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Bruno, Chief of Police #7
Children of War
Bruno, chef de police in the French town of St Denis, is already busy with a case when the body of an undercover French Muslim cop is found in the woods, a man who called Bruno for help only hours before.
But Bruno’s sometime boss and rival, the Brigadier, doesn’t see this investigation as a priority – there are bigger issues at stake.
Bruno has other ideas.
Meanwhile, a Muslim youth named Sami turns up at a French army base in Afghanistan hoping to get home to St Denis. One of Bruno’s old army comrades helps to smuggle Sami back to France, but the FBI aren’t far behind. Then an American woman appears in St Denis with a warrant for Sami’s extradition.
Bruno must unravel these multiple mysteries, amidst pressure from his bosses, and find his own way to protect his town and its people.
But Bruno’s sometime boss and rival, the Brigadier, doesn’t see this investigation as a priority – there are bigger issues at stake.
Bruno has other ideas.
Meanwhile, a Muslim youth named Sami turns up at a French army base in Afghanistan hoping to get home to St Denis. One of Bruno’s old army comrades helps to smuggle Sami back to France, but the FBI aren’t far behind. Then an American woman appears in St Denis with a warrant for Sami’s extradition.
Bruno must unravel these multiple mysteries, amidst pressure from his bosses, and find his own way to protect his town and its people.
358 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2014
932 people are currently reading
1908 people want to read
About the author
Martin Walker
66 books1,540 followersMartin Walker is the U.S. bureau chief for The Guardian (London), a regular commentator for CNN, and a columnist for newspapers in the United States, Europe, and Moscow. A published novelist and poet, he lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, the novelist Julia Watson, and their two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 571 reviews
July 3, 2023
Another really good book in this excellent series. I remember that the first book was almost a cosy but each one since has become a little darker and The Children Return is serious stuff indeed. I am not complaining though. It was also a seriously good read.
Two parallel stories about children who were lost and returned are told, but the circumstances are very different for each. One is an historical story about two Jewish children who were protected and saved during WW2. The other is about a Muslim boy from St Denis who has been missing for several years and turns up at a French army camp in Afghanistan. He is returned to St Denis but the repercussions are wide ranging and very dangerous for everyone involved.
Of course Bruno is in the thick of it and is very lucky to stay alive. There is plenty of drama and killing, but the tension is lifted by the daily routines of life, Bruno's wonderful cooking, his romances, and of course the cutest 0f puppies, Balzac. I am rather afraid I am moving through this series too fast. When I catch up with all the published books I will miss Bruno et al very much!
Two parallel stories about children who were lost and returned are told, but the circumstances are very different for each. One is an historical story about two Jewish children who were protected and saved during WW2. The other is about a Muslim boy from St Denis who has been missing for several years and turns up at a French army camp in Afghanistan. He is returned to St Denis but the repercussions are wide ranging and very dangerous for everyone involved.
Of course Bruno is in the thick of it and is very lucky to stay alive. There is plenty of drama and killing, but the tension is lifted by the daily routines of life, Bruno's wonderful cooking, his romances, and of course the cutest 0f puppies, Balzac. I am rather afraid I am moving through this series too fast. When I catch up with all the published books I will miss Bruno et al very much!
February 10, 2017
"The Children Return" and "Children of War" is actually the same book. Two different titles for two different markets and it is HIGHLY confusing!!!! Both books are no. #7 in the Bruno, Chief Of Police series. Well, I guess it happened before and will happen again with many books being published on both sides of the Atlantic. **sigh**
Nevertheless, we're back with the most important police officer in St.Denis, France.
Jihadists, Holocaust survivors, orphans, a young dog, powerful horses, beautiful women and scrumptious food fill the palette again. Huge old chateaus and French bucolic magic abound.
Pamela is still determined not to get married, still only allow men to love her when she desires it; Fabiola is still the doctor in town, doing well, until a Dr. Deutz is invited, under high security circumstances to observe Sami, an autistic young man who return from Afghanistan under mysterious circumstances. Bruno, chief of police has his hands full and his arsenal ready to take on every single moment as it comes, and walking out as the hero of France. That is, after he could get a serious diplomatic and political crises disappear in the line of fire.
Well, what else can be expected? Nobody knows how to keep a town happy like the rugby-loving, high voltage policeman who cooks up a storm, knows how to treat women, and have all criminals shudder in his presence. He loves animals, and his vegetable garden is sublime. And perhaps there's a new love interest for this dashing man on a horse.
Visiting St. Denis again was a delightful, highly dramatic experience, filled with the usual elements to make it a classic Benoît Courèges moment.
I take it slow with our hero and his shenanigans. Allow myself a few months in between the books in this series, but it is always such a pleasure to be back in our dearly beloved police chief's life. Life is one big war, but Bruno knows how to grab the good moments in between and celebrate the ultimate highs, the rare moments of happiness that can pass one by in an instant.
What I love about this series is that serious issues are counterbalanced with lighter moments. The author has a gentle way of addressing reality without seeking a story in the dungeons of darkness. There's always light and laughter no matter what the circumstances are.
