Mystery Review: Maigret and the Lazy Burglar contrasts the old and the new, revealing complexities and dilemmas for the Paris police. Maigret is assigned to apprehend a successful band of jewelry store robbers. But he's more interested in a case that's not his where he has to operate behind the scenes, that of a burglar found dead. A man that Maigret unexpectedly respected and considered almost a friend. At the same time, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar describes changes that are brewing in the police department with onerous prosecutorial oversight disrupting official investigations. The police are losing their freedom to effectively solve crimes, or to solve them in their own way. Maigret's life-long skills are no longer appreciated, but he recognizes his own talents and ability to get results with the old methods. He also sees the burglar's old-school methods and talents, unlike the more violent modern robbers. Maigret solves the crimes but faces ethical and political issues in that one crime will go unpunished because of wealthy connections, the irony being that Maigret appreciates that the burglar was honorable in his way. The evocation of the life of a petty criminal lifts this above the usual. Although the title in French translates as "lazy" burglar or thief, a better title would be the "quiet" or "careful" burglar as he doesn't seem lazy at all. Maigret and the Lazy Burglar is number 57 in the series, also known as Maigret and the Idle Burglar. [4★]
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