Pitards (Penguin Modern Classics)

'Read him at your peril, avoid him at your loss' Sunday Times

CaptainLannec has finally managed to buy his own ship with thefinancial helpof his in-laws, the Pitards - and they've never let himforget it.When his temperamental wife Mathilde insists on coming alongon theship's first voyage, Lannec becomes increasingly unnerved by her presence, especially when he receives an anonymous note saying he won't make it back to port. As they hit a storm in the Atlantic, jealousy, spite, snobbery and suspicion are churned up in the boat's stiflingly close quarters...

First published in 1935, The Pitardswas one of the first novels Simenon wrote when he shelved his famousMaigret series in order to strike out in a new direction and make a namefor himself as a literary writer. This gripping evocation of life atsea revolves around class and the tense unravelling of relationships,powerful themes that Simenon would return to throughout his writingcareer.

Reviews

A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness