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.
Bruno, Chief of Police: A Novel of the French Countryside
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Policing in Chief Bruno Courrèges's sun-dappled patch of Périgord involves protecting local fromages from E.U. hygiene inspectors, orchestrating village parades and enjoying the obligatory leisurely lunch—that is, until the brutal murder of an elderly Algerian immigrant instantly jolts Walker's second novel (after The Caves of Périgord) from provincial cozy to timely whodunit. As a high-powered team of investigators, including a criminally attractive female inspector, invade sleepy St. Denis to forestall any anti-Arab violence, the amiable Bruno must begin regarding his neighbors—or should we say potential suspects—in a rather different light. Without sacrificing a soupçon of the novel's smalltown charm or its characters' endearing quirkiness, Walker deftly drives his plot toward a dark place where old sins breed fresh heartbreak. Walker, a foreign affairs journalist, is also the author of such nonfiction titles as The Iraq War and America Reborn. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“A nice literary pairing with the slow-food movement . . . [It is] lovely . . . to linger at the table.” —Entertainment Weekly
“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] wonderfully crafted novel as satisfying as a French pastry but with none of the guilt or calories.” —Tucson Citizen’s Journal
“Bruno is a delightful character and Walker’s handling of long-held grudges is intelligent and sympathetic.” —The Guardian (London)
“A roman policier . . . that the celebrated Simenon, creator of Inspector Jules Maigret, would have been proud to claim . . . Readers [will] effortlessly enter French consciousness through [this] perspicacious book.” —Baton Rouge Advocate
“Highly satisfying.” —The Boston Globe
“Absolutely amazing.” —The Knowledgeable Blogger
“Such a pleasure to read that I can’t help but suspect that Walker had equal fun writing it.” —BookBrowse
“Charming and many pages of the book will have readers purring with delight. There is, however, a darker side. . . . The crime which disturbs the idyllic commune of St Denis has its origins in France’s troubled past and provokes outbreaks of the politically inspired violence that simmers beneath the placid and agreeable surface presented to tourists.” —The Scotsman (UK)
“Distinctive well-rounded characters and an intriguing mystery are a winning combination in Martin Walker’s Bruno, Chief of Police. . . . Walker’s relaxed style and good humour help to bring to life his engaging hero and his delightful home and make one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in a long time.” —Susanna Yager, Sunday Telegraph (UK)
“Martin Walker has not only written an engrossing roman policier, but he has written a book that goes to the very heart of what France–rural, small-town France–is like. It's a thriller, and full of surprises, but it will also appeal to anybody who loves France. Bruno, Chief of Police, is a wonderful creation.” —Michael Korda, author of Charmed Lives
“Hugely enjoyable and absolutely gripping. Martin Walker has got off to a flying start in what promises to be a great series. Bruno will be the Maigret of the Dordogne.” —Antony Beevor, author of Paris After the Liberation 1944-1949
“A splendid combination of a complex crime with tangled wartime origins that takes place in a lovingly described French village, and a totally original and sympathetic hero. Absolutely first rate. There must be more to come about Bruno!” —William Pfaff, author of Barbarian Sentiments: America in the New Century
“Martin Walker has found in Bruno a man rooted in the terroir of Perigord, who brings that quirky, lovable part of France alive. This novel is as tasty as a slice of Bruno’s local foie gras, topped with a glass of his homemade vin de noix.” —David Ignatius, author of Body of Lies
“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] wonderfully crafted novel as satisfying as a French pastry but with none of the guilt or calories.” —Tucson Citizen’s Journal
“Bruno is a delightful character and Walker’s handling of long-held grudges is intelligent and sympathetic.” —The Guardian (London)
“A roman policier . . . that the celebrated Simenon, creator of Inspector Jules Maigret, would have been proud to claim . . . Readers [will] effortlessly enter French consciousness through [this] perspicacious book.” —Baton Rouge Advocate
“Highly satisfying.” —The Boston Globe
“Absolutely amazing.” —The Knowledgeable Blogger
“Such a pleasure to read that I can’t help but suspect that Walker had equal fun writing it.” —BookBrowse
“Charming and many pages of the book will have readers purring with delight. There is, however, a darker side. . . . The crime which disturbs the idyllic commune of St Denis has its origins in France’s troubled past and provokes outbreaks of the politically inspired violence that simmers beneath the placid and agreeable surface presented to tourists.” —The Scotsman (UK)
