Safe Return Doubtful

translated from the French by Geoffrey Sainsbury

Jeanne is a plus-sized fifty-seven year old widower, recently returned from almost forty years working overseas, in Turkey, in Egypt, but mainly in Argentina. For most of the novel we don’t know exactly why she returned, just that there was some sort of scandal.

She returns to France and her old family home, to find her brother has just died. His wife and children, just into adulthood, are behaving bizarrely, the very idea of a dysfunction family. Jeanne’s guilt at being away for so long, makes her determined to steady the ship. But it seems each family member has their own agenda.

I’m an experienced Simenon reader these days, enjoying his psychological work more than his Maigret, and trying to find everything he did that was translated into English, not easy..
There are many of his trademarks here, but each book I read I seem to pick up something new to appreciate. In this case, I recognise and admire the way he gradually introduces the reader to the quirks of his characters. Like a twist to a plot, there is a gradual reveal. At first we are unsure whether we side with them or not, whether we like them or not. Bits of dialogue and narrative build to give the compete picture.

Unlike many of Simenon’s protagonists, Jeanne is likeable, despite her dark past. She is patient, assess the situation before saying her piece. We side with her from the start, as she takes a nip of brandy on the train station for courage.

This is another wonderful novel from Simenon. I’ve given up saying which is my favourite, as that accolade tends to go to the last one I read. I just can’t wait for the next..

First published 1953 – My score 4 / 5

No English language reissue since 1983