Recently discovered a new writer who writes about a fascinating French hero; a Chief of Police in a small village in Southwestern France. Have read two books of the series and will definitely be looking for more. Here is my Amazon Book Review.
Benoit Courrèges, better known as Bruno, is the Chief of Police in the small village of St. Denis in Southwestern France. Having held this position for the past ten years, Bruno is a definite part of the village scene, and he loves the life and the friends he has made for himself there.
He remodelled his own house on a plateau overlooking the Dordogne River Valley, where he grows his own veggies, raises his own chickens, and with his dog, Gigi, hunts the elusive Black Diamond truffle. He knows his way around his kitchen, where he whips up some succulent French dishes.
When Bruno discovers his good friend and hunting buddy, Hercule Vendroit has been murdered after being horribly tortured, he is suddenly up to his neck in government red tape. Turns out his friend was a high-level intelligence agent with roots going back to France’s colonization of Vietnam.
This is the third book in the series and the second that I have read. The author does include a lot of French political history, particularly regarding its military actions in places like Algeria and Bosnia. A real Francophile will no doubt appreciate these references, but I found them a little boring. It tends to slow down the pace of the present plot.
Nevertheless, Bruno’s interactions with the residents of the village, the descriptions of his culinary skills and the intrigue of his several “affaire de Coeur” all ensure that I’ll be reading more of this endearing French police officer.
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