What do you think?
Rate this book
Bruno, Chief of Police
Bruno's Challenge and Other Stories of the French Countryside
Martin Walker presents his first collection of stories featuring all the familiar characters from his Bruno novels and the glories of the P�rigord, with ample helpings of food and wine.
After a prisoner breaks parole to see his son on Christmas, Bruno must track him down before he throws away his chance at eventual freedom. When a Senegalese man's coffee sells superbly at the market, some caf� owners become incensed by the new competition and take matters into their own hands. As a Swiss tourist and a St. Denis native fall in love over the fruit-and-veggie stall, one of their family members takes drastic steps to break them up. A fledgling tour bus business is sabotaged, leading Bruno to take a closer look at a town love triangle. Called in to investigate a case of stolen oysters, our beloved policeman reunites with an old flame to catch the shellfish thieves.
In story after story, Bruno settles town disputes, mediates family quarrels, and tracks down lawbreakers in his adored village of St. Denis and its environs. Featured meals in the collection include a fatty Christmas goose, a savory nettle soup with cr�me fra�che, and a fluffy quiche Lorraine.
After a prisoner breaks parole to see his son on Christmas, Bruno must track him down before he throws away his chance at eventual freedom. When a Senegalese man's coffee sells superbly at the market, some caf� owners become incensed by the new competition and take matters into their own hands. As a Swiss tourist and a St. Denis native fall in love over the fruit-and-veggie stall, one of their family members takes drastic steps to break them up. A fledgling tour bus business is sabotaged, leading Bruno to take a closer look at a town love triangle. Called in to investigate a case of stolen oysters, our beloved policeman reunites with an old flame to catch the shellfish thieves.
In story after story, Bruno settles town disputes, mediates family quarrels, and tracks down lawbreakers in his adored village of St. Denis and its environs. Featured meals in the collection include a fatty Christmas goose, a savory nettle soup with cr�me fra�che, and a fluffy quiche Lorraine.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2021
361 people are currently reading
542 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
August 21, 2022
This is a brilliant collection of short stories from favorite author Martin Walker. There is a wide range of subjects and challenges for Bruno but always including the main circle of the friends he works with, cooks with, enjoys meals and wine with and performs many acts of bravery and kindness with.
All were stellar!
Library Loan - Thank you Chicago Public Library
All were stellar!
Library Loan - Thank you Chicago Public Library
April 13, 2024
There is a town in The Périgord region of France called St. Denis. It isn’t very big but it is SO VERY FRENCH. Its police chief (and often the only police in these stories) is Benoît Courrèges, known to everyone as Bruno.
The first book in the series is Bruno, Chief of Police https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... I liked it much more than this collection of short stories.
As in all the other Bruno books, there is an emphasis (which I have enjoyed) on food, wine, the day to day life. Here it is the prime purpose of the stories, so you get ones that focus on meals, parties, chocolate, coffee, wine and Bruno’s dog, Balzac.
So, only if you are interested in more details of the lives of Bruno and his friends, should you choose this one.
The first book in the series is Bruno, Chief of Police https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... I liked it much more than this collection of short stories.
As in all the other Bruno books, there is an emphasis (which I have enjoyed) on food, wine, the day to day life. Here it is the prime purpose of the stories, so you get ones that focus on meals, parties, chocolate, coffee, wine and Bruno’s dog, Balzac.
So, only if you are interested in more details of the lives of Bruno and his friends, should you choose this one.
March 9, 2024
There are fourteen stories all together. I will try to write something about each of them.
1. Bruno's Challenge - when Ivan falls ill Bruno has to take over cooking for the thirty guests who are arriving to celebrate Patrice and Monique's golden wedding anniversary. A lot of mouth watering descriptions of food are included.
2. The Lost Boy - A six year old boy wanders away from his family and into some woods. The search team use a drone and Bruno's dog, Balzac, a Bassett hound, to search for him. They encounter a boar family and avert a potentially dangerous situation. Bruno is the hero of the day.
3. The Birthday Lunch - The friends get together to celebrate Florence's birthday. Bruno prepares the food. Bruno gives away some architectural artifacts from his personal collection. When questioned, he states that his dog is his most precious artifact.
He explains, "some historians think that one of the key moments in human history was when our ancestors learned to domesticate dogs," as they went on to domesticate other animals also. "That was the great shift that transformed our ancestors from hunter gatherers into farmers, that's how important dogs have been to us."
4. The Chocolate War - explores the clash between established traditional businesses and a new incomer. The mayor brings the mature owners together to remind them how they got their start and to encourage them to reach out a helping hand and come to a business arrangement that benefits all.