“Distinctive well-rounded characters and an intriguing mystery are a winning combination in Martin Walker’s Bruno, Chief of Police. . . . Walker’s relaxed style and good humour help to bring to life his engaging hero and his delightful home and make one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in a long time.” —Susanna Yager, Sunday Telegraph (UK)
“Martin Walker has not only written an engrossing roman policier, but he has written a book that goes to the very heart of what France–rural, small-town France–is like. It's a thriller, and full of surprises, but it will also appeal to anybody who loves France. Bruno, Chief of Police, is a wonderful creation.” —Michael Korda, author of Charmed Lives
“Hugely enjoyable and absolutely gripping. Martin Walker has got off to a flying start in what promises to be a great series. Bruno will be the Maigret of the Dordogne.” —Antony Beevor, author of Paris After the Liberation 1944-1949
“A splendid combination of a complex crime with tangled wartime origins that takes place in a lovingly described French village, and a totally original and sympathetic hero. Absolutely first rate. There must be more to come about Bruno!” —William Pfaff, author of Barbarian Sentiments: America in the New Century
“Martin Walker has found in Bruno a man rooted in the terroir of Perigord, who brings that quirky, lovable part of France alive. This novel is as tasty as a slice of Bruno’s local foie gras, topped with a glass of his homemade vin de noix.” —David Ignatius, author of Body of Lies
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
58 of 59 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The only reason I picked this book off the shelf in the library is because I was wondering if it was the same Martin Walker I'd been listening to for years as a commentator on my local NPR station. When I saw that it was, I took a closer look and, being a fan of crime fiction, thought I'd give it a go. Little did I suspect that I'd be so thoroughly engrossed by the routine of a small-town French policeman that I'd set aside all other reading for three days to tear through it.
The book is set in a quintessentially quaint and charming small town (pop. 2,900) in the super-picturesque Dordogneregion. The opening chapters are all about establishing the sights, smells, and rhythms of the town and the titular character's role within it as a kind of avuncular, sensible enforcer of the law. Well, not quite all laws (especially not the strict food processing laws of the EU), but the more important ones (unless you think drunk driving is important). However, soon enough, the quiet little town is devastated by the murder of a quiet old Algerian -- the father of the town's math teacher, and the grandfather of the town's rugby star.
This stirs up all kinds of tension, and as the National Front, provincial detectives, and prosecutors and politicians from Paris all flood in to get involved, Bruno has to do his best to protect the people of his idyllic town from all these outsiders. He's a bit of a superhero character: amazing chef (food and alcohol are everpresent in the book), wonderful with the town kids (he's a volunteer tennis and rugby coach), jack of all trades handyman, mysterious past (orphaned and then 12 years of army service, including some horrors in Bosnia), and most importantly, single.
Naturally, a love interest emerges (as well as one or two for the future) as the plot eventually winds its way back through time to the Resistance during WWII. Most readers will recognize the red herrings for what they are, and those with a particular knowledge of the German occupation may be able to see where it's all going. Nonetheless, Walker has taken an interesting morsel of largely unknown history and woven it into an entertaining tale. While some might find Bruno to be a touch too flawless, and the setting a touch too precious, I found the book to be an charming and entertaining read. Hopefully this is the first in a series of Bruno books.
The book is set in a quintessentially quaint and charming small town (pop. 2,900) in the super-picturesque Dordogneregion. The opening chapters are all about establishing the sights, smells, and rhythms of the town and the titular character's role within it as a kind of avuncular, sensible enforcer of the law. Well, not quite all laws (especially not the strict food processing laws of the EU), but the more important ones (unless you think drunk driving is important). However, soon enough, the quiet little town is devastated by the murder of a quiet old Algerian -- the father of the town's math teacher, and the grandfather of the town's rugby star.
This stirs up all kinds of tension, and as the National Front, provincial detectives, and prosecutors and politicians from Paris all flood in to get involved, Bruno has to do his best to protect the people of his idyllic town from all these outsiders. He's a bit of a superhero character: amazing chef (food and alcohol are everpresent in the book), wonderful with the town kids (he's a volunteer tennis and rugby coach), jack of all trades handyman, mysterious past (orphaned and then 12 years of army service, including some horrors in Bosnia), and most importantly, single.
