An enemy in the village / Martin Walker.

By:

Walker, Martin, 1947 January 23- [author.]

Material type: Text

text

Media type:

unmediated

Carrier type:

volume

ISBN:

9780593536643
0593536649

Subject(s):

Genre/Form:

Summary: "A real estate agent's death sends shockwaves through the idyllic town of St. Denis, leading Bruno, Chief of Police, to suspect that there's more to this tragedy than meets the eye. When Bruno stumbles upon a motionless figure in a car parked at a scenic overpass on the ridge of the Vézère valley, he's ready to investigate. Inside, he finds a suicide note and the dead body of Monique, a successful businesswoman who rented châteaus to wealthy expats. It seems like an open-and-shut case. But Bruno can't shake the feeling that something sinister lurks underneath this tidy narrative. After he delivers Monique's final messages to those most important to her, malicious gossip about Bruno begins to spread through the village. One thing leads to another, and soon Bruno faces pressure to resign from the job. Despite this disturbing turn of events, Bruno remains Bruno, never one to turn down a fine meal with good company in the French countryside. In the course of inquiry, he meets Laura-and her dog, which happens to be the same breed as his beloved basset hound. As sparks fly and Bruno realizes just how much he has at stake, he races to find out what really happened to Monique, before he loses his badge, his new love-or worse"-- Provided by publisher.

List(s) this item appears in: Coming Soon

Average rating: 0.0 (0 votes)

Holdings
Item type	Current library	Collection	Shelving location	Call number	Status	Date due	Barcode	Item holds
Adult Book	Phillipsburg Free Public Library	Adult Fiction	New Books	FIC WALKER	On hold		36748002621896	1

Total holds: 1

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

A real estate agent's death sends shockwaves through the idyllic town of St. Denis, leading Bruno, Chief of Police, to suspect that there's more to this tragedy than meets the eye.

When Bruno stumbles upon a motionless figure in a car parked at a scenic overpass on the ridge of the Vézère valley, he's ready to investigate. Inside, he finds a suicide note and the dead body of Monique, a successful businesswoman who rented châteaus to wealthy expats. It seems like an open-and-shut case.

But Bruno can't shake the suspicion that something sinister lurks underneath this tidy narrative. After he delivers Monique's final messages to those most important to her, malicious gossip about Bruno begins to spread through the village. One thing leads to another, and soon Bruno faces pressure to resign from the job. Despite this disturbing turn of events, Bruno remains Bruno, never one to turn down a fine meal with good company in the French countryside. In the course of inquiry, he meets Laura--and her dog, which happens to be the same breed as his beloved basset hound. As sparks fly and Bruno realizes just how much he has at stake, he races to find out what really happened to Monique, before he loses his badge, his new love--or something even worse.

"A Borzoi book"--Title page verso.

"A real estate agent's death sends shockwaves through the idyllic town of St. Denis, leading Bruno, Chief of Police, to suspect that there's more to this tragedy than meets the eye. When Bruno stumbles upon a motionless figure in a car parked at a scenic overpass on the ridge of the Vézère valley, he's ready to investigate. Inside, he finds a suicide note and the dead body of Monique, a successful businesswoman who rented châteaus to wealthy expats. It seems like an open-and-shut case. But Bruno can't shake the feeling that something sinister lurks underneath this tidy narrative. After he delivers Monique's final messages to those most important to her, malicious gossip about Bruno begins to spread through the village. One thing leads to another, and soon Bruno faces pressure to resign from the job. Despite this disturbing turn of events, Bruno remains Bruno, never one to turn down a fine meal with good company in the French countryside. In the course of inquiry, he meets Laura-and her dog, which happens to be the same breed as his beloved basset hound. As sparks fly and Bruno realizes just how much he has at stake, he races to find out what really happened to Monique, before he loses his badge, his new love-or worse"-- Provided by publisher.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Booklist Review

Bruno Courrèges, the chief of police of the tiny French village of St. Denis and parts of the Vézère Valley in southwestern France, has an enviable beat. Bruno's patrol includes archaeological sites (like the famous prehistoric caves), elaborate châteaux, and glorious natural scenery. He consults with his boss, the Mayor, at to-die-for restaurants and wine bars. He polices the weekly village outdoor market, rides his horse in the countryside, coaches the local youngsters in tennis and rugby, and hosts elaborate meals for his friends. But as cushy a job as it may seem, in each of Martin Walker's novels (A Grave in the Woods, 2024), Bruno still has to solve a crime. The central mystery here is that of a woman found dead in a car alongside letters to her husband, lawyer, and business partner, and an empty pack of sleeping pills. What seems like a closed case of suicide spans out into a multitude of possible motives triggered by the woman's fortune. Bruno himself becomes the brunt of slander that could capsize his career. Not for fans of traditional police procedurals, but Bruno mysteries offer a feast of history, archeology, food, and atmosphere, along with the intriguing character of Bruno himself.

Kirkus Book Review

Forget the latest sudden death in St. Denis. The real story here is the torching of police Chief Bruno Courrèges. It's Bruno himself who finds Monique Duhamel dead in her car, parked in an overlook near La Peyrière. The "super-concierge," whose partnership provided a wide range of services to the owners of expansive estates, had increased her own wealth in every area except domestically. She'd recently suffered a miscarriage that would have provided a plausible motive for her suicide from an overdose of painkillers even if she hadn't left behind farewell letters to her husband, Dominic d'Estringen; her attorney, Rebecca Weil; and her longest-standing partner, Laura Segret, together with a note of apology to whomever found her body. The case seems so open-and-shut that it's soon eclipsed by the many complaints of harassment women have lodged against police officer Roland Villon, whose uncle is head of the Dordogne gendarmes, and the ambush the local Green Party launches against Bruno when he accepts France Bleu radio host Marie-Do's invitation for a live interview and the Greens flood the phone banks with hostile calls accusing him of crimes against animals. The cases come together when Maître Poincevin, Roland's bottom-feeding attorney, says that Bruno's "not a village constable, he's a secret policeman"--all except for the death of Monique Duhamel. Bruno's only hope for redemption is a barrage of evidence quashing the Greens' campaign and a Christmastime stint as Père Noël. Walker's trademark accounts of memorable meals are slow to arrive but well worth the wait. Christmas in the Vézère Valley, with a forgettable mystery thrown in to tease the unwary. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.