5. The Green Army - includes fascinating facts about how wine is made and the regulations the wine growers are subject to. "Bruno had his own troubles with the French passion for bureaucracy."
6. A Market Tale - takes place in the "gastronomic heartland of France." We learn, "never judge a cop by the arrests he makes. Just as important are the people he keeps out of jail."
7. Dangerous Vacation - someone is sabotaging a vehicle for surprising reasons.
8. Sugar Lumps - Jacques' grandchildren are health conscious to the point where Jacques says, "I almost have to drink my wine in secret, hiding from the little green thought police."
9. Fifty Million Bubbles - this story centers around a blind tasting of sparkling wine.
10. Oyster Catcher - in this story we learn that "France was the biggest producer of oysters in Europe and the biggest consumer per head of oysters anywhere in the world." We're talking about an "annual worth of six hundred million euro," making oyster catching a highly lucrative business, which attracts unscrupulous people. The story illustrates using a combination of traditional and modern methods to track and catch thieves.
11. La Mare Noel - this story involves analyzing a beloved mulled wine. The recipe was lost when the owner died. Bruno has a chemist analyze a remaining quantity of it so he can continue to make it. The chemist reveals that it contains "apple brandy, star anise, bay leaf and dark cane sugar."
12. Birth Neanderthal - the mayor asks Bruno to create an anniversary dinner that celebrates the food of Neanderthal ancestors. About serving wine, the mayor states, "Georgians were making wine in the Caucasus eight thousand years ago."
13. The Collaborator - this story is about whether or not Emil can be buried with his family in France. There is controversy over indiscretions from his youth in occupied France. However, Bruno discovers that he went on to live an honorable life. The mayor remarks, "Emil was born almost a hundred years ago, the war has been over for the length of an average lifetime and yet this issue is still with us."
The mayor goes on to conclude: "It's the myths rather than the memories that govern the way we think of our history, but I think we can bury the myth of Emil being a traitor when we bury the man."
14. Bruno and Le Pere Noel - a Christmas story.
1. Bruno's Challenge - when Ivan falls ill Bruno has to take over cooking for the thirty guests who are arriving to celebrate Patrice and Monique's golden wedding anniversary. A lot of mouth watering descriptions of food are included.
2. The Lost Boy - A six year old boy wanders away from his family and into some woods. The search team use a drone and Bruno's dog, Balzac, a Bassett hound, to search for him. They encounter a boar family and avert a potentially dangerous situation. Bruno is the hero of the day.
3. The Birthday Lunch - The friends get together to celebrate Florence's birthday. Bruno prepares the food. Bruno gives away some architectural artifacts from his personal collection. When questioned, he states that his dog is his most precious artifact.
He explains, "some historians think that one of the key moments in human history was when our ancestors learned to domesticate dogs," as they went on to domesticate other animals also. "That was the great shift that transformed our ancestors from hunter gatherers into farmers, that's how important dogs have been to us."
4. The Chocolate War - explores the clash between established traditional businesses and a new incomer. The mayor brings the mature owners together to remind them how they got their start and to encourage them to reach out a helping hand and come to a business arrangement that benefits all.
5. The Green Army - includes fascinating facts about how wine is made and the regulations the wine growers are subject to. "Bruno had his own troubles with the French passion for bureaucracy."
6. A Market Tale - takes place in the "gastronomic heartland of France." We learn, "never judge a cop by the arrests he makes. Just as important are the people he keeps out of jail."
7. Dangerous Vacation - someone is sabotaging a vehicle for surprising reasons.
8. Sugar Lumps - Jacques' grandchildren are health conscious to the point where Jacques says, "I almost have to drink my wine in secret, hiding from the little green thought police."
9. Fifty Million Bubbles - this story centers around a blind tasting of sparkling wine.
10. Oyster Catcher - in this story we learn that "France was the biggest producer of oysters in Europe and the biggest consumer per head of oysters anywhere in the world." We're talking about an "annual worth of six hundred million euro," making oyster catching a highly lucrative business, which attracts unscrupulous people. The story illustrates using a combination of traditional and modern methods to track and catch thieves.
11. La Mare Noel - this story involves analyzing a beloved mulled wine. The recipe was lost when the owner died. Bruno has a chemist analyze a remaining quantity of it so he can continue to make it. The chemist reveals that it contains "apple brandy, star anise, bay leaf and dark cane sugar."
12. Birth Neanderthal - the mayor asks Bruno to create an anniversary dinner that celebrates the food of Neanderthal ancestors. About serving wine, the mayor states, "Georgians were making wine in the Caucasus eight thousand years ago."
