<p>Chief Superintendent Philippe Maigret ¿ the most decorated police officer in Paris - has been given an undercover assignment by his friend, Christophe Saint-Val¿, the Minister of Police. He is to find an ancient grimoire ¿ an 18th Century book about witchcraft ¿ stolen from the Aix-en-Provence reference library some months ago. </p><p>What a waste of the man¿s talent and courage, we might think. But that would be wrong! Someone is using the grimoire for a specific purpose, and animals are being killed in weird ways. How long before the perpetrator takes an even bigger step? </p><p>Maigret and his English wife Meg have barely left Paris when they make a gruesome discovery, or rather their cat does, which changes everything: he must cooperate with the Gendarmerie: they are in their territory now. And that seriously upsets his professional balance. Is a month in a lovely cottage in Provence during springtime ¿ all expenses paid - really worth this amount of drama? </p><p>However, more