I'm glad I didn't start with this book when discovering Maigret, it's the first book in a very long series, so it's more interesting as an example of how a writer develops as they write more books.

The writing isn't as good, the world isn't as lived in, and the supporting characters are still being figured out. At the same time, the seed of all their potential is there, so it's fun to see the ideas in their infancy.

As a very short light read it's still a totally fine time though.