13. The Collaborator - this story is about whether or not Emil can be buried with his family in France. There is controversy over indiscretions from his youth in occupied France. However, Bruno discovers that he went on to live an honorable life. The mayor remarks, "Emil was born almost a hundred years ago, the war has been over for the length of an average lifetime and yet this issue is still with us."
The mayor goes on to conclude: "It's the myths rather than the memories that govern the way we think of our history, but I think we can bury the myth of Emil being a traitor when we bury the man."
14. Bruno and Le Pere Noel - a Christmas story.
June 19, 2022
The Cozy Bruno
Review of the Knopf Publishing hardcover (March 2022) of the Quercus UK original hardcover (November 2021)
This is a collection of 14 short stories revolving around Martin Walker's series character Bruno Courrèges, Chief of Police in the fictional town of St. Denis in the Dordogne, the heart of France. Several of these have appeared previously as Kindle eBook singles with the balance being new to this anthology.
The stories here are very much on the light and cozy side of Bruno, with no murder or mayhem and few mysteries to be solved. But if you enjoy the details of Bruno's meal preparations, his enjoyment of wine, the company of the regular cast of his friends, and excursions with his basset hound Balzac and exercising the horses with friend Pamela, this is an ideal cozy read.
The plots mainly entail solving the problems of various local inhabitants. This includes coming up with a wedding anniversary feast on one day's notice when the caterer becomes ill in the title story Bruno's Challenge. Other plots involve resolving squabbles between vendors at the town market, problems with marketing the wine of the town vineyard during a recession, fending off the environmental damage of a reckless vintner, etc. The closest the collection came to crime stories was the capture of thieves in Oystercatcher (Bruno #12.5 from 2020) and negotiations with a parolee on the run during Bruno and le Pere Noel aka Bruno and the Carol Singers (Bruno #5.5 from 2012).
The only warning is to keep some croissants or pain au chocolat handy while reading this. You are certain to find that a craving will develop while you are enjoying the company of Bruno. Bon appétit!
Review of the Knopf Publishing hardcover (March 2022) of the Quercus UK original hardcover (November 2021)
This is a collection of 14 short stories revolving around Martin Walker's series character Bruno Courrèges, Chief of Police in the fictional town of St. Denis in the Dordogne, the heart of France. Several of these have appeared previously as Kindle eBook singles with the balance being new to this anthology.
The stories here are very much on the light and cozy side of Bruno, with no murder or mayhem and few mysteries to be solved. But if you enjoy the details of Bruno's meal preparations, his enjoyment of wine, the company of the regular cast of his friends, and excursions with his basset hound Balzac and exercising the horses with friend Pamela, this is an ideal cozy read.
The plots mainly entail solving the problems of various local inhabitants. This includes coming up with a wedding anniversary feast on one day's notice when the caterer becomes ill in the title story Bruno's Challenge. Other plots involve resolving squabbles between vendors at the town market, problems with marketing the wine of the town vineyard during a recession, fending off the environmental damage of a reckless vintner, etc. The closest the collection came to crime stories was the capture of thieves in Oystercatcher (Bruno #12.5 from 2020) and negotiations with a parolee on the run during Bruno and le Pere Noel aka Bruno and the Carol Singers (Bruno #5.5 from 2012).
The only warning is to keep some croissants or pain au chocolat handy while reading this. You are certain to find that a craving will develop while you are enjoying the company of Bruno. Bon appétit!
October 12, 2021
Martin Walker has created one of the best environments and characters ever. Bruno chief of police series is a wonderful series set in the Dordogne area in France and we get everything. Murders, mysteries, small crimes, food and drink, love stories and friendship. This one is the first collection of short stories, some of them old and some of them new. I have never felt such an urge to visit and even move to a place as when I read these stories and also I get very hungry reading about Brunos cooking. This region in France seems to have it all, the history with some of the oldest cave paintings in the world. All the castles and winemakers. The influence in food from all the people who has settled there and visited the place. I love the description of rural country village life and search for a good life. I can not help myself from telling everyone to try these books. #BrunosChallengeOtherDordogneTales #NetGalley #QuercusBooks I must thank @netgalley @quercusbooks for giving me this advance copy and #MartinWalker for writing these wonderful stories.
January 12, 2024
A compilation of 14 cozy short stories featuring all the lovable characters in Bruno’s life in Perigod. A few of the stories were previously published and included in this book. His food adventures are always a delight as the historical snippets about this rural region of France and Bruno’s way of policing. A nice reading diversion over the course of a few evenings. 3.5 stars rounded up
April 1, 2022
“Bruno's Challenge & Other Dordogne Tales” consists of 14 short stories featuring rural French cop Bruno who has already “starred” in 14 previous books.