A laissez faire, but highly interesting, fast paced read again.
Nevertheless, we're back with the most important police officer in St.Denis, France.
Jihadists, Holocaust survivors, orphans, a young dog, powerful horses, beautiful women and scrumptious food fill the palette again. Huge old chateaus and French bucolic magic abound.
Pamela is still determined not to get married, still only allow men to love her when she desires it; Fabiola is still the doctor in town, doing well, until a Dr. Deutz is invited, under high security circumstances to observe Sami, an autistic young man who return from Afghanistan under mysterious circumstances. Bruno, chief of police has his hands full and his arsenal ready to take on every single moment as it comes, and walking out as the hero of France. That is, after he could get a serious diplomatic and political crises disappear in the line of fire.
Well, what else can be expected? Nobody knows how to keep a town happy like the rugby-loving, high voltage policeman who cooks up a storm, knows how to treat women, and have all criminals shudder in his presence. He loves animals, and his vegetable garden is sublime. And perhaps there's a new love interest for this dashing man on a horse.
Visiting St. Denis again was a delightful, highly dramatic experience, filled with the usual elements to make it a classic Benoît Courèges moment.
I take it slow with our hero and his shenanigans. Allow myself a few months in between the books in this series, but it is always such a pleasure to be back in our dearly beloved police chief's life. Life is one big war, but Bruno knows how to grab the good moments in between and celebrate the ultimate highs, the rare moments of happiness that can pass one by in an instant.
What I love about this series is that serious issues are counterbalanced with lighter moments. The author has a gentle way of addressing reality without seeking a story in the dungeons of darkness. There's always light and laughter no matter what the circumstances are.
A laissez faire, but highly interesting, fast paced read again.
February 2, 2016
My Number 6 Best Read of 2015 and Gavel Award for Best New (to me) Author
Posted to The Literary Lawyer
Bruno at his Best - 5 Stars
At the time of writing this review, Children of War is the most recent book in the series. If you note the short time between my review of this book and the first in the series, it will reveal that this has become on of my favorite crime series. Martin Walker has the ability to write characters that are multi-dimensional, likeable, charming and realistic. His most recent installment also proves to be one of his best and shows continued growth in the series.
Plot Summary
This time around Bruno is drawn into a web of intrigue that covers Islamic Terrorism, the French treatment of the Jews during the Holocaust, the limits of criminal responsibility and the effects of war and conflict on the young. Early in the book, Bruno is contacted by a former colleague and is advised that a young man has been found in Afghanistan claiming that he is originally from St. Denis, the hometown of Bruno. It is revealed he is the adopted son of a local Muslim family. The young man is autistic and was supposed to be in a specialized school run out of one of the biggest Mosques in France. At his return, many claims are made about this young man that do not fit the character that the town has come to know. His return results in danger to many individuals in St. Denis as it appears that some Islamic Extremists are hunting the young man. The relatively simple matters turns into a matter of national importance as Bruno once again finds himself seconded into the service of the Brigadier.
Lots to Love
The plots in each of the books in this series are complex. They cover multiple storylines and varying topics. In my opinion, this book contains the best and most complex plot yet. It wonderfully explores the damage war inflicts on those who live through it. All of the novels have explored, in part, how war effected the main character Bruno. Much of his life has been filtered through his experience. Beyond this we see how the young man, Sami, is changed by jihadism and Islamic terrorism, a modern war. This is contrasted nicely with a parallel storyline that reveals the details of two Jewish children who were hidden and protected during the Holocaust.
If you are reading this review and you haven't yet started this series, I strongly recommend you grab the first one and get reading. For every dark element in the book, Martin Walker provides a corresponding elements of light. This results in a serious storyline and serious crime but it is seen through the eyes of characters that have not let this darkness overshadow their lives. The characters are fleshed out and interesting. While there are a few reoccurring elements (the appearance of the Brigadier) most of the growth of characters are relationship rise and fall in an organic manner. The characters seem real and their situations plausible.
This will, without a doubt, be one of, if not the best, series that I discovered in 2015. If you want crime and mystery but don't want to hand in your soul to get it, I suggest you visit Bruno, Chief of Police.
Posted to The Literary Lawyer
Bruno at his Best - 5 Stars
At the time of writing this review, Children of War is the most recent book in the series. If you note the short time between my review of this book and the first in the series, it will reveal that this has become on of my favorite crime series. Martin Walker has the ability to write characters that are multi-dimensional, likeable, charming and realistic. His most recent installment also proves to be one of his best and shows continued growth in the series.
Plot Summary
This time around Bruno is drawn into a web of intrigue that covers Islamic Terrorism, the French treatment of the Jews during the Holocaust, the limits of criminal responsibility and the effects of war and conflict on the young. Early in the book, Bruno is contacted by a former colleague and is advised that a young man has been found in Afghanistan claiming that he is originally from St. Denis, the hometown of Bruno. It is revealed he is the adopted son of a local Muslim family. The young man is autistic and was supposed to be in a specialized school run out of one of the biggest Mosques in France. At his return, many claims are made about this young man that do not fit the character that the town has come to know. His return results in danger to many individuals in St. Denis as it appears that some Islamic Extremists are hunting the young man. The relatively simple matters turns into a matter of national importance as Bruno once again finds himself seconded into the service of the Brigadier.
