Maigret tracks down a woman connected with a jewel theft, but by the time he gets to her she’s been strangled in a stable next to a canal lock. He sequesters all the canal bargemen as well as the victim’s husband, who happened to be sailing by in his yacht with an entourage at the time of the murder.
While an inspector from Scotland Yard is staying with Maigret to observe his methods, Maigret receives word from the island of Porquerolles... of the murder of an ex-con who claims to have been his friend. None of it makes sense for Maigret, who needs to find out if and how some of the locals are involved
A man who owed a lot of people money is thought to have committed suicide when his lifeless body is discovered moments after a shot is fired. Subtle clues lead Maigret to suspect homicide, but he’ll be hard pressed to prove it.