The full-size novels (that I prefer) went on a downward spiral around book 10 and mostly picked up at book 14. So I was curious to see how this short story collection would hold up.
This was especially true because only six of the collected stories are actually new - the other eight have previously been published.
The eponymous “Bruno’s Challenge” is one of those new stories and, sadly, a prime example of all that was wrong with the latest Bruno novels: Endless recipe descriptions, hardly any kind of story. 1 star.
“Birthday Lunch” is an older story that I had already read: Another short story from the “Bruno universe”. Unfortunately, like the later novels, this one didn’t have any appeal for me. A large part of it is basically simply a narrated recipe:
“He beat the yolks and eggs together with a hundred fifty grams of sugar until they were creamy.”
That really doesn’t float my boat, sorry. The rest is just plain boring. Moving on. 1 star.
Another republished story is “The Chocolate War”: This one deals with the market again and the ensuing eponymous “Chocolate War” that ends in a typical Bruno way. This is a very short read but it’s a nice one at least. 3 stars.
Another new one is “The Lost Boy” which is actually a pretty nice story. A “classic” Bruno who rescues not only the lost boy but also his father and their holidays. 4 stars.
The new (at least I think it’s new) “A Question of Chabrol” is extremely short as well as extremely weak and boring. It explores the etymology of the word “chabrol” and the associated custom. A typical Walker showing off his historical knowledge. No thanks, 1 star.
Republished (not entirely sure here but I think I came across it before) “The Green Army” is ok‘ish at best. It features environmental crimes but still downplays ecological issues and is generally rather disappointing. 2 stars.
“Dangerous Vacation” (new) is yet another ok’ish story but the very moralist ending is highly annoying. Philippe did nothing wrong (apart from misjudging his true love interest). Two adults having consensual fun - albeit with different expectations. 2 stars.
Another "oldie" but, thankfully, a “goldie” (sorry!): “A Market Tale” is a nice and typical Bruno short story. It’s a good sample for the early Bruno novels since it represents everything that’s good about the series: Bruno is so wonderfully likeable, friendly and empathic. The market obviously plays as important a role as in many of the novels. There’s a small conflict but Bruno congenially resolves it. I felt right at home with this short story. 5 stars.
“Fifty Million Bubbles” is another new story about a wine contest and a related minor crime. Another good one. Minor crime, nice Bruno, some interesting but thankfully brief quick dips into history. 4 stars.
I also already had the misfortune to read “Oystercatcher” before: This completely forgettable short story has Bruno in it but he’s not even near his beloved Perigord. He’s out to catch oyster thieves and for some bizarre reason Isabelle actively engages in this tiniest possible case as well. Just skip this. I only read it for completeness’ sake. 1 star because there are words in this.
“Mère Noël”, newly written, is another good one in which Bruno himself is slyly on the fine line between legality and a grey zone. 4 stars.
“Boeuf Neanderthal” is a republished boring lesson on prehistoric food combined with cooking. Why? Because Bruno’s friend, the mayor of St. Denis, has become president of SHAP, the “Société Historique et Archéologique du Périgord” and asks Bruno to prepare a prehistoric dinner. Who wants to read such crap? 1 star.
“The Collaborator” is an interesting history lesson on collaboration and the Vichy regime. Not sure I agree with all the conclusions presented here but it’s not too bad a story so: 3 stars.
“Le Père Noël” (another old one) is yet another nice typical Bruno in which the latter goes on a “manhunt” - in typical Bruno manner, though. It has a lot of Christmas “vibes” and many of Bruno’s friends (old and new) in it, it has another small crime and made me smile. Since all’s well that ends well, this garners 5 stars.
All in all, I got what I expected with this short story collection - which was not much, I have to admit. Only six new stories and eight old ones, their quality highly mixed…
Arithmetically, we’re at an average overall rating of 2.6 which, sadly, feels about right. Generously rounding that up: Three stars out of five.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam
The full-size novels (that I prefer) went on a downward spiral around book 10 and mostly picked up at book 14. So I was curious to see how this short story collection would hold up.
This was especially true because only six of the collected stories are actually new - the other eight have previously been published.
The eponymous “Bruno’s Challenge” is one of those new stories and, sadly, a prime example of all that was wrong with the latest Bruno novels: Endless recipe descriptions, hardly any kind of story. 1 star.
“Birthday Lunch” is an older story that I had already read: Another short story from the “Bruno universe”. Unfortunately, like the later novels, this one didn’t have any appeal for me. A large part of it is basically simply a narrated recipe:
“He beat the yolks and eggs together with a hundred fifty grams of sugar until they were creamy.”
