An ageing boxer caught in a love triangle. A wealthy Parisian family on the brink of collapse. A mysterious murder in a hotel in Cannes.These tales of human frailty and deceit - three of which are being published in English for the first time - distil the atmosphere, themes and psychological intensity that make Simenon's famous detective series so compelling.Written during the Second World War, just a few years after Simenon had published what was intended to be his last novel featuring Inspector Maigret, these stories encapsulate Simenon's storytelling genius and economy of style.Translated by Ros Schwartz'Not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor' Boyd Tonkin, Times