The first installment in the delightful, internationally acclaimed series featuring Chief of Police Bruno.Meet Benoît Courrèges, aka Bruno, a policeman in a small village in the South of France. He’s a former soldier who has embraced the pleasures and slow rhythms of country life. He has a gun but never wears it; he has the power to arrest but never uses it. But then the murder of an elderly … elderly North African who fought in the French army changes all that. Now Bruno must balance his beloved routines—living in his restored shepherd’s cottage, shopping at the local market, drinking wine, strolling the countryside—with a politically delicate investigation. He’s paired with a young policewoman from Paris and the two suspect anti-immigrant militants. As they learn more about the dead man’s past, Bruno’s suspicions turn toward a more complex motive.
“Enjoyable…. Martin Walker plots with the same finesse with which Bruno can whip up a truffle omelette, and both have a clear appreciation for a life tied to the land.” —The Christian Science Monitor
“A nice literary pairing with the slow-food movement…. [It is] lovely…to linger at the table.” —Entertainment Weekly
“A wonderfully crafted novel as satisfying as a French pastry but with none of the guilt or calories.” —Tuscon Citizen’s Journal
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Once again, I read this book for Book Club. I like an occasional mystery, but I probably would never have picked it up if wasn’t our chosen read for the month. However, I really enjoyed it. It’s a quiet, atmospheric sort of story that pulls you in right from the get go and the kind you don’t want to leave even though the mystery is solved. …
A who-dun-it that offers me a travelogue, cooking techniques, obscure facts of history made pertinent and savory, a discovery of wine, escape and an intriguing view of a man who loves the intricate nature of the female! I am now on a binge into all books that follow…and of course, Walker cannot write quickly enough for me!
Now known as Death in the Dordogne, this is the first in a series of books in which the lovely Dordogne countryside and rural habits (including playing rugby and making wine) are occasionally interrupted by modern French life and death. Bruno lives an idyllic life and is one of those characters who can cook a five-course meal, take his horse out …
A thoroughly enjoyable cozy set in the south of France. Think Agatha Christie x A Year in Provence, with some Foyle’s War tossed in. The MC is a personable Sergeant who knows everyone in St. Denis and, despite some painful backstory, is a fundamentally trusting, generous man. The mystery has a dark edge, more intricate than most cozies, and …
A very enjoyable read with interesting character very descriptive.
Walker does a fantastic job of taking us into the world of Bruno, Chief of Police, from the food to the countryside to the cast of characters who make up the town. And of course, the challenge is to figure out whodunnit. A perfect mystery.
While this was a smart police procedural with plenty of political ins and outs, I mostly enjoyed the book for Walker’s ability to take me right into the heart of a small town in southern France (complete with gobs of good food). It’s not quite the same as going myself, but…
A wonderful book full of colorful characters
A lot about provincial French food.
Martin Walker tells great stories. I bought this book in Paris and have since
read all of his books. Bruno, is a delightful character and always up to a good
time. Love the background of France.
Walker, who we met in Northern California several years ago tells a very good
tale.
I’m so happy I found a new series to read. Excellent characters, plot twists and descriptions of everyday life in rural France.
Martin Walker’s Bruno, Chief of Police is the first in an excellent series of contemporary mysteries set in provincial France. Bruno, the main character, is the sole policeman for St. Denis, a fictional town in rural southwestern France, an area with both a weight of history (40,000 years of continuous human habitation) and numerous more recent …
Meet the French equivalent of Inspector Morse, except he loves wine and solves mysteries in the South of France. This absolutely wonderful and beloved series of books spans sixteen tomes (so far) and will plunge you right into Bruno’s life in his shepherd’s hut and frequenting the local markets while solving mysteries that no one else can. Divine.
Informative about a part of WW2 I had never heard of. Fascinating!
An easy read but also a little different from the typical British crime stories. I enjoyed this book
Great story, wonderful characters, wonderful scene descriptions,
I enjoyed this as both a mystery and look into the French area and culture. This was not one of those ‘race against time’ mysteries, so it was able to develop characters and offer description beyond the murder. It was a nice change of pace for a mystery.
Enjoyed this book for its characters. Reminded me of M.C. Beaton.
This is a great series! After I finish every book, I find myself really wanting to live in Bruno’s village and especially wanting to join him and his friends at table.
Good book with likable characters, some mystery and crime solving in a beautiful, interesting region in France.