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An Enemy in the Village: A Mystery of the French Countryside
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.
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.
- GenresMystery
304 pages, Paperback
Published June 16, 2026
About the author
Martin Walker
72 books49 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
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July 3, 2026Thank you to Knopf Books for helping me continue reading the wonderful Bruno, Chief of Police books. Rather than recounting the plot of this particular addition to the series, let me tell you some of the reasons you should pick up this or any of the other books in the series. Read them to hear about the day-to-day challenges and joys of a fictional police officer in a culture- and culinary-rich region of rural France. Read them for the food, the wine, the friends, the viticulture, the history. Read them for the comfort of reuniting with well-drawn, familiar characters. Read them for smart plots full of adventure, community, policing and national security issues. Read them for comfort and relaxation during your hectic day.
Displaying 1 of 1 review