Déjà-vu: Der siebzehnte Fall für Bruno, Chef de police

Bruno, Chief of Police #17

by Martin Walker, Michael Windgassen (translator)

Bruno erholt sich noch von einer Schussverletzung, als ein geheimnisvoller Fund sein Interesse Bei einem verfallenen Schlösschen wird ein Grab mit drei Skeletten gefunden, offenbar aus dem 2. Weltkrieg. Ist es im idyllischen Saint-Denis zu Kriegsverbrechen gekommen? Bruno begibt sich auf Spurensuche in dunkle Zeiten, doch auch in der Gegenwart wird er dringend Internationale Besucher müssen mit Köstlichkeiten aus dem Périgord bewirtet werden, und die malerische Vézère schwillt zu einem reißenden Strom an, der ganz Saint-Denis in Gefahr bringt.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, France, Crime, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Procedural

385 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2024

About the author

Martin 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.

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The seventeenth book in the series, and I still cannot get enough of Bruno and his friends and their wonderful lifestyle.

In this book Bruno is involved in the discovery of three sets of bones in an old grave in the woods. The resultant investigation causes all kinds of political intrigue of the kind that this author writes so well. Then the Dordogne floods and the dams spill and there is a very high risk of local flooding. Bruno is kept very busy indeed despite the fact that he is supposed to be on leave, recovering from his injury from the previous book.

Despite all the action Bruno and his friends still find time to ride horses, shop at the local market, and eat some glorious meals at each other's homes. It is fun to share all this with them even if it is just through the pages of a book. Oh and a gold star to Balzac the attack dog.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Walter · Rating 2 out of 5]

The weakest book in the series so far. There is nothing really happening apart from some cybercrime in between. The rest is the usual extensive culinary part of recipes, landscapes and history spots with anecdotes from all the Neanderthals to WW2.
The grand finale is flood in St. Denis and the Dordogne due to climate change and Bruno ends up hurt and made invalid with Florence taking care of him. So it is full circle with the end of the installment before and I ask myself what did I need this book for?

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A grave had been discovered in the woods and Bruno, Chief of Police, (still recovering from his last case, and wasn't due back to work for another two weeks), went to view the grave as he needed to know what or who was inside. Three human skeletons lay beneath protective covering, and from the clothing, plus some papers protected in a tin, it seemed as though they'd been there since WWII. Was it a war crime? Bruno was determined to discover the answers to that question.

Meanwhile, a new person to the area had brought trouble which drew the eyes of security police, FBI and other officials. Bruno knew he needed to keep watch on that situation. And with the constant rains, it looked as though the Dordogne river, in combination with the dams, would bring flooding to their small village of St Denis. Bruno wasn't even "officially" back at work, and was busier than ever...

A Grave in the Woods is #17 in the Bruno, Chief of Police, series by Martin Walker and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Back in 2013 I read #6 and when I was approached to read this one, I asked a good friend who loves the series if it could be read as a standalone. She said yes! And she was right. I remember enjoying #6 - so why didn't I read more in the series? Too many books, too little time perhaps!! Time to rectify that... Bruno is an exceptional character and the people (friends) who surround him are also. A Grave in the Woods is an excellent read which I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and Quercus, UK for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Jannelies · Rating 4 out of 5]

For starters: what a beautiful, beautiful cover! Very fitting for this book in which you can practically smell and feel the wonderful surroundings Bruno and his friends live their lives in.
Despite not being completely healed yet, Bruno wanders back to the office to discover there's a strange woman sitting behind his desk... But before he can really deal with that, he accepts the small task of going to have a look at a recently found grave in the woods. What he finds there will have a big impact on the whole village and sheds light on some almost forgotten history of this small part of France.

Is there anyone who wouldn't like to live in Bruno's village, with those wonderful people who take such good care of each other and the community? With the clean air, the woods, the whole beautiful nature? I wanted to pack my suitcase... but alas that's not possible. And it's not always sunshine and roses, as we will read in this story.
A story that begins almost eighty years ago. We learn a lot about what happened in those days when the war was taking a turn for the good. And even for someone like me who doesn't know a lot about France and its history, I kept reading because it was all so interesting.

A very enjoyable read!

Thanks to Quercus and Netgalley for this review copy.

[Robert Sale · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this to be a disappointing read. The crimes on which the novel focuses, in both the past and the present, don't go anywhere especially interesting. The protagonist quickly discovers what's going on and that's that, with no twists or turns. And they don't seem to connect into one overarching plot. Towards the end the focus shifts to a separate story (a flood).

Usually I enjoy the way this author delves into the history of the region, but in this case I felt he was jamming it into the mouths of the characters, which made the dialogue seem stilted.