Lots to Love
The plots in each of the books in this series are complex. They cover multiple storylines and varying topics. In my opinion, this book contains the best and most complex plot yet. It wonderfully explores the damage war inflicts on those who live through it. All of the novels have explored, in part, how war effected the main character Bruno. Much of his life has been filtered through his experience. Beyond this we see how the young man, Sami, is changed by jihadism and Islamic terrorism, a modern war. This is contrasted nicely with a parallel storyline that reveals the details of two Jewish children who were hidden and protected during the Holocaust.
If you are reading this review and you haven't yet started this series, I strongly recommend you grab the first one and get reading. For every dark element in the book, Martin Walker provides a corresponding elements of light. This results in a serious storyline and serious crime but it is seen through the eyes of characters that have not let this darkness overshadow their lives. The characters are fleshed out and interesting. While there are a few reoccurring elements (the appearance of the Brigadier) most of the growth of characters are relationship rise and fall in an organic manner. The characters seem real and their situations plausible.
This will, without a doubt, be one of, if not the best, series that I discovered in 2015. If you want crime and mystery but don't want to hand in your soul to get it, I suggest you visit Bruno, Chief of Police.
February 17, 2019
While I enjoy Walker's meticulous research (in this case into Jewish children being hidden in the French countryside during WWII), it feels like every book needs to be more dramatic and bigger than the previous at this point, with Bruno getting mixed up in all kinds of conspiracies, international syndicates, drug cartels, or terrorists, always miraculously escaping ala James Bond. Which, given that he lives out in the middle of nowhere in a tiny little town in France, seems just a tiny little bit hard to believe to me. Oh well. I'm sure I'll enjoy the next one more.
August 9, 2017
Very moving story on the horrors of war, racism, religious extremism, etc. AND Bruno, his puppy, his friends, his food and wine, his countryside, his shootouts, and a hot new American girlfriend! Once again, this seems like a preposterous recipe for a book but somehow Walker makes it work. Chapeau!
July 17, 2022
Really enjoyed this, my second book to read in the series. Bruno is chief of police in small southern France town of St. Denis (he's actually the town's only police). He cooks, feeds his chickens, participates fully in the life of his little town (he's a shareholder in the local vineyard).
But along with all these domestic details, this is quite the fast paced, complicated storyline with Muslim jihadists, an autistic young man, and a bequest to the town from the will of a wealthy Jewish doctor, who along with his very young sister, was hidden in the area as a child during WWII. There's some graphic violence in this novel, particularly in the opening scene and in the backstory of the autistic young man. Clearly the story explores the damage war does to those who live through it; WWII, Algeria's recent civil wars, Afghanistan, Bosnia, etc.
I was so caught up in the story that it was only when I was finished that I stopped and thought, "this is all very far-fetched". Walker is a good storyteller so I will be reading another of these soon. Maybe it'll have more about the town & food and less violence.
But along with all these domestic details, this is quite the fast paced, complicated storyline with Muslim jihadists, an autistic young man, and a bequest to the town from the will of a wealthy Jewish doctor, who along with his very young sister, was hidden in the area as a child during WWII. There's some graphic violence in this novel, particularly in the opening scene and in the backstory of the autistic young man. Clearly the story explores the damage war does to those who live through it; WWII, Algeria's recent civil wars, Afghanistan, Bosnia, etc.
I was so caught up in the story that it was only when I was finished that I stopped and thought, "this is all very far-fetched". Walker is a good storyteller so I will be reading another of these soon. Maybe it'll have more about the town & food and less violence.
February 9, 2015
One of the most charming things about the Bruno Chief of Police series has been that the small village of St. Denis seems lost in some sort of time warp, with more ties to the past than the present. In the tightly plotted seventh book in the series, the past and present collide to put a wary face on the future.
Published in the UK as The Children of War, this book is all about the effects of war upon our most vulnerable. Walker once again highlights southwestern France's part in World War II by weaving in a storyline about two Jewish children who were hidden away outside St. Denis during the Second World War. The surviving sibling wants to reward the villagers for their kindness and bravery, but first she must see what they would do with their "inheritance." As Bruno gets his group of planners together, it's a wonderful way to show how the past can have a beneficial effect upon the future.
We need that happier remembrance because Sami represents the horrors of the war with Algeria-- how that war still affects France, and the fate of so many Muslim immigrants that have flooded into the country. Walker shows us the differences between how France and the U.S. fight the war on terror by bringing in Nancy Sutton, an American intelligence officer. Of course where Bruno is concerned, Nancy won't be able to remain solely as an example of truth, justice, and the American Way. Will Nancy be the right woman for Bruno at this stage in his life? It's something that we're just going to have to watch play out.