That really doesn’t float my boat, sorry. The rest is just plain boring. Moving on. 1 star.
Another republished story is “The Chocolate War”: This one deals with the market again and the ensuing eponymous “Chocolate War” that ends in a typical Bruno way. This is a very short read but it’s a nice one at least. 3 stars.
Another new one is “The Lost Boy” which is actually a pretty nice story. A “classic” Bruno who rescues not only the lost boy but also his father and their holidays. 4 stars.
The new (at least I think it’s new) “A Question of Chabrol” is extremely short as well as extremely weak and boring. It explores the etymology of the word “chabrol” and the associated custom. A typical Walker showing off his historical knowledge. No thanks, 1 star.
Republished (not entirely sure here but I think I came across it before) “The Green Army” is ok‘ish at best. It features environmental crimes but still downplays ecological issues and is generally rather disappointing. 2 stars.
“Dangerous Vacation” (new) is yet another ok’ish story but the very moralist ending is highly annoying. Philippe did nothing wrong (apart from misjudging his true love interest). Two adults having consensual fun - albeit with different expectations. 2 stars.
Another "oldie" but, thankfully, a “goldie” (sorry!): “A Market Tale” is a nice and typical Bruno short story. It’s a good sample for the early Bruno novels since it represents everything that’s good about the series: Bruno is so wonderfully likeable, friendly and empathic. The market obviously plays as important a role as in many of the novels. There’s a small conflict but Bruno congenially resolves it. I felt right at home with this short story. 5 stars.
“Fifty Million Bubbles” is another new story about a wine contest and a related minor crime. Another good one. Minor crime, nice Bruno, some interesting but thankfully brief quick dips into history. 4 stars.
I also already had the misfortune to read “Oystercatcher” before: This completely forgettable short story has Bruno in it but he’s not even near his beloved Perigord. He’s out to catch oyster thieves and for some bizarre reason Isabelle actively engages in this tiniest possible case as well. Just skip this. I only read it for completeness’ sake. 1 star because there are words in this.
“Mère Noël”, newly written, is another good one in which Bruno himself is slyly on the fine line between legality and a grey zone. 4 stars.
“Boeuf Neanderthal” is a republished boring lesson on prehistoric food combined with cooking. Why? Because Bruno’s friend, the mayor of St. Denis, has become president of SHAP, the “Société Historique et Archéologique du Périgord” and asks Bruno to prepare a prehistoric dinner. Who wants to read such crap? 1 star.
“The Collaborator” is an interesting history lesson on collaboration and the Vichy regime. Not sure I agree with all the conclusions presented here but it’s not too bad a story so: 3 stars.
“Le Père Noël” (another old one) is yet another nice typical Bruno in which the latter goes on a “manhunt” - in typical Bruno manner, though. It has a lot of Christmas “vibes” and many of Bruno’s friends (old and new) in it, it has another small crime and made me smile. Since all’s well that ends well, this garners 5 stars.
All in all, I got what I expected with this short story collection - which was not much, I have to admit. Only six new stories and eight old ones, their quality highly mixed…
Arithmetically, we’re at an average overall rating of 2.6 which, sadly, feels about right. Generously rounding that up: Three stars out of five.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam
November 15, 2021
I like Martin Walker's short stories which are quite nice to read as one does with being able to read them with being able to stop for a time. I really liked the story of a criminal who escaped his last 3 months to be with his son during Christmas. Bruno handled this with psychological insight and with his probation officer, so that they would not add to his time. Several stories had been written before such as "Oystercatcher" where he meets his love, Isabelle and has to catch the bad guys. I also like the story about the mulled wine at Christmas which Bruno had analyzed to make it for the city. Each story is met with different recipes of what each of the stories have in them. You get hungry as you read each story, not bad in my opinion. Bruno doesn't like praise in the stories. And you get the attempt at making Pamela like an ex of Bruno's, how he says that she is an ex-lover (my words). I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.
May 25, 2023
A very nice collection of short stories set in St. Denis. Some were mysteries for Bruno to solve while others were just scenes from life. I wish the one about cooking a meal from history had been longer. It was very interesting.
July 17, 2022
some good stories I hadn't read before. Bruno ❤️
April 26, 2022
I love Bruno, but like him better when there's more meat on the story's bones. The first couple of these stories made me yawn, but it definitely picked up and was worth the read: brain candy? I do enjoy the general idea that the police, and officials and government in general, is willing to consider the "laws" to be elastic, and allow the responders to suit the punishment to the crime in a charitable way. I note that Bruno officiates in a quiet town where the local cop plays Saint Nicholas at Christmastime, and has time in his beat to take coffee and a croissant with the stall holders at the twice-weekly market. I don't think that's possible around here, or in Paris for that matter. In many ways, we like these books because they tell of a kinder, better time that may not really exist anywhere.