I still read each new release in this series. At the very least it's enjoyable to revisit the characters and setting. But it seems like the author isn't trying that hard anymore.

[nik farmer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as hoped

An awful lot of research dumped on the reader and a lot less of the endearing detail of life in St Denis. Lots of plot threads that felt disconnected and left hanging.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this character, this setting, this author...but wow did this one feel phoned in to me. Last third was a rehash of the fire book, only with water. Really weak and lazy wrap up of the ex-husband story line. I enjoyed the united Europe look at WWII tragedy, and I really like some of the new characters, but the book as a whole was a real disappointment.

[Wulf Krueger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Martin Walker certainly knows his history and it shows in “A Grave in the Woods”. Bruno, beloved rural policeman in France’s Dordogne region, still in convalescence from his injury from the previous novel, is charged by his mayor with investigating a grave dating back to World War II.

Added to the mix is Abby, an American archaeologist who retreats to Saint-Denis to evade her “crazy” crypto-currency ex-billionaire ex-husband turned hacker. (Yes, I kid you not.)

There’s also major flooding, which Bruno must manage and try to prevent further damage from.

While the broad historical excursions are certainly interesting, anything “mysterious” doesn’t take up much space here. We never get to the bottom of the mystery around Abby and her ex-husband or his shady international dealings. We never get to actually know why he tried to hack Bruno and the police.

We also never learn what happened to those bodies in the concealed grave. We can understand they were killed by the French Resistance, but all their background remains unclear. This is especially aggravating since Bruno and his friends very publicly bemoan the death of the two young women and the violence of men against women – but any real interest on the part of the author and his “cast” are reserved for the male body…

The flooding is the only part that’s actually described interestingly; its force is suspensefully depicted, and climate change is explained to be at its core, but none of that is why I read the Bruno novels. I used to read them for a kind policeman investigating local crime. That, though, has been pretty much completely absent for years now. Instead, we get complicated (not just complex) stories about international espionage and terrorism. In rural France…

Many of Bruno’s friends make an appearance here, and we get not one but two Asterix-style feasts. Sadly, though, this mostly reads like fan service instead of integral parts of the story. The inevitable recipes, usually presented through descriptions of Bruno’s cooking, appear in the unlikely guise of sometimes page-long commands (!) from others to Bruno.

As usual, the writing is fine and marks a return to a less “grandiose” style of prose that much better fits these novels. Still, “A Grave in the Woods” doesn’t lend itself to being read as a standalone novel, or as an introduction to the series, since it generously references earlier novels that any new reader would not understand.

We end where we started – Bruno is injured again and goes back to hospital, where, again, Florence is taking care of him.

While this latest instalment of “Bruno” is not as annoying as some of its predecessors, it feels completely inconsequential in the context of the world Walker created. There’s no real mystery, no true resolution to any of the topics, and no satisfaction from its ending.

Two generous stars out of five.


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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam

[Nick Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

This is my least favorite book in the series. There are lots of reasons.
The “cooking scenes” for which this series has become famous were way too contrived — almost like a narrator reading from a dry cookbook.
There was way too much background information on crimes that played too little into the plot.
The ending has nothing to do with the beginning — as if it were written for a different book.
Etc.
I think Bruno and I will be parting ways.

[Linden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruno is still technically on convalescent leave due to his being shot, but of course there is plenty to do. A British couple wants to purchase a property to transform it into a wedding venue, but a grave is found on the site. In it are 2 young German women and an Italian man, presumably buried sometime during World War II. There is a commemoration ceremony, attended by most of the familiar villagers. (Fortunately, Isabelle is only mentioned in passing since I find her on again off again romance with Bruno somewhat annoying.) A flood of biblical proportions and someone tampering with the department's phones and computers complicate Bruno's time off, but it's always a pleasure to read about the amazing food, the friendships, and the history of this area in the south of France. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Sally Zwiebach · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much historical material that fails to advance or enhance the story, which is thin. The ending is a manufactured, and the epilogue nearly the same as the previous book in this series. If Walker is interested in the history of Perigord, he should write one.
Disappointed, because I adored his previous novels.

[Julie Durnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4 stars for this Bruno tale! A good plot with the discovery of an unusual burial of 2 German women and an Italian naval officer from the end of World War II. Bruno’s food and Dordogne descriptions are always intriguing.

[jan dobrucki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

I’ve very much enjoyed reading all of the series until now.The vast majority was a history lesson of the Second World War which was ok to a point but was not the content I was expecting. I skipped over many paragraphs. This left room for very little else.There was no real interesting crime to speak of and included a re-hash of a previous scare relating to flooding in the area. Most disappointing of all was the lack of interaction with the friends in the area which I really enjoy.