Naturally, a love interest emerges (as well as one or two for the future) as the plot eventually winds its way back through time to the Resistance during WWII. Most readers will recognize the red herrings for what they are, and those with a particular knowledge of the German occupation may be able to see where it's all going. Nonetheless, Walker has taken an interesting morsel of largely unknown history and woven it into an entertaining tale. While some might find Bruno to be a touch too flawless, and the setting a touch too precious, I found the book to be an charming and entertaining read. Hopefully this is the first in a series of Bruno books.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By A. Anderson
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
In the village of St. Denis, life is very good. And the man with the best of lives is Brunoit (known as Bruno), the young and attractive Chief of Police, who leads the citizens of his village with empathy and sensitivity and is generally beloved. And that, largely, is what the book is about. There is no grit in this mystery and very little mystery: there are no bad guys but only the eddies that arise from the past. Even the death of a nearly invisible member of the community has only momentary impact with a barely jarring note. This is a love song to the small town life of rural France, where friends and neighbors are kind and helpful and generous, where the routine of daily life is soothing and reassuring and where, if you are an expatriate American (as the writer seems to be), everything is good in retreating from the bustle and where the demands of the modern world are muted. It is lovingly written, and while attractive, has little beyond the appeal of an airbrushed postcard. Readers of the Donna Leon series set n Venice with the more believable police chief, Brunetti, may like Bruno and the travel to this lovely village. Those who want a tangible mystery or a bit of depth in characters will feel as though they ate a profiterole...tasty but unmemorable.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A paean to the Dordogne, an exploration of fractious French history, and the debut of the most self-possessed, accomplished, even-tempered, life-savoring Holmesian character ever, Walker's first Bruno novel proves once and for all that heavyweight journalists can write mystery novels.
Former Russia and U.S. bureau chief for The Guardian, current Editor Emeritus of UPI, author of such books as "The Cold War," and "The President They Deserve," this British journalist, historian, scholar, and global policy advisor has created a hero dedicated to the quiet, regular, sensual life of rural France.
Bruno, an orphan abandoned by his mother, joined the military at an early age and spent 12 years with the Combat Engineers, which seems roughly equivalent to Special Forces. Receiving a Croix de Guerre for his service in the Balkans, Bruno retired to St. Denis and became the town's police chief and only policeman.
Although new to the town, he has become part of its fabric, savoring the rhythm of life - his own and that of the townspeople, from the two old WWII partisans that don't speak, and the town's token communist, to its bakers and cheese makers and vintners, its quarrels, rivalries and long-simmering feuds, even its newcomers - the English tourists who have lately been pushing up the housing prices.
He plays tennis with the Baron (atheist and retired industrialist), coaches kids at rugby, hunts birds, cooks, works on his house, organizes parades, safeguards the local market from the health inspectors of the European Union, and with the help of his friend the politically well-connected mayor, generally keeps the peace.
This idyllic life is threatened when someone stabs a reclusive Algerian grandfather - a hero of the French Resistance and winner of the Croix de Guerre - carving a swastika into his chest. Some druggy kids, local members of the Front National, the extreme right, are arrested, but despite motive and opportunity, Bruno is not convinced.
The politicians swoop in and take over, determined to bring this sensational hate crime to a swift and triumphant conclusion. But Bruno keeps turning up evidence that delays their gratification.
Meanwhile there is budding romance with an attractive inspector assigned to St. Denis for the investigation, and flirtation with the English ladies who run a small resort near the murdered man's home. There are truffles to be shaved, meals to be cooked and enjoyed with good wine, ruffled feathers to be smoothed, scenery to be admired, facts to be gleaned and interpreted.
There is an edgy feel to the book, a tension caused by the ugly feelings towards immigrants, especially Muslims, seen as disrupting tradition. In return the Muslims dig in their heels and don chadors. And longstanding tensions arise from the tangled roots of WWII occupation and collaboration. Not everyone was really a member of the Resistance. Hard feelings run deep.
But the strongest undercurrent is a sense of French joie de vivre, an attention to small rituals, an appreciation of conversation, attractive women, good clothes, good food, and all the trappings of civilized life.
Bruno is a master of calm thinking, diplomacy and planning - a marvel really. But his careful and commanding organization seems part of the fabric of his being, well nurtured after his chaotic youth. Readers will appreciate - even believe - his apparent perfection.
Walker's love of the place shines through. Readers will look forward to visiting it again with him and the incomparable Bruno.
Former Russia and U.S. bureau chief for The Guardian, current Editor Emeritus of UPI, author of such books as "The Cold War," and "The President They Deserve," this British journalist, historian, scholar, and global policy advisor has created a hero dedicated to the quiet, regular, sensual life of rural France.
