Bruno, Chief of Police: A Mystery of the French Countryside (Bruno Chief Of Police Book 1) Kindle Edition

Excellent mystery series about a local policeman in a small town in France. The town of St.Denis is small; the people in it are big-hearted, a little quirky and upstanding citizens - well, most of them. Bruno is definitely the people's policeman and he solves crimes big and small with intelligence and compassion. This is the 1st book in the series. Reading #3 now and still love it

First Line: On a bright May morning, so early that the last of the mist was still lingering low over a bend in the Vézère River, a white van drew to a halt on the ridge that overlooked the small French town.After a horrifying stint with the U.N. peacekeeping forces in Bosnia, Benoît Courrèges (known as Bruno) has found a home he has come to love very much-- the small village of St. Denis in the Périgord region of southwestern France. There with the help of his friends and his own two hands, he has built a home, and there he knows everyone, and everyone knows him. The mayor of St. Denis also likes and respects Bruno and works with him for the good of the village. Bruno has a gun, but doesn't wear it. He has the power to arrest, but doesn't use it. Instead, he uses his common sense, his knowledge of the people and the area, and his powers of observation to do his job well.When an elderly North African who fought in the French army is brutally murdered, the sensitive issues of immigration and religion are raised and threaten to tear the village apart. The larger police agencies move in to take command, Paris sends in a hotshot to oversee everything, and Bruno finds that he's going to need every molecule of his ability to see justice done with the minimum amount of damage. Was the old man murdered by Fascist militants... or is there a deeper, more complex motive?Almost from the opening paragraph, I fell into the embrace of this book. I seldom use the word "charming" because when many other people do, it sounds twee. However, in the case of Bruno, Chief of Police, charming is the only word that fits, and there's nothing derogatory about my usage. The village of St. Denis and its people are so lovingly and meticulously drawn that they came to life as I read. Food played an important role throughout, and Walker described it so well that I often found myself becoming hungry.In the first few chapters of the book, the action centers on how Bruno and the village work together to escape the clutches of the fine-happy European Union officials who constantly roam the country to ensure that all the hygiene rules are being followed to the letter. This leads to many comic scenes that made me laugh. However, when the old man's murder is discovered, the mood turns serious. France's troubles with increasingly large numbers of Muslim immigrants are well known, and Walker depicts this with honesty and sensitivity.Throughout the book, Bruno's character is revealed layer by layer-- and what a marvelous character he is! He willingly gives up control to the larger law enforcement agencies, but they all soon learn that his knowledge of the area and its inhabitants are invaluable.Many times in the mysteries I've read, mayors seem to be a universal target of ridicule and scorn; people who've obtained their positions for the power and prestige and what those two P's can do for them. It was very refreshing to have a mayor play a major role in a book who was intelligent, honest, just, and kind-- and who used his position for the betterment of his community.Did I know the identity of the murderer before it was revealed? No, and when it was revealed, it was a "head slapper" for me because Walker had planted several clues all along the way. I was too immersed in the village and its inhabitants to see them for what they were.Will I be visiting Bruno and St. Denis again? Just try to stop me! This is one of the most enjoyable reads I've had so far this year.

I was looking for a new series to dive into as I have finished reading Louise Penny's series about Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and Donna Leon's series about Commimssario Guido Brunetti and decided to read the first book in the Bruno, Chief of Police series. I was not disappointed. One of the things I enjoy about Louise Penny and Donna Leon's work is being immersed in their locale (Quebec and Venice) and the cultures of the people. I enjoy getting acquainted with the main characters and their friends and families who all become friends and I can see this happening with Bruno and the charming characters of his French village.Chief of Police Bruno is a quiet, peaceful man who loves food and wine - both of which are described in vivid detail that I find delightful. He is very serious about his job and taking care of the people in St. Denis. Despite his quiet nature, Bruno is a complex character and getting to know him better will be a pleasure.This is not a plot driven book as the mystery is almost secondary to the personalities involved. There is a murder and it involves the complicated history of France during WWII. I found the history fascinating and learned a great deal about the French occupation and resistance. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a delightful character-driven novel and who wants to make new friends along the way. It is not a fast moving book but one to curl up with and savor.

