Georges Simenon’s pipe-smoking, trenchcoat-clad, shabby sleuth has been given a Parisian makeover

A body left to rot under forest leaves, a dagger between the ribs, a bullet fired at the temple – this sort of slaughter is now commonplace on Sunday afternoon television, with viewers barely raising an eyebrow. But there are still some fictional crimes that can shock an audience, prompting letters and complaints. These are screen offences committed against a beloved detective, and they are perpetrated whenever a new version is made.

Fans of Sherlock Holmes, Van der Valk, Arsène Lupin, Marple or Poirot are regularly outraged when faced with a fresh, modernised portrayal. But among the most protective are the admirers of Georges Simenon’s celebrated Maigret novels – and they now have a big surprise coming their way. Their favourite middle-aged Parisian police chief is about to be reborn as a young, contemporary hero.