April 17, 2022
For anyone who is a fan of Bruno or of the Périgord, or of village and rural French life, or of French wining and dining, this is a charming gem. The reader will find between-courses stories to absorb a random hour on a busy afternoon, or to fill the tedious wait in a busy doctor's office.
Even the slowest story is redolent of cooking aromas, descriptions of the wines of the region, the history...pre-history of the caves at Lascaux near Les Eyzies (this last which I had the privilege of visiting in 1973. AMAZING and well described here)
The one caveat that I have is that these tales are best preceded by the reading of at least the first three Bruno novels....the people involved are all recognizable. The depth of their involvement in Bruno's life, and that of the village of St Denis, deserve to be ingested with fore-knowledge.
Even the slowest story is redolent of cooking aromas, descriptions of the wines of the region, the history...pre-history of the caves at Lascaux near Les Eyzies (this last which I had the privilege of visiting in 1973. AMAZING and well described here)
The one caveat that I have is that these tales are best preceded by the reading of at least the first three Bruno novels....the people involved are all recognizable. The depth of their involvement in Bruno's life, and that of the village of St Denis, deserve to be ingested with fore-knowledge.
July 26, 2023
Bruno's Challenge is not a collection of short stories. Rather, it brings together what feel like random scenes that didn't make the cut in earlier novels. It also includes some of the ".5" stories you see on the list of Bruno, Chief of Police series. Generally, these are neither as well written nor edited. Too many times, Bruno and another character have a conversation that is just the author relaying a bit of history or information about French culture or how a certain type of wine is made. "Suddenly" should
If you know somebody who has finished all the Bruno books and is experiencing bad withdrawal, they might find some comfort in this collection. Otherwise, save your money and your time.
If you know somebody who has finished all the Bruno books and is experiencing bad withdrawal, they might find some comfort in this collection. Otherwise, save your money and your time.
May 4, 2022
Since my beloved wife died on 31st January from the scourge of cancer I have completely lost the joy of reading. I have picked this up so many times, read a few pages, and nothing sinks in. I probably won't write reviews any more, just keep a record of what I have managed to read. I have managed two book in-between finishing this Martin Walker book, which, as it happens, is another excellent read in the Bruno canon. Sorry to disappoint any reader who has followed my reviews but I am still adrift in an ocean of grief...
July 14, 2023
Delightful to listen to.
August 18, 2024
Das waren halt kleine, nette Geschichtchen um die eigentliche Krimireihe rum. Fiel mir in den Ausleihenkorb, konnte ich gut zwischendurch "weghören"
May 5, 2025
Just not a big fan of the short story.
September 1, 2022
Mixed bag. Some more successful than others
May 11, 2025
Bruno does it again!
July 12, 2022
Bruno
This book reminded me of how much I need Bruno in my life. Each short story explains more about that area of France, and the wonderful influence Bruno has on the people. It's the perfect thing to read when you need a little nudge toward the goodness of the average person.
This book reminded me of how much I need Bruno in my life. Each short story explains more about that area of France, and the wonderful influence Bruno has on the people. It's the perfect thing to read when you need a little nudge toward the goodness of the average person.
November 24, 2021
A review from the preview copy I received via NetGalley
As a big fan of the Bruno series of novels by Martin Walker I was very interested in this collection having completed the series of books (so far) but not getting around to the handful of short stories that was available. This new book collates the stories together along with six new stories to make up Bruno’s Challenge.
The book is a nice accompaniment to the series and if you have read a Bruno book you know what to expect, some of the stories do feel a bit samey with the explanations of things like for example setting the scene of the town market but many of these were published as stand alone so its to be expected. What I like about these stories are the experiments using new characters such as Monica from Pere Noel and some new locations and scenarios.
As always the book is full of life with the inhabitants of St Denis and its favourite Police Man, some great stories to dip in and out of and a wonderful accompaniment to the main series.
The stories contained in the book are the following:
1. Bruno’s Challenge
2. The Birthday Lunch
3. The Chocolate War
4. The Lost Boy
5. A Question of Chabrol
6. The Green Army
7. Dangerous Vacation
8. A Market Tale
9. Fifty Million Bubbles
10. Oystercatcher
11. Mere Noelle
12. Boeuf Neanderthal
13. The Collaborator
14. Le Pere Noel
As a big fan of the Bruno series of novels by Martin Walker I was very interested in this collection having completed the series of books (so far) but not getting around to the handful of short stories that was available. This new book collates the stories together along with six new stories to make up Bruno’s Challenge.
