When a drowned man comes back to life, Georges Simenon's detective must figure out who might have wanted him dead--before they try again. Emile Ducrau, the kingpin of a small town on the outskirts of Paris, is stabbed and left for dead in the harbor one night. When he's pulled from the water and miraculously revived, he enlists the help of Maigret to figure out who was behind the attempted murder. As Maigret sorts through the complex web of deceit, abuse, money, and power that darken Emile's many dealings in the town, he must also deal with the specter of his own looming retirement. But even as Maigret navigates the domineering Ducrau's attempts to control his investigation, and contemplates his offer of a job, he's jolted out of his reverie by two more deaths and must solve the case before the killer can strike again.