And while we're keeping an eye on Bruno and Nancy and wondering if everyone is going to be able to keep Sami (the gold mine of al-Qaeda intel) safe, we still have time to sample life in St. Denis. This time it's the vendage-- the grape harvest-- with its special celebratory food and wine. By continuing to show us various aspects of the culture and cuisine of St. Denis, the author reminds us why places like this need to survive-- and why it takes people like Bruno to keep them safe. In talking about murder and mayhem, Martin Walker has created one of the best crime fiction series going-- one that reminds us of kindness, decency, and rich full lives.
Published in the UK as The Children of War, this book is all about the effects of war upon our most vulnerable. Walker once again highlights southwestern France's part in World War II by weaving in a storyline about two Jewish children who were hidden away outside St. Denis during the Second World War. The surviving sibling wants to reward the villagers for their kindness and bravery, but first she must see what they would do with their "inheritance." As Bruno gets his group of planners together, it's a wonderful way to show how the past can have a beneficial effect upon the future.
We need that happier remembrance because Sami represents the horrors of the war with Algeria-- how that war still affects France, and the fate of so many Muslim immigrants that have flooded into the country. Walker shows us the differences between how France and the U.S. fight the war on terror by bringing in Nancy Sutton, an American intelligence officer. Of course where Bruno is concerned, Nancy won't be able to remain solely as an example of truth, justice, and the American Way. Will Nancy be the right woman for Bruno at this stage in his life? It's something that we're just going to have to watch play out.
And while we're keeping an eye on Bruno and Nancy and wondering if everyone is going to be able to keep Sami (the gold mine of al-Qaeda intel) safe, we still have time to sample life in St. Denis. This time it's the vendage-- the grape harvest-- with its special celebratory food and wine. By continuing to show us various aspects of the culture and cuisine of St. Denis, the author reminds us why places like this need to survive-- and why it takes people like Bruno to keep them safe. In talking about murder and mayhem, Martin Walker has created one of the best crime fiction series going-- one that reminds us of kindness, decency, and rich full lives.
August 27, 2015
This is the latest novel in the "Bruno, Chief of Police" series, and can no longer be called a cosy mystery. It is more an action-packed thriller, which still takes place in beautiful countryside of the Dordogne and with the same lovable characters as the previous ones. As with the others, it is well written except, perhaps, for the dialogues, which sometimes seem to me a bit stilted.
This time the story is very much in tune with current affairs in France, as young and vulnerable Muslims are recruited for jihad in the Middle East. Although it is a novel, the writer is very knowledgeable on this subject. The bonus history lesson relates a story of Jewish children taken in and hidden during WWII by inhabitants of the fictional village of St Denis, as well as the destruction of a village called Mouleydier by the Germans in June 1944.
I really look forward to reading the next novel in this series.
This time the story is very much in tune with current affairs in France, as young and vulnerable Muslims are recruited for jihad in the Middle East. Although it is a novel, the writer is very knowledgeable on this subject. The bonus history lesson relates a story of Jewish children taken in and hidden during WWII by inhabitants of the fictional village of St Denis, as well as the destruction of a village called Mouleydier by the Germans in June 1944.
I really look forward to reading the next novel in this series.
May 31, 2024
# 7 in the Bruno series, and it ranks as my favorite thus far.
Two different children return, one from the recent past, one from the days of the Resistance. Both stories are gripping and held me captive, this being the book I first reached for each evening. As always, filled with lots of history of the French countryside-and of course many shared delicious meals, paired with the perfect wines.
Once again, Walker gives us characters, old and new, that are solid and interesting, We learn disturbing memories of Fabiola as she encounters a love interest, a new woman appears who catches Bruno eye. Though I think Bruno has again found the wrong woman to pursue, I think is it time he rids himself of Pamela.
All in all-a great read. If you have not picked up a Bruno book yet, start with book #1 and have a wonderful trip to France!
Two different children return, one from the recent past, one from the days of the Resistance. Both stories are gripping and held me captive, this being the book I first reached for each evening. As always, filled with lots of history of the French countryside-and of course many shared delicious meals, paired with the perfect wines.
Once again, Walker gives us characters, old and new, that are solid and interesting, We learn disturbing memories of Fabiola as she encounters a love interest, a new woman appears who catches Bruno eye. Though I think Bruno has again found the wrong woman to pursue, I think is it time he rids himself of Pamela.
All in all-a great read. If you have not picked up a Bruno book yet, start with book #1 and have a wonderful trip to France!
August 15, 2024
This was a very successful part of the series, showing us the difference in the way the French deal with terrorist threats as compared to the Americans. I really enjoyed the premise: an autistic boy who happened to have a particular skill with mathematics, electronics, etc is recruited to a Taliban cell in Afghanistan, unbeknownst to his parents. When he returns...he is already well known in the West by his nickname, "The Engineer."
An American consular attache who also happens to be an FBI agent, is seconded to St. Denis to debrief the returned boy/man. Yet another romantic entanglement for our busy Bruno...
