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The “Bruno, Chief of Police” mysteries by Martin Walker are one of my favorite book series. The books are set in France in the small town of Saint-Denis.
“The Grave in the Woods” is the 17th in the series. Number 18 is a collection of short stories called “Bruno’s Challenge” and a 19th will be available soon, called “An Enemy in the Village.” I can hardly wait.
Abby is a young American archeologist working in France after a disastrous divorce. She is in the village of Saint-Denis to work on an excavation. This is the home of the Lascaux caves, ancient stone tools, wine and good food. Bruno Courréges is the police chief in the small town who knows everyone, helps everyone and investigates crimes from threats and vandalism to murder.
Abby’s expertise proves invaluable when an unusual World War II era burial is discovered in the woods, with the bodies of two young women and a man, with some papers included buried below the body of dog. The man appears to be an Italian naval officer and the two young woman have no shreds of clothing. Papers found with them indicate the women may be German.
Investigating these old murders proves difficult as few are still alive to recall the ambushes. Bruno must deal simultaneously with international diplomacy and repercussions plus and extreme heat and threatening floods due to climate extremes.
One of the more delightful aspects of the series is that Bruno has a large garden, grows a lot of vegetables, hunts and is an excellent cook. A cookbook has also been released, “Bruno’s Cookbook: Recipes and Traditions from a French Country Kitchen.”
Martin Walker is an extremely knowledgeable writer who has worked at the Guardian and United Press International and is now retired. He creates memorable characters and unforgettable settings. I have learned so much from these books, from literature, art and prehistory, to contemporary politics. He and his wife have a home in the small French village of Le Bugue, on the Vézere river, and he modeled the character of Bruno on his friend police chief Pierrot Simonet.
