Georges Simenon was born in Liege, Belgium, in 1903. He is best know in Britain as the author of the Maigret novels and 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.
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. --The Guardian (London) I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov. --William Faulkner The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature. -- Andr' Gide A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness. --The Independent (London) Superb . . . the most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales. --The Observer (London) Compelling, remorseless, brilliant. --John Gray A truly wonderful writer . . . marvellously readable--lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the work he creates. --Muriel Spark A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it. --Peter Ackroyd Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century. --John Banville