Benoit Courreges, known to everyone as Bruno, is the chief of police in the small village of St. Denis in the Dordogne region of southwestern France. He's a unique kind of policeman. He has a gun but he keeps it locked away. He makes every possible effort not to arrest people, preferring reasoning with them and sometimes turning a blind eye to minor infringements. His main challenge as a policeman seems to be protecting the vendors at the village market from the EU health and safety inspectors who are charged with ensuring that regulations are followed and who are authorized to hand out fines to those who attempt to circumvent the rules.Bruno is an orphan who found his calling as a soldier serving with United Nations forces in Bosnia. Coming home, he had a mentor in one of his former commanders in Bosnia and through the efforts of that man, now the mayor of the town, Bruno became chief of police and found a sense of family at last in the people of his village. He is completely devoted to them and to the welfare of his community.That community includes some Arabs, descendants of immigrants from North Africa. One particular family is well-known and highly esteemed by the close-knit citizenry. The village is rocked when the patriarch of that family, a man who was considered a war hero who had won the Croix de Guerre for his services in Vietnam, is brutally murdered, with a swastika carved on his chest. The murder brings to the fore hidden racial and cultural resentments and threatens to rip apart the unity and the easy-going rhythms that have long marked life in this community.The national police are charged with the investigation of the crime, but Bruno, as the local expert, is attached to the team of investigators. It soon develops that the roots of the crime reach far back to World War II days and the role that the French Resistance played. It seems that the victim may not have always been the hero that his family believed him to be. The writer was able to seamlessly weave in details of the World War II experience in the French countryside which helped to make the story more realistic.Throughout the investigation, Bruno continues his daily interaction with all the locals, the friends and neighbors who are a part of his circle. We get to know them all as they meet at the market, play tennis or rugby, visit the local caves which contain prehistoric paintings, and especially as they share meals. And what fabulous meals! Food is an integral part of this story. Well, it is France, isn't it?This is the first in a series. I learned about it through one of my blogger buddies, Snap of Tales from Twisty Lane. It's a favorite of hers and since I have found that she and I often agree on reading material, I was interested to give it a try. I'm glad I did. It is well-written, humanistic in philosophy, and the characters are believable and thoroughly likable. It actually reminded me somewhat of Alexander McCall Smith's Botswana series featuring Precious Ramotswe. Moreover, I thought the plot and the pacing of the story were deftly done and, even though the story moved at the pace of country life and there was not a lot of action, it was sufficient to keep the reader interested and turning the pages to see what Bruno would do next.I particularly enjoyed the writer's vivid descriptions of what must be a truly beautiful region. It is obviously a place that he knows well and loves, and I look forward to learning more about it in future books in the series.

A bit too much about Bruno who seems to be too good to be true and the author obviously likes him a lot a he repeats his accolades throughout the book. The story could be summed up quite quickly and the protagonists identified early on. A bit of sex and mystery seemed unnecessary and a bit sexist to me. Women galloping on horses with their clothes flattering their form etc. This was the first - I won't read the rest as I suspect that technique will be repeated in all the others. Better books on crime in France were written by George Belois whose description of the French countryside and riviera breathtaking.

Martin Walker's book captures the very best of the Dordogne, so much so that you can almost feel the summer heat rising from its pages, smell the fresh market produce and soak in the atmosphere of a typical French market town. There is village rivalry as you might expect and our hero, Bruno, Chief of Police, also has his own problems when his superior is called in when an elderly North African villager is found murdered. Teeming with history this book deals with the French occupation of Algeria and the Algerian soldiers who fought with the French army during WW2 (Algeria being a part of France at the time). I learnt a lot about the period and thought the way in which it related to the problems of immigration today was well done and told through the eyes of different villagers. I also loved the French attitude of cocking a snook at the ridiculous nature of European regulations.So, whether you fancy a trip through the sleepy Dordogne or a fascinating crime story with a twist then this book is for you. I shall certainly be reading more by this author.

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.

We've lived in the Dordogne in the Vesere valley for over fifteen years and whilst we do see some of the idealic life here these books do go well over the top in romanticising the culture and everyday life. Now that's not a bad thing if you take some of it with a pinch of salt.However, we do acknowledge that the author knows his subject and the insights into the way French systems work is really interesting. The way the Police, Gendarmes and security organisations operate for instance was a revelation and answered a couple of questions raised by our experience of dealing with them. There are also references to many of the places and restaurants we have been to so much of the information we find quite fascinating. The journalistic content within the stories helps to make then not only entertaining but it is easy to imagine the places and hence the ambiance he often describes.We have read them all and are waiting for the new ones to come on Kindle.

I read a review for one of Martin Walker's new releases which I liked the sound of. I am also a fan of Peter May's Enzo series set in France so decided to purchase the 1st two books in this series. This book introduces Bruno a very likable policeman and his patch based in St Dennis. The book is an easy but enjoyable read and a good basis for the rest of the series. The descriptions of people, the area, food and wine give a great insight to this area in France and the life style and friendships. The base of the story was unusual and gave an insight into what happened in France during WW2.I am finding the American thriller genre very similar and repetitive and Martin Walker has given me a new interest, I shall certainly be ordering further books in the series. Recommended