Synopses & Reviews
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 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.
Synopsis
The first installment in the delightful, internationally acclaimed series featuring Chief of Police Bruno.
Meet Benoit Courreges, 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 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"
About the Author
Martin Walker is the senior director of the Global Business Policy Council and editor emeritus and international affairs columnist at United Press International. Formerly Moscow and U.S. bureau chief for Britain’s The Guardian, he is also a senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. His books include The Cold War: A History, a New York Times Notable Book and short-listed for the Whitbread Book of the Year Prize, and The Caves of Périgord, a novel. He has written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Times Literary Supplement. He lives in Washington, D.C., and the southwest of France.