An American consular attache who also happens to be an FBI agent, is seconded to St. Denis to debrief the returned boy/man. Yet another romantic entanglement for our busy Bruno...
June 15, 2021
Bruno is told that people who were sheltered as Jewish children by a local San Denis family during WWII wants to donate to the town to show their gratitude, and Bruno and Florence have the school children come up with plans. Meanwhile, a local autistic youth who has disappeared from a mosque school is found in Afghanistan and brought back to France. Could he be the notorious "engineer" responsible for IED's that killed so many? Walker does a great job at bringing all of the intriguing plots together, while giving us the flavor of the small French town and its insightful Chief of Police. Great narration again provided by Robert Mackenzie.
July 11, 2014
Wow! Hold onto your hat, it's going to be a fast and bumpy ride! What a smorgasbord Martin Walker sets with his wonderful Bruno mysteries! We met Bruno in the first book of the series and learned he is Chief of Police "...of the small French town of St. Denis..." He is a man with a past, a very dark and complex past, and his past continues to unfold through the mysteries in dark and complex ways, but in a beautiful setting with wonderful and interesting friends and people in his life -- and for a small town in France, oh, the trouble that manages to find it, and Bruno! Here is a whirlwind of lives fraught with complications and/or tragedy; of modern, recent, and sometimes ancient European history both past and in the making; of espionage and violence; of sweetness and tenderness; of love affairs coming and going; and laced in with it, an epicurean romance with French wine and food. A trek through the woods for mushrooms and truffles. Gourmet dinners in the soft summer air on the patio. And the next thing you know, lights, cameras, helicopters, international diplomats and press, and always, the law. This is Walker's latest, and I had to order it from Amazon in England. I just couldn't wait until they got around publishing it in the USA! I have to add, I'm not much for violence, and there is some very grisly stuff; however, the tales are so rich in characters and setting, and filled with very real history lessons and character studies, even I can get past it. I'm a huge fan of John le Carré, and I have no difficulty putting Martin Walker on the bookshelf right beside him. The other books in the series are, in order: Bruno, Chief of Police; Dark Vineyard; Black Diamond; The Crowded Grave; The Devil's Cave; The Resistance Man; Children of War. Oh, now how long shall I have to wait for the next one????????!!!!!!!!!!
April 10, 2018
A decent outing in this terrific series but not one of my favourites. I still love Bruno and I still love St. Denis but this #7 in the series was missing something for me. The plot was fast-paced and intriguing involving a young boy recruited and radicalized by Jihadists and an interesting look into history with a side story of Jewish children in France being hidden and protected by Protestants in rural France. These two stories did converge somewhat but throughout, the flow of the novel remained disjointed. Also What was missing I think was that there was less local flavour and that rural French quaintness in this book. As well, Bruno did not cook enough and there was not enough time devoted to those long French meals and conversations that occurred in earlier books. Still an excellent, enjoyable series and I look forward to reading the next (#8).
February 12, 2022
An autistic boy adopted by a St Denis family after witnessing the brutal deaths of family members in Northern Africa returns to France after his mysterious disappearance from a Muslim school. International authorities know him as "the Engineer," a person behind many Afghan bombings. Bruno arranges for Fabiola to examine him medically and a tribunal will determine whether he is mentally competent to stand trial. At the same time a woman who survived the Holocaust thanks to the kindness of St Denis toward her and her brother offers a significant monetary gift toward the town if they can come up with a fitting memorial. The two story lines come together toward the end. Bruno finds himself cooling toward Pamela and attracted toward an American diplomatic woman who knows Isabelle. Even with a cozy setting, this series seems to lean toward the thriller genre. (3.5 stars)
May 18, 2018
This was probably my favorite so far of the Bruno series, centering partly on the story of Jewish kids who were hidden in small towns in the south of France during WWII. (I have a personal connection to one such story, so that may make a difference too.) The other main story has to do with a young French Muslim man who was coerced into the jihadist movement in Afghanistan but escapes. With such exciting stories afoot, Bruno has less time than in some books to cook and to enjoy his wine, but food and drink still figure into the mix--as does a new romance to boot. A lot going on in this single book! But Walker makes it work well. Highly recommended.
September 23, 2016
I realized recently that it had been a year since I read a Bruno mystery! I started this one last fall in audio, didn't click with the narrator and as I was a little burned out on Bruno I didn't pursue it in print. The time lapse did me good - I enjoyed this one even more than the previous couple of books and am glad I'm reconnected with my old friend and the citizens of St. Denis! On to The Patriarch.
December 1, 2018
Easily the best thing about these Bruno, Chief of Police, books is the descriptions of food and wine, the food usually cooked by Bruno and served along with local wines to his friends in long, leisurely meals. There wasn't much of that in this particular entry and I missed those interludes.
This is the seventh book in this series and the plot develops along three parallel paths that finally converge.
