Death in the Dordogne: Police chief Bruno's first murder case (The Dordogne Mysteries) Paperback – 14 Jan. 2016

It’s a long time since I enjoyed a book so much. It’s only light reading, not a great work of literature, but nevertheless a good story and enjoyable. The main character, Bruno, is a very likeable man - something I haven’t come across since I used to read all the Dick Francis novels - his main characters were the same. It might help that I’m somewhat a Francophile and have spent a holiday or two in the Périgord region, so I’m keen to learn more facts about France and the French. (I'm going to have a go at cooking steaks Bruno's way - by singing La Marseillaise for each side. Bruno takes 45 seconds, I timed myself at 49!). I shall definitely be reading the rest of the series.

Encouraged by the Amazon Kindle Daily Deal, I thought I would try a new author in the crime/mystery/thriller genre. Death in the Dordogne was originally titled Bruno, Chief of Police, the first book in the series.Follow Bruno, a country policeman from the fictional small town of St. Denis in the Dordogne. An elderly Arab is found murdered in his home and Bruno helps solve the mysteries surrounding the death.I enjoyed reading Death in the Dordogne which has a full story mix. You experience the full life of St. Denis and it is not just a police procedural. The reader is thrown head first into the rural culture of the Dordogne, with its funny little ways of life. There are tonnes of characters with their little quirks to enjoy. I loved the descriptions of everyday life and the little schemes involved, for example…Everybody knew the old woman was poor as a church mouse since her husband drank the farm away. She bought the cheapest eggs at the local supermarket, scraped off the date stamps, rolled them in straw and chicken-shit and sold them to tourists as farm-laid for a euro a piece....There were other incidents including a potato and visiting EU inspectors. I liked how this novel made me feel like a tourist enjoying a holiday. All life in rural France was fully explained with great detail about the food and wine. I loved the atmosphere created within this story.Bruno is a very likeable lead character who fully appreciates his job and life in St. Denis. I enjoyed reading about his day job and his very happy private life - he is a very active member of the community outside of work. Bruno has a Basset Hound called Gigi to complete the rural picture but sadly no current partner to share his free time. However, romance does creep slowly into this novel but nothing to offend your grandmother!I liked the plot and how the mystery was solved with a surprise ending. No spoilers from me but the murder victim had a very unusual and colourful past! I even enjoyed reading about the 20th century history of France, Martin made the military and political struggles so interesting which is very hard for any author to do!The format of this book made for very comfortable reading, there were no boring bits and it made me feel as though I was on a holiday with new experiences. The writing style is clear and entertaining. The feel of this book is identical to the Kate Shugak mysteries by Dana Stabenow which are set in Alaska.I think Death in the Dordogne is a GOOD 4 star read and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Brilliant!

This novel, the first of a series, is set in the Dordogne area of South west France, the next major river valley north of where my family lives. The book itself was recommended to me by a local English friend and I had been hoping to find a great new series to read, based in an area I know well.The first book in the series is under £2 for a Kindle download from Amazon so it was a good way to sample without splashing £7 on a paperback. I was even able to start reading on the Sunday it was recommended to me, deep in South West France. The internet is a wonderful tool for instant gratification!To the story, which I went to read WANTING to like, yet I came away disappointed.Probably the most important thing in a crime novel is the plot, and this works so I was able to read this through to the end. It is the story of a typical sleepy rural French town, where there is a murder that appears to be a hate crime. Of course, nothing is that simple and the investigation unfolds down through a number of twists and turns, relatively conventional but to a clear conclusion.Martin Walker, a Guardian journalist, lives part of the year in the Dordogne so I assumed the research and setting would be up to scratch. It is, but in a way that makes it one of two weaknesses of the novel; the other being the characterisation. Had I not known that Walker had published a previous novel I would have assumed this is a first novel, with the associated faults and weaknesses.The two main problems go hand in hand. The best way I can describe them is to say this story is "murder in 'A Year In Provence'". There are lots of colourful French characters but they verge on or move into caricature. Most irritating is the new head of the Gendamerie for the Commune, who does not develop and is merely there to be a persistent hurdle the protagonist, Bruno Courrèges, must overcome at every step of the investigation. I did like Bruno, Chief of Police because he is the only local policeman in the town, but most of the villagers who appear as characters were two-dimensional.The setting itself is a typical rural town in the area but rather than letting it unfold naturally, with French terminology the reader can look up if they don't recognise it, every time a new term is introduced it is explained, interrupting the flow and making it feel like one is reading a travel guide not a novel.It is true I have an advantage over many readers in that I am familiar with the local structures and political complexities and rivalries between the various police forces in France but many of the target audience could have a passing knowledge from news and holidays in France. Description and information should not be at the cost of the flow of the story and to the level where it is intrusive and irritating.Another irritant was the black-and-white antipathy of the villagers to Government bureaucracy in Paris and Brussels. It felt like we were being treated to the author's prejudices rather than a rounded view. After all, the rural farmers expressing their ire are the same French small farmers who do so very nicely out of the EU agricultural support mechanisms - yet that never had a mention. The few English characters, well-to-do and single - one becomes the 'love interest', seem to be there more for an English audience than because they serve a really necessary part of the story.So, all in all, disappointing. A rating of 3 out of 5 - I finished it. But with the rest of the series all being over a fiver on Kindle download I will not be investing in more of the series. A shame because, as I said, I really wanted to like this.

When I decided to give this book a try there was no way I knew what a delight was in store. I loved this book so much I am now on Book 6 and have enjoyed every one. The stories are intriguing, the food descriptions sublime and the books are beautifully written. It also reminded me of the days when my son was a young boy and we used to go on holiday to France every year, I recognised this area very well so as well as all the good things mentioned above there was also a huge amount of nostalgia. Its a wonderful thing to discover a new author and the pleasure that comes from an enthralling story.

easy reading

A wonderful read. I spotted a review of a new Martin Walker book that seemed right up my street, then found out it was the 16th book in his Dordogne series. So went to find book 1 and it realised all my hopes for a good read. And the bonus - 99p for the Kindle version. "Death in the Dordogne" was, indeed, an excellent read and I will look to read the other 15. HOWEVER, the others in Kindle format are much more expensive (usual Amazon trick with good books) so a cheap, postage-free, used, paperback from Ebay will have to suffice.....

Good book

I found the book well written and in the end quite enjoyable. It describes well the Dordogne and its people while presenting the crime plot. The author has merits and knows his way around. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that in my view the author falls too much in love for the Southern France lifestyle and here and there forgets about the plot a bit too much. Bruno is a nice character and I like it, but sometimes he is too much constructed to represent the typical southern Frenchman, a bit of a "cliché", so to speak. Anyway, overall a good book.

Delightful read, lovely portrayal of simple country life

A slow start but building to a good well written story. Very atmospheric and wonderful descriptive text. Interesting and likeable characters

Entretenida pero no cautivadora. El autor se regodea en la descripción de un ambiente francés en vías de extinción. Le falta garra.