An excellent Maigret novel. It revolves around a report, the Calame Report, that will expose a scandal around the collapse of a sanatorium killing children. The report is never physically found during the investigation but it does exist and possibly in more than one copy. On page 155, a copying device is revealed, 'a Photostat machine...The machine made a gentle humming sound and he inserted the sheets of paper one at a time...the damp sheets emerged from a slit and the secretary spread them out to dry on the table'. This is described as a 'wonderful invention' and is critical to the outcome of this story of murky corruption involving politicians, companies and rogues. The book was first published in 1955. ( )

The author and his inspector look back together over four of their greatest cases. Where is the vital report that holds the key to the fate of the French government? What is the secret behind the sudden disappearance of one of Paris' best known solicitors? And will the demented double murderer strike again?