The first plot line concerns French Muslims. First, the tortured and murdered body of an undercover Muslim cop is found in the woods around Bruno's town of St. Denis. It develops that the cop had been investigating a mosque in Toulouse that may be a center of jihadist activity. Then it turns out that a local young autistic man who had been sent to a special school at the mosque had gone missing and had ended up in Afghanistan where his special skills had been exploited by the Taliban for making bombs. Now, the young man, Sami, has escaped and found his way to some French troops and is being returned to France.
Secondly, a bequest from a recently deceased Jewish doctor who, along with his sister, had been hidden from the Nazis by a family from St. Denis during World War II, offers the town a possibility of making some much needed civic improvements if they can come up with a proposal that meets the approval of the surviving sister. The sister and her grandson travel to the area to examine the sites where the two children were sheltered during the war and to view the town's proposal.
Third, the town's doctor, Fabiola, is confronted with a dark and humiliating secret from her past which threatens to destroy her fragile new relationship with the journalist Gilles, and their good friends, Bruno and his long-time paramour Pamela, rally round to try to ferret out the secret and to aid the new relationship.
Oh, and if that weren't enough, there's an intriguing American diplomat/FBI agent (a beautiful and accomplished woman, naturally!) thrown into the mix and Bruno is instantly attracted to her.
How will all these various tales sort themselves out? Well, Martin Walker does manage to weave them all together in the end, but it is not seamless. In fact, it is a bit of a strain.
Bruno and his puppy, Balzac, are charming characters and the best entries in this series - in my opinion - are strong on the interaction between them and their neighbors and friends, the animals on the farm, and the garden and woods which provides the ingredients for Bruno's gourmet meals. More of that, please!
This is the seventh book in this series and the plot develops along three parallel paths that finally converge.
The first plot line concerns French Muslims. First, the tortured and murdered body of an undercover Muslim cop is found in the woods around Bruno's town of St. Denis. It develops that the cop had been investigating a mosque in Toulouse that may be a center of jihadist activity. Then it turns out that a local young autistic man who had been sent to a special school at the mosque had gone missing and had ended up in Afghanistan where his special skills had been exploited by the Taliban for making bombs. Now, the young man, Sami, has escaped and found his way to some French troops and is being returned to France.
Secondly, a bequest from a recently deceased Jewish doctor who, along with his sister, had been hidden from the Nazis by a family from St. Denis during World War II, offers the town a possibility of making some much needed civic improvements if they can come up with a proposal that meets the approval of the surviving sister. The sister and her grandson travel to the area to examine the sites where the two children were sheltered during the war and to view the town's proposal.
Third, the town's doctor, Fabiola, is confronted with a dark and humiliating secret from her past which threatens to destroy her fragile new relationship with the journalist Gilles, and their good friends, Bruno and his long-time paramour Pamela, rally round to try to ferret out the secret and to aid the new relationship.
Oh, and if that weren't enough, there's an intriguing American diplomat/FBI agent (a beautiful and accomplished woman, naturally!) thrown into the mix and Bruno is instantly attracted to her.
How will all these various tales sort themselves out? Well, Martin Walker does manage to weave them all together in the end, but it is not seamless. In fact, it is a bit of a strain.
Bruno and his puppy, Balzac, are charming characters and the best entries in this series - in my opinion - are strong on the interaction between them and their neighbors and friends, the animals on the farm, and the garden and woods which provides the ingredients for Bruno's gourmet meals. More of that, please!
January 5, 2024
I adore this series set in the charming village of St. Denis in France’s Dordogne and following the exploits of Bruno, its chief of police, who gets into a lot more trouble than you’d expect in such a small place. This book details an especially tough outing—he’s so busy trying to prevent Taliban terrorists from wreaking havoc in St. Denis that there’s almost no time to engage in his usual gastronomic and romantic pastimes.
October 2, 2021
Provokateure, der siebte Band von Martin Walker um Bruno, Chef de Police, in dem beschaulichen Saint-Denis, beginnt mit einem Leichenfund im Wald. Der Nordafrikaner wurde gefoltert und es stellt sich heraus, dass er ein verdeckter Ermittler war, der in der Dschihadisten-Szene in Toulouse recherchiert hat. Zeitgleich erfährt Bruno, dass in Afghanistan ein autistischer Junge namens Sami aufgetaucht ist, der aus Saint-Denis stammt und nun zurückgeholt werden soll. Noch während Bruno sich um die Rückkehr der Jungen kümmert, der in Afghanistan Bomben gebaut haben soll, wird klar, dass die Mörder auch hinter Sami her sind.
Nun kümmerm sich auch die Geheimdienste um den Fall, auch der amerikanische Geheimdienst schickt eine Agentin, Nancy Sutton. Zwischen ihr und Bruno entwickelt sich bei der Zusammenarbeit eine starke Anziehung.
Während der Anhörungen um Sami um die Frage, ob er Opfer oder Täter, ausgenutztes Kind oder Dschihadist ist, muss sich Bruno auch noch um einen Fall aus dem zweiten Weltkrieg kümmern. Die Halévy Geschwister waren in Saint-Denis versteckt worden, bevor sie nach Israel auswanderten. Nun will die wohlhabende Schwester Maya Halévy sich mit einer großzügigen Spende bei der Kleinstadt bedanken, sofern diese ein entsprechendes Konzept für eine Gedenkstätte oder ein Museum vorlegt. Als Maya nach Saint-Denis reist, wird auch sie plötzlich zur Zielscheibe für die Dschihadisten, die immer noch Sami zum Schweigen bringen wollen, wofür jedes Mittel recht ist.
