and texture. Old school investigation, gritty Gaelic noir!

What did you like best about this story?

Crime mystery at its intricate best.

Have you listened to any of Gareth Armstrong’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Really well read - the many voices are all distinct and played with conviction

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

AT LAST A DECENT FILM

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Great start to a series

I am well familiar with both Christie's and Doyle's creations, but I've only ever seen the odd Maigret TV film, and haven't actually read the books. What a treat I'm in for if the rest of the books in the serie are written in the same style!

Fans of any longstanding procedural, whether in books or on screen, will know that while a particular story may leave you cold, if you like the style of the author and the main character, they will carry you through. The central mystery of this book was pretty standard detective fare, but Simenon's writing is wonderful. Before reading the book, I have just finished "The spy who came in from the cold" and so I was able to compare two male authors writing in a vaguely similar field. I was rather disappointed with Carré as it felt that he shoehorned his characters into whatever philosophical argument he wanted to pursue and nothing in his book felt completely believable. Reading Simenon straight after was a joy, as he brings every single character, street and room to life. His style is very descriptive, but never florid and I really felt immersed in the backstreets of prewar Paris.

Gareth Armstrong is a great narrator and he gives just enough individuality to every character without chewing the scenery or adopting silly accents which would have been easy to do given the multicultural cast of the story.

I look forward to the rest of the series!

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Easy Reading of a classic cop

Would you listen to Pietr the Latvian again? Why?

I am not likely to listen to this story again, though it was enjoyable enough first time around. Story was a bit thin and didn't engage me very much - but good enough as background to doing the gardening or going to sleep.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

All tied up nicely at the end, though no great surprise, if a bit contorted.

Have you listened to any of Gareth Armstrong’s other performances? How does this one compare?

First time I have heard Gareth, but an enjoyable reader within plenty of 'character'.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Greatr performance, flawed story

Excellent entertainment provided you gloss over some infelicities in the story itself. The reading is spot on.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I couldn't stop listening!

What did you like most about Pietr the Latvian?

I love these tales & this didn't disappoint.

Any additional comments?

This was an excellent listen, an easy and undemanding listen & the characters were already known to me. In spite of that or maybe because of it, it made me listen. Gareth Armstrong will definitely see me listening to more of his reads. Inspector Maigret and the other characters here, but especially him, come to life.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant as always

Excellent story. Excellent narrator very good characterisation thoroughly good read as it were. two words

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved the TV series, now loving the audio books

I was almost put off by other reviews saying these translations made Maigret less likable but I am glad I took a chance on what is a relatively short audio book in exchange for one of my precious credits. I have listened to this twice and really love the story and the narrator. He does a great job with accents, men's voices and women's. Maigret is a touch 'harder' than the TV series from the 80s but not so much that this couldn't be Michael Gambon still. The story is interesting and has Maigret travelling around, talking to different ranks and interacting with Madame Maigret. I would definitely recommend this.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A memory of times past

I remember watching Maigret as a child on the television and I can remember the signature tune and opening titles vividly but I don't think I was aware that it was about drugs and violence. I enjoyed listening to this classic but I think it illustrates how far crime fiction has come. I will probably purchase the next in the series for nostalgic reasons.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant! Great writing and great narration!

Lovers of the TV series should read these. Simenon is a brilliant writer, or is it partly the new translation? Armstrong is a superb narrator and executes each character well. If this is the first one, what will the rest be like?

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Margaret the 1st

My 1st Maigret in a form other than tv was very interesting a complex plot kept one one involved all the way through. A good listen.

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3 people found this helpful