Bruno, an orphan abandoned by his mother, joined the military at an early age and spent 12 years with the Combat Engineers, which seems roughly equivalent to Special Forces. Receiving a Croix de Guerre for his service in the Balkans, Bruno retired to St. Denis and became the town's police chief and only policeman.
Although new to the town, he has become part of its fabric, savoring the rhythm of life - his own and that of the townspeople, from the two old WWII partisans that don't speak, and the town's token communist, to its bakers and cheese makers and vintners, its quarrels, rivalries and long-simmering feuds, even its newcomers - the English tourists who have lately been pushing up the housing prices.
He plays tennis with the Baron (atheist and retired industrialist), coaches kids at rugby, hunts birds, cooks, works on his house, organizes parades, safeguards the local market from the health inspectors of the European Union, and with the help of his friend the politically well-connected mayor, generally keeps the peace.
This idyllic life is threatened when someone stabs a reclusive Algerian grandfather - a hero of the French Resistance and winner of the Croix de Guerre - carving a swastika into his chest. Some druggy kids, local members of the Front National, the extreme right, are arrested, but despite motive and opportunity, Bruno is not convinced.
The politicians swoop in and take over, determined to bring this sensational hate crime to a swift and triumphant conclusion. But Bruno keeps turning up evidence that delays their gratification.
Meanwhile there is budding romance with an attractive inspector assigned to St. Denis for the investigation, and flirtation with the English ladies who run a small resort near the murdered man's home. There are truffles to be shaved, meals to be cooked and enjoyed with good wine, ruffled feathers to be smoothed, scenery to be admired, facts to be gleaned and interpreted.
There is an edgy feel to the book, a tension caused by the ugly feelings towards immigrants, especially Muslims, seen as disrupting tradition. In return the Muslims dig in their heels and don chadors. And longstanding tensions arise from the tangled roots of WWII occupation and collaboration. Not everyone was really a member of the Resistance. Hard feelings run deep.
But the strongest undercurrent is a sense of French joie de vivre, an attention to small rituals, an appreciation of conversation, attractive women, good clothes, good food, and all the trappings of civilized life.
Bruno is a master of calm thinking, diplomacy and planning - a marvel really. But his careful and commanding organization seems part of the fabric of his being, well nurtured after his chaotic youth. Readers will appreciate - even believe - his apparent perfection.
Walker's love of the place shines through. Readers will look forward to visiting it again with him and the incomparable Bruno.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Summer Breeze of a Series
Another charming book in the seven book Bruno series, by Martin Walker, the local cop of St. Denis, a quaint village in the south of France. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Kenneth C. Mahieu
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great summer book
I want to read all the Bruno books. The murder mystery, although interesting, was secondary to me. I loved the description of France's country life, food and people. Read more
Published 9 days ago by sabrina
3.0 out of 5 stars
liked, but ....
I enjoyed a look at a French version of justice & the various levels of policing; the various views of immigration to France & the assimilation of immigrants; and the way the past... Read more
Published 16 days ago by moderatelymoderate
4.0 out of 5 stars
I wish to go to France now
I wish to to go to France now and experience the country/culture and caves! I wish we had more common sense police everywhere. Read more
Published 24 days ago by kristine
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bruno, Chief of Police
Love these books well written, you feel you are there. good story line, descriptive narrative and keeps you turning the pages
Published 1 month ago by Kerrin Phillips
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bruno for president
I seldom write revues, even when asked. Because of the potential cost of much reading I normally will select titles in a lower price range. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Old Al
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bruno, Chief of Police a good guy
Nice, chatty style. Good story. Believable characters. Somewhat unbelievable ending.
All in all, a good introduction to the Bruno series.
All in all, a good introduction to the Bruno series.
Published 1 month ago by Teresa Godfrey
3.0 out of 5 stars
Worth the time
Interesting recent French history and geography in a novel setting. Is not a real spell binder, however. The thrill of the chase n'exist pas.
Published 2 months ago by Mr. Thomas W. Holford
5.0 out of 5 stars
Am absolutely entranced with Martin Walkers tales of Bruno.
The hero is superb................why have they not made a film or TV series yet?His descriptions of the various lunches and supper fests that Bruno throws leave me... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Dennis.....Cape Town South Africa
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bruno is tres gentile!
Just an excellent book whether you're into French things or not. But if you are, they talk about truffles and pate and make it sound like an everyday lunch!
Published 2 months ago by Marty Flint
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