Novel by Georges Simenon
The Crime at Lock 14 (Fr. "Le Charretier de la Providence", "The Carter of the "Providence"") is a detective novel by the Belgian writer Georges Simenon featuring his character Inspector Jules Maigret.
Plot summary.
Maigret is called to a crime scene at Lock 14 on the Marne Canal, near Dizy, when a woman's body is found in the stable of a canalside inn. She had been strangled, and was still wearing her jewellery, pointing to a crime of passion. The woman is identified as Mary Lampson, wife of an English "milord" travelling through France on his yacht, the "Southern Cross". Lampson and his odd collection of passengers are questioned, but Maigret comes no nearer to the truth. Also under suspicion are the crew of the barge "Providence", particularly its carter, who had spent the night in the stable, possibly on the night of the murder. He turns out to be a simple soul, incapable of harm. When a second member of the "Southern Cross's" party is murdered, Maigret has to uncover the secrets of all concerned, including the mild-mannered carter of the "Providence".
Background.
Simenon was fond of boats and spent six months in 1928 navigating the rivers and canals of France. "The carter of la providence" was one of several novels written on board his boat, the "Ostrogoth".
"I had my second boat built at Fecamp, the "Ostrogoth". I brought it to Paris, where I had it christened (on a whim) by a priest at Notre Dame...then Belgium, Holland, Germany".
Other titles.
The book has been translated three times into English: in 1934 by Anthony Abbot as "The Crime at Lock 14", in 1963 by Robert Baldick as "Maigret meets a Milord" (reissued in 2003 as "Lock 14"), and in 2014 by David Coward as "The Carter of 'La Providence"'.
Adaptations.
The story has been adapted four times for film and television: in English in 1963 as "The Crime at Lock 14", with Rupert Davies in the main role; in Japanese in 1978 as "Keishi to Minami Jūjisei" ("the Southern Cross") with Kinya Aikawa; in French in 1980 as "Le Charretier de "La Providence"" with Jean Richard, and again in 2001 as "Maigret et la croqueuse de diamants" ("Maigret and the gold-diggers (lit. "diamond eaters")", with Bruno Cremer.
Notes.
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