''The father of contemporary European detective fiction'' Ann Cleeves''What else did they have to do with their days? They ambled around casually. From time to time, they paused, not because they were out of breath but to admire a tree, a house, the play of light and shadow, or a face.''While taking a much-needed rest cure in Vichy with his wife, Maigret feels compelled to help with a local investigation, unravelling the secrets of the spa town''s elegant inhabitants. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret Takes the Waters.''His artistry is supreme'' John Banville''One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century'' Guardian