Es kommt zu einem großen Showdown mit viel Waffeneinsatz, bei dem Nancy schwer verletzt wird.
Der Band erschien im Original 2014, auf Deutsch erst 2015, nach dem Attentat auf Charlie Hebdo, wodurch die Thematik hohe Aktualität erhielt - muslimische Extremisten, die in französischen Moscheen rekrutieren. Das Thema wird allerdings nur oberflächlich behandelt, die persönlichen Belange und Lebensumstände von Bruno und den Bewohnern der Kleinstadt stehen stärker im Vordergrund. Dies steht in Kontrast zu dem massiven Einsatz von Waffen und Gewalt, zu der es in diesem Band immer wieder kommt. Das mag nicht zu Saint-Denis und zu Bruno passen. Auch der Zweitplot um die jüdischen Geschwister wirkt zum Teil aufgesetzt und fügt sich nicht ins Ganze. Zwar hat mich Provokateure dennoch gut unterhalten, aber der Fall wirkt holprig und nicht immer schlüssig.
Nun kümmerm sich auch die Geheimdienste um den Fall, auch der amerikanische Geheimdienst schickt eine Agentin, Nancy Sutton. Zwischen ihr und Bruno entwickelt sich bei der Zusammenarbeit eine starke Anziehung.
Während der Anhörungen um Sami um die Frage, ob er Opfer oder Täter, ausgenutztes Kind oder Dschihadist ist, muss sich Bruno auch noch um einen Fall aus dem zweiten Weltkrieg kümmern. Die Halévy Geschwister waren in Saint-Denis versteckt worden, bevor sie nach Israel auswanderten. Nun will die wohlhabende Schwester Maya Halévy sich mit einer großzügigen Spende bei der Kleinstadt bedanken, sofern diese ein entsprechendes Konzept für eine Gedenkstätte oder ein Museum vorlegt. Als Maya nach Saint-Denis reist, wird auch sie plötzlich zur Zielscheibe für die Dschihadisten, die immer noch Sami zum Schweigen bringen wollen, wofür jedes Mittel recht ist.
Es kommt zu einem großen Showdown mit viel Waffeneinsatz, bei dem Nancy schwer verletzt wird.
Der Band erschien im Original 2014, auf Deutsch erst 2015, nach dem Attentat auf Charlie Hebdo, wodurch die Thematik hohe Aktualität erhielt - muslimische Extremisten, die in französischen Moscheen rekrutieren. Das Thema wird allerdings nur oberflächlich behandelt, die persönlichen Belange und Lebensumstände von Bruno und den Bewohnern der Kleinstadt stehen stärker im Vordergrund. Dies steht in Kontrast zu dem massiven Einsatz von Waffen und Gewalt, zu der es in diesem Band immer wieder kommt. Das mag nicht zu Saint-Denis und zu Bruno passen. Auch der Zweitplot um die jüdischen Geschwister wirkt zum Teil aufgesetzt und fügt sich nicht ins Ganze. Zwar hat mich Provokateure dennoch gut unterhalten, aber der Fall wirkt holprig und nicht immer schlüssig.
May 26, 2022
Martin Walker's books always teach me something and make me think (as well as providing descriptions of gorgeous scenery and delicious food, often including how to make it!). This one was originally published as Children of War and I thought that title better suited the book. The main story is of a young Algerian/French teenager and how (and why) he went to Afghanistan as a jihadi as well as how (and why) he was repatriated.
But there is another thread to the story -- that of Jewish children hid in the Dordogne during the German Occupation of France in World War II -- and how they remember many years later.
But there is another thread to the story -- that of Jewish children hid in the Dordogne during the German Occupation of France in World War II -- and how they remember many years later.
July 8, 2015
I am getting a bit tired of the forced making each book into an international scandal or something with a huge crime syndicate. There doesn't seem to be a murder anymore in that small town that doesn't involve secret services etc. Unlikely to happen in such a small town, it's getting tiring.
Also getting wary of Bruno with his never-ending reheating of old flames and still chasing after each skirt and complaining why he has no kids yet.
It's still a good book, but they get so repetitive, it's really annoying.
Also getting wary of Bruno with his never-ending reheating of old flames and still chasing after each skirt and complaining why he has no kids yet.
It's still a good book, but they get so repetitive, it's really annoying.
July 20, 2021
Die letzten Bände der Bruno-Reihe fand ich sehr zäh und nervig, aber "Provokateure" war wieder etwas besser. Die Themen sind zwar das üblichen: Brunos Frauen-Wirrwarr, Französische Küche und Wein, Terror, Geheimdienste und eine Prise Resistance-Geschichte. Gefühlt dreht sich die Serie immer darum und auch Brunos Privatleben dreht sich nur im Kreis. Auch in Band 7 gibt es da keine wirklichen Fortschritte, nichts Neues unter der Sonne.
