The Watchmaker / The Iron Staircase

The Watchmaker and The Iron Staircase are two excellent examples of Georges Simenon’s short stories. Simenon is considered to be the father of the psychological crime novel and these two tales exemplify his style. Set in rural New York, The Watchmaker investigates the consequences of a volatile father-son relationship. In The Iron Staircase, the confrontation is between husband and wife. In both stories, family tensions place the participants in the middle of a drama that is both ancient and new. Once again, Maigret is successful due to his own ability to observe people and their reactions.