The Cat by Georges Simenon

The Cat by Georges Simenon

'Remarkable' New York Times
'No one is better than Simenon at showing how banal domestic conflict can lead to murderous catastrophe' Financial Times

An acerbic tale of marital warfare and emotional estrangement, in a brilliant new translation

In the oppressive silence of the sitting room, the woman finally smoothed out the paper and, without putting on her glasses, read the two words her husband had written:

The cat.

Amidst the din of their Parisian neighbourhood, Émile and Marguerite live in total silence. After a hasty marriage in their sixties, their uneasy peace was shattered when Émile’s beloved cat mysteriously disappeared and was later found dead. Branding his wife the culprit, Émile’s retaliation against Marguerite’s cherished parrot sparked a silent battle of wills. Now they live parallel lives, communicating only through spiteful notes, mocking glances and mute accusations. As their suspicion and resentment mount, this bitter game of psychological warfare becomes a twisted necessity, binding them together in a relentless cycle of torment from which there can only be one escape.

First published in 1967, The Cat is a masterful exploration of marital discord, loneliness and the absurdity of human relationships, painting a vivid portrait of two souls trapped in quiet desperation.

Simenon's skill is such that he never misses a trick in this brilliant study of old age, of obsession and of a human relationship gone wrongThe novel is done with great economy, and the author's psychological perceptions are sharper than ever. It is a remarkable achievement by a remarkable writer * New York Times *
One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories * Guardian *
Irresistible... read him at your peril, avoid him at your loss * Sunday Times *
A great writer of detail, of atmosphere. His descriptions of Paris influenced me -- Leïla Slimani * Financial Times *
The romans durs are extraordinary: tough, bleak, offhandedly violent, suffused with guilt and bitterness, redolent of place . . . utterly unsentimental, frightening in the pitilessness of their gaze, yet wonderfully entertaining -- John Banville
The novels brim with atmosphere, insight and intelligence . . . quite unlike anything else written before or since -- India Knight * The Times *

Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium in 1903. An intrepid traveller with a profound interest in people, Simenon strove on and off the page to understand, rather than to judge, the human condition in all its shades. His novels include the Inspector Maigret series and a richly varied body of wider work united by its evocative power, its economy of means, and its penetrating psychological insight. He is among the most widely read writers in the global canon. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780241808030
ISBN 10	0241808030
Title	The Cat
Author	Georges Simenon
Series	Penguin Modern Classics
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Penguin Books Ltd
Year published	2025-11-06
Number of pages	160
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.