July 21, 2018
My least favourite in the series to date.
June 27, 2023
This book rises well above what is normal in a police/detective story: very moving on many levels but most particularly in the story of two Jewish children hiding from the Nazis in WW2. Martin Walker writes cleverly and with a full range of emotional insight. The Dordogne area of France is well depicted and there is a real sense of place and people. Maybe I'm being churlish but some of the main plot undermines these strengths with its attempt to weave a story combining autism, jihadism, sexual assault and multiculturalism in a way that just doesn't hit the spot for me. Still worth reading and Bruno is a great character with a multiplicity of skills: cooking, coaching sports, horseriding, amouressness (ahem) thinking and policing. What a bloke.
June 20, 2020
Martin Walker takes it up a notch in The Children Return. The action starts early and doesn't let up. That doesn't mean we don't get to enjoy the French countryside, fine wine, and good food, by any means, so this is the complete package.
September 15, 2015
There seems to be some confusion over this one. I know I read it, but it has two different titles for the same book: "The Children Return" and "Children of War", same story, same #7. I wish they wouldn't do that!
This is the latest novel in the "Bruno, Chief of Police" series, and can no longer be called a cosy mystery. It is more an action-packed thriller, which still takes place in beautiful countryside of the Dordogne and with the same lovable characters as the previous ones. As with the others, it is well written except, perhaps, for the dialogues, which sometimes seem to me a bit stilted.
This time the story is very much in tune with current affairs in France, as young and vulnerable Muslims are recruited for jihad in the Middle East. Although it is a novel, the writer is very knowledgeable on this subject. The bonus history lesson relates a story of Jewish children taken in and hidden during WWII by inhabitants of the fictional village of St Denis, as well as the destruction of a village called Mouleydier by the Germans in June 1944.
I really look forward to reading the next novel in this series.
This is the latest novel in the "Bruno, Chief of Police" series, and can no longer be called a cosy mystery. It is more an action-packed thriller, which still takes place in beautiful countryside of the Dordogne and with the same lovable characters as the previous ones. As with the others, it is well written except, perhaps, for the dialogues, which sometimes seem to me a bit stilted.
This time the story is very much in tune with current affairs in France, as young and vulnerable Muslims are recruited for jihad in the Middle East. Although it is a novel, the writer is very knowledgeable on this subject. The bonus history lesson relates a story of Jewish children taken in and hidden during WWII by inhabitants of the fictional village of St Denis, as well as the destruction of a village called Mouleydier by the Germans in June 1944.
I really look forward to reading the next novel in this series.
May 19, 2015
I've only read a few books in this series, however this one is very different from the others. Bruno is not just solving a problem in his town of St. Denis, he is involved in something very different. The tortured body of an undercover police officer, Rafiq, is found nearby. At the same time, Bruno learns that Sami, an autistic savant, who was supposed to being educated in a Toulouse mosque that is known for its autism education, was, in fact, spirited off to Afghanistan. Sami has returned after finding his way to French authorities in Afghanistan. He is returned to St. Denis and his adopted parents, his aunt and uncle. However, he is a person of interest to French and American authorities because he is apparently The Engineer, the person who designed devious and intricate bombs. He is also being pursued by the same people who murdered the undercover police officer. There's also a spark of romance when Bruno meets Nancy, an American agent, not to mention Bruno's cooking expertise! This was an interesting departure from the series with a lot of action and suspense and really not a mystery.
April 30, 2015
*ARC
This book took me on a journey. I love it when books can take me to another place. This book is a perfect mix of international thriller, mystery, and yes, chick lit. It was so well written that I felt truly a part of the village. I could anticipate how the characters would react, almost taste the dishes Bruno made, and wanted to hang out at the pool party, and wine celebration with them. I look forward to his next adventure.
This book took me on a journey. I love it when books can take me to another place. This book is a perfect mix of international thriller, mystery, and yes, chick lit. It was so well written that I felt truly a part of the village. I could anticipate how the characters would react, almost taste the dishes Bruno made, and wanted to hang out at the pool party, and wine celebration with them. I look forward to his next adventure.
May 11, 2015
The ongoing story of Bruno, well done!
This story was an excellent addition to the Bruno series, well written through the ending, leaving us with ideas of things to come. While the endings for the last few books were rushed, this story was paced well and the ending nicely drafted.
This story was an excellent addition to the Bruno series, well written through the ending, leaving us with ideas of things to come. While the endings for the last few books were rushed, this story was paced well and the ending nicely drafted.
August 28, 2015
I love the old Bruno books with lovely scenes of the Perigord and sweet interactions with the townfolk, romantic issues, cooking, riding horseback and growing fresh vegetables and sampling wine. There was some of that in this book but the more current plot twists (ISIS, terrorism, violence)were a little convoluted and definitely less delightfully relaxing than the usual Bruno fare.
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