The book is a nice accompaniment to the series and if you have read a Bruno book you know what to expect, some of the stories do feel a bit samey with the explanations of things like for example setting the scene of the town market but many of these were published as stand alone so its to be expected. What I like about these stories are the experiments using new characters such as Monica from Pere Noel and some new locations and scenarios.
As always the book is full of life with the inhabitants of St Denis and its favourite Police Man, some great stories to dip in and out of and a wonderful accompaniment to the main series.
The stories contained in the book are the following:
1. Bruno’s Challenge
2. The Birthday Lunch
3. The Chocolate War
4. The Lost Boy
5. A Question of Chabrol
6. The Green Army
7. Dangerous Vacation
8. A Market Tale
9. Fifty Million Bubbles
10. Oystercatcher
11. Mere Noelle
12. Boeuf Neanderthal
13. The Collaborator
14. Le Pere Noel
September 1, 2022
Rating the stories one by one.
1) Ivan the village restauranteur has a sudden attack of appendicitis and Bruno has to take over a 30 person 50 anniversary dinner. He rises to the occasion with the help of Pamela and Gilles. It's been awhile but we are reminded of Ivan's travel sexology prowess and his bringing back girls of different backgrounds but all great cooks who added to the diversity of St. Denis' culinary delights. A nice short read. 5/5.
2) The lost boy: Two stories in one. A boy is lost while the family is camping. And Bruno uses Belzac to track him down. A realtor who is using a drone to take videos of properties also helps. The second part of the story is when Bruno takes the family to see the local caves. The first story is fun because of Belzac and the second story is interesting because it describes the cave paintings. 5/5.
3) Birthday lunch: Just a small short about making lunch for Florence's birthday, nothing exciting.
4) Chocolate War: already reviewed as a separate story.
5) The Green Army: Interesting short about wine designations and how France and mhe EU bureaucracy controls labeling, which is a good thing but can be bad if it gets too overboard. The problem of course when unscrupulous people try to pass off bad wine as good. However most of the wine growers in the region are ethical and well meaning growers who care about their product.
My commentary and the story is told as a short where the town's resident dishonest wine grower Cazenau pollutes and over fertilizes his land in order to over produce cheap and bad wine. He also tries to mislabel and mix in his bad wine with good to export overseas. Bruno, with the help of the town, catches Cazenau and forces him to retire and stop destroying his land for the good of the town. A good and informative story. 5/5
6) A Market Tale: The best of Martin Walker's shorts features love/romance, cooking/food, family and EU bureaucracy. You don't even need to have crime for it to be good!
Kati is a visitor from Switzerland who decided to quit her boring office job and travel. At the street market she meets Marcel, a local vendor of fresh fruits and vegetables. They fall in love but Marcel's sister Nadette tries to sabotage their relationship due to jealousy and greed (family possessions). Nadette uses the many layers of EU regulations to try and trip her up but Bruno steps in to help because he sees the burgeoning love between Kati and Marcel. Meanwhile Kati meets a truck vendor of British pies and takes over. Bruno establishes a plan where everyone gets something and saves the day. 5/5.
7) Dangerous vacation: Spoilers ahead
This one is about Philippe the journalist and reporter. I did not know this but apparently he is the local Lothario. He is pursuing a local girl who is looking to start her own literary tour guide company. It seems that many famous literary figures have a local connection and she wants to use that to bring domestic and international tourists in.
However, someone seems intent on sabotaging her venture. Her tour bus is repeatedly vandalized. Bruno notices a pattern and traces it to a young lady who is Philippe's reserve, i.e. he uses her whenever his current #1 is unavailable. Bruno brings everyone together. As he likes to say, his job as a policeman is less as someone who puts people in jail and more of someone who prevents people from going to jail. He works out an agreement with all parties. The tour guide gets a new bus, Philippe is to treat people better and the vandal gets a lesson.
8) Sugar Lumps: Not really sure what to say about this one.
They talk about EU's reinstatement of absinthe, the amount of water it takes to produce a kilo of beefsteak, pork and other foods, the hunting of local wildlife (boar, deer, etc.) for food, and Bruno's bravery in diving into the river to save a family from drowning in their crashed car.
9) Fifth Million Bubbles:
This story is about the town's investment into its own wine industry. Covid has devasted the town's venture due to less people traveling and imbibing. They think of methods to increase sales and consumption. One method is to enter the town's sparkling wine into a pan European taste test.