[Valerie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have loved all the Bruno books, but this one was a "Grave" disappointment. It has far too much in-depth history, tedious amounts of pages spent on ceremony, and an unnecessary amount of time spent on the weather. All of this is at the expense of the story. Actually I'm not sure what the story/mystery was supposed to be as so little time was spent on it. I sure hope the series gets better - this was a dud.

[Vicky Hughes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book very difficult to get in to, and overall didn’t feel there was much of a storyline to it. Some minor action towards the end but nothing to put your heart in your mouth. Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

[Bobby D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of my readers know that I have enjoyed and been addicted to Martin Walker’s Bruno Police novels. This is his 17th and latest (I have read 13). So I was eager to preorder this latest and put everything down to join Bruno on another episode in lovely Southern France. And although I felt drawn into this story it was ultimately quite disappointing. It has an interesting premise as early on Bruno returns to his office to find it occupied by a woman replacement? The mystery/crime hook was not compelling and the Bruno character laid flat on the page. This is my least favorite in the series.
Without going into the various plot tangents the book finds Bruno not yet back on duty as he is still healing from the bullet he took in book 16. But he returns to find a young American woman who wants to open a tour guide business. And of course, Bruno helps her get situated, then finding she is running from her divorced husband who has lost his fortune in the Cryptocurrency market. The same time a potential hotel investor discovers a grave on his property and Bruno and government officials find inside the coffin 50-year-old corpses (two naked teenage girls and an older Italian in an Italian navy uniform). The book ends with a major flooding of the town caused by a major storm. All mixed in a less than exciting narrative. I do like the way Walker brings significant history and research into every plot.
I can’t recommend this book nor see it as a standalone. I see Walker has another Bruno book planned for release next June (2025) and I am sure I will be buying it with the hope things get better in Bruno’s village.

[Meems · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read a lot of this series and maybe familiarity does breed contempt.....well, not contempt, but let's say "ennui."

It's charming and the characters are fun (enough) but I'm pretty much over the pedantic way all information is in LONG speeches nobody would say. All the characters sound the same, and now we have three more who have been introduced who will either a.) move to St. Denis; b.) become love interests for residents; c. be incessantly referenced in future books; or d.) all of the above. I had the feeling I was supposed to be overwhelmed but Walker's research and erudition in discovering so much WW2 history of the Périgord, and I was, but grudgingly so because it was so heavy-handed.

There was also, for me, very much a "Chekhov's gun" feeling about it all. There was no real reason ever given for why the new bad guy was in town. (The organized crime link was gratuitous.....) POSSIBLE SPOILERS: Please, already: what? no payoff with the cookie tin? There was an international gathering rife with tension and opportunity for action, and....nothing. The put-down of the demonstrators was fake, fake, fake. There was bad weather and then....it wasn't so bad.

It was a diverting way to spend a Friday night. I'm always up for anything that includes veal and mushrooms, but I think I'm just not that into Bruno any more.

It was a diverting read.

[Dede Erickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should give this 2 stars but Bruno is one of my favorite book characters. I found this book to be anti-climatic. There were so many questions left unanswered. It’s though the story stopped in the middle and a new story started. It was as though the World War II mysterious grave was forgotten, and there was no information about the women in the grave. No one even tried to find out anything about them. There was a lot of talk about cryptocurrency and Russia, but I’m not sure how that exactly tied into the story of the grave and the flood it was just very disjointed.

[Abibliofob · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all I must thank the kind people of Quercus Books for reaching out and giving me an advance copy of this book and Netgalley for handling it. A Grave in the Woods by Martin Walker is the 17th book about Benoît Courrèges, aka Bruno. He is the Chief of police in the Dordogne valley in the south of France, he lives in the little village of St. Denis and in this book he returns from a time in hospital due to a wound he got in the last book. He is still recovering and is not supposed to work until the doctor has given his ok but things happen and he pulls on his uniform. While examining what is a forgotten grave they discover three bodies all from the second world war and at the same time some of the new inhabitants in St. Denis are having problems. That is not all, there is also a big risk of flooding the valley due to heavy autumn rain. This is as always a well written story and not only do we get to follow Bruno solving mysteries we also get a good dose of local cuisine which always leaves me hungry. We also get to see some old acquaintances return due to a memorial service for the discovered bodies. Never have I come across a book series that makes me want to move somewhere like this one does. I understand why the author has taken to live here. It is alway great fun returning to this piece of rural France and what could have been a great place to live if it wasn't for the murder rate.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wonder if I liked this book more than some of the other reviewers due to the lengthy wait from my library hold until I finally got it on my kindle. There were many interesting and difficult challenges for Bruno to overcome and heroic deeds were done at risk for the good of all.
I like all the books in this series and admire Walker's ability to deliver a highly admirable character.

