Which detective fiction author created Inspector Jules Maigret?

Georges Simenon created Inspector Jules Maigret.

Maigret is a Paris-based police commissioner who investigates murders and other crimes through patient observation, interviews and psychological understanding. Unlike detectives who rely mainly on spectacular deductions, Maigret often studies the social environment around a crime and tries to understand the suspect's life and motives.

Simenon, a Belgian writer, introduced Maigret in the novel Pietr-le-Letton, published in 1931. The series eventually included more than seventy Maigret novels, making the inspector one of the most prolific recurring figures in twentieth-century detective fiction. Many stories are set in Paris, though Maigret also travels elsewhere in France.

Maigret is sometimes mistaken for a French creation because of his setting and nationality, but his author was Belgian. The character has been portrayed in many languages and adaptations, including television versions starring Rupert Davies, Jean Gabin and Rowan Atkinson.