10) Oystercatcher: Already reviewed separately.
11) La Mere Noel: Wine business is in the dumps due to the economy. The town decides to try and duplicate old Mere Daillous's mulled wine to sell. But she has passed and she did not leave her recipe. Using Florence's expertise, Bruno and the town figure it out and call it Mere Noel's Christmas Cheer.
12) Boeuf Neanderthal: The mayor continues to try and drum up business for the town. He asks Bruno if he can duplicate Neanderthal cooking. Bruno asks the town's resident archeologists and they do a pretty fair job of cooking up a meal using basic ingredients and cooking methods.
13) The Collaborator:
A 100 year old Frenchman has passed away in Germany and it is his wish to be buried in his home town of St. Denis. There was some question of whether he collaborated during the war and whether is allowed to be buried there. His grandson puts the question to the mayor and Bruno.
The author makes a mention of the Vichy situation during WW2 and how one of the locals (and by extension) some Frenchmen acted during this time. He ends up by saying that it was been a lifetime since that time.
14) Bruno and le Pere Noel:
A warm story to end the collection. A prisoner with 4 months to go has escaped from his detail and is on his way to St. Denis to see his son. Bruno alerts the local law enforcement but the man eludes capture and even steals a charity collection tin worth over 200 euros.
Bruno eventually finds the man on the river fishing with his son. Instead of turning him in right away, Bruno treats him reasonably and lets him stay for the day to have a Christmas meal with his family and Bruno's friends.
Overall this has been a nice collection. Not every short story was good but there is enough of Bruno and St. Denis that everyone who is a fan should read this collection.
1) Ivan the village restauranteur has a sudden attack of appendicitis and Bruno has to take over a 30 person 50 anniversary dinner. He rises to the occasion with the help of Pamela and Gilles. It's been awhile but we are reminded of Ivan's travel sexology prowess and his bringing back girls of different backgrounds but all great cooks who added to the diversity of St. Denis' culinary delights. A nice short read. 5/5.
2) The lost boy: Two stories in one. A boy is lost while the family is camping. And Bruno uses Belzac to track him down. A realtor who is using a drone to take videos of properties also helps. The second part of the story is when Bruno takes the family to see the local caves. The first story is fun because of Belzac and the second story is interesting because it describes the cave paintings. 5/5.
3) Birthday lunch: Just a small short about making lunch for Florence's birthday, nothing exciting.
4) Chocolate War: already reviewed as a separate story.
5) The Green Army: Interesting short about wine designations and how France and mhe EU bureaucracy controls labeling, which is a good thing but can be bad if it gets too overboard. The problem of course when unscrupulous people try to pass off bad wine as good. However most of the wine growers in the region are ethical and well meaning growers who care about their product.
My commentary and the story is told as a short where the town's resident dishonest wine grower Cazenau pollutes and over fertilizes his land in order to over produce cheap and bad wine. He also tries to mislabel and mix in his bad wine with good to export overseas. Bruno, with the help of the town, catches Cazenau and forces him to retire and stop destroying his land for the good of the town. A good and informative story. 5/5
6) A Market Tale: The best of Martin Walker's shorts features love/romance, cooking/food, family and EU bureaucracy. You don't even need to have crime for it to be good!
Kati is a visitor from Switzerland who decided to quit her boring office job and travel. At the street market she meets Marcel, a local vendor of fresh fruits and vegetables. They fall in love but Marcel's sister Nadette tries to sabotage their relationship due to jealousy and greed (family possessions). Nadette uses the many layers of EU regulations to try and trip her up but Bruno steps in to help because he sees the burgeoning love between Kati and Marcel. Meanwhile Kati meets a truck vendor of British pies and takes over. Bruno establishes a plan where everyone gets something and saves the day. 5/5.
7) Dangerous vacation: Spoilers ahead
This one is about Philippe the journalist and reporter. I did not know this but apparently he is the local Lothario. He is pursuing a local girl who is looking to start her own literary tour guide company. It seems that many famous literary figures have a local connection and she wants to use that to bring domestic and international tourists in.
However, someone seems intent on sabotaging her venture. Her tour bus is repeatedly vandalized. Bruno notices a pattern and traces it to a young lady who is Philippe's reserve, i.e. he uses her whenever his current #1 is unavailable. Bruno brings everyone together. As he likes to say, his job as a policeman is less as someone who puts people in jail and more of someone who prevents people from going to jail. He works out an agreement with all parties. The tour guide gets a new bus, Philippe is to treat people better and the vandal gets a lesson.
8) Sugar Lumps: Not really sure