Library Loan

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read all of Martin Walker s novels and totally enjoyed them. Plus, I have his wonderful cookbook and especially recommend the squash recipe. However, I will say A Grave in the Woods had a very weak and disappointing ending after umpteen pages about the flood,
endless unresolved talk about crypto currency, and a repetitive discussion about a small WW2 grave and elaborate commemorative ceremony. I don't think I will recommend this book.

[John Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange one this and in itself a puzzle for Bruno.

My wife and I were lucky to get a copy of this book shortly after its release. I remember reading it and that I hadn't enjoyed it as much as the rest of the series.

In fact one of my GR friends referred to this in her recent review.

It was her review that caused me to look again at my own but to discover not only was it missing but also that the book was missing from my 'Read' shelf and still carried the 'Want to Read' label.

Strange.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much happening and it bogs down. By the 2/3 point it needed to end! Some have criticized the deep dive into WWII history but I was annoyed more by the incessant cooking and dinner planning. Multiple threats and Bruno is firing off orders on how to simmer onions to an octogenarian. The personal threat to the American along with the crypto- currency angle is totally eclipsed by the weather. Wondering if the American guide will be the romance angle in the next book. A dumb ending too.

[Chris Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow!!! Each Bruno book teaches new things about the history of France. This one also leans into climate change. Better and better.

[Stephen the Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather like a new Donna Leon novel in Venice or a Denzil Meyrick thriller in Scotland a new Bruno Courrges story has become an annual event in the summer for the last 17 years !!

As ever the town and the people of St Denis are a backdrop to the latest police/thriller story.
Bones of three people are discovered in a war grave raising questions as to whether a war crime was committed; two of the victims were women and violently abused.

The story takes an interesting focus upon the atrocities of war and abuse upon the victims of both sides- a fine line in the eyes of many- but the violence against the female victims leads the women of St Denis to show solidarity. Martin Walker holds a sensitive line in this element of the book- with some of the male bastion showing ' a more basic view' of allies v germans.

Much of the book is taken up with well researched history of the WWII period and the resistance in the Dordogne. Quite a history lesson.

The other elements of the book focus upon a new resident and cyber /crypto currency crime involving an ex partner as well as the danger to the community from rising water levels and potential floods

Bruno is always at hand to help, organise and be at the heart of all the events- and of course demonstrate his culinary and sporting skills

This is sometimes just a bit frustrating as he becomes a bit too much of a super hero- especially as he is recovering from an injury from the previous story..

But just suspend disbelief and dive into another rollicking read; there was a sense that this book felt a little disjointed especially with the denouement of the cyber attack story, the flood situation towards the ends whilst keeping a focus on the main story plot. .

But there is no denying, that if you like a mix of police procedural /thriller with some good food and company thrown then this new Bruno Courreges story is a great summer escape read.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the latest Chief Bruno novel, set in the Dordogne, one of my favorite regions of France. This book didn’t have much of a mystery to it, nor did Bruno do much cooking, but it was nonetheless a delightful read with all the characters we know and love. Climate change was one of the issues covered in the book and was demonstrated by the horrible flooding caused by excessive rains. My one wish for this series is that Bruno and Florence will finally get together!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest book in the Dordogne mystery series sees charismatic policeman Bruno assist in the uncovering of a WW2 grave as well as dealing with a cyber attack on the police network despite being on convalescent leave. This is only the second book of the series I have read but was immediately transported into the culture, history and community of St Denis and the residents of the beautiful town. I have visited the Dordogne, though not as far south as the Perigord Noir and as a reader was delighted to be absorbed in the setting and story. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

[Paul Dymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good, though it felt like a couple of unconnected stories, with the graves and then the flood. Rather unsatisfactory ending with the people who were killed in the flood, rather than facing justice.
Florence was barely in it but appeared right at the end; maybe romance will finally blossom for her and Bruno?

[Ken Fredette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe how much Martin Walker brings to the story about what happened in France during WWII and also bringing us stories about Jefferson in the U.S. and Italy during the war with the submarines. He makes Bruno quite believable in that he is hurt every now and then. What we have is a grave that is not known to everyone and has two women (naked) and a man dressed in uniform as an Italian Submarine Captain. Flowers are brought from all the women who have thought about what had happened to the grave. They had to fight a flood and saved a woman and her child from drowning. But what I really wonder is how much he is in love with Florence and her two children when he talks about how he loves their kisses. Will it be brought up in his next book?

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book touches on many topics of the current times in a way that is instructive and plausible, incorporated well into the story line. I liked this one a lot, even though, as usual, sometimes the history is a bit intensive.