Maigret and the Yellow Dog

 Maigret and the Yellow Dog by Georges Simenon (1936) 135 pages

I find that books in this old mystery series with Superintendent Maigret are a perfect way to leave the cares of the world behind for a little while. They tend to be somewhat short and not too gory. Mostly we see the events unfold as Maigret takes them in, sometimes quietly, sometimes with a touch of cantankerousness. 

In this story, Maigret comes on the scene after a man is shot in the stomach through a mailslot outside a vacant house, a big yellow dog coming to sniff at him as he lies on the ground. Others in the man's social circle are then attacked over the next few days: poisoned drink is found at their table in the local cafe. One man in their group disappears, his car found abandoned with bloodstains in it. Another man is petrified, staying in a hotel, afraid to go anywhere, thinking he'll be next. Emma, the waitress, seems to figure in the story, but it's not clear how. The people of the town begin to panic, and the mayor demands that Maigret explain how the incidents continue to occur even under his watch. When the wrap-up occurs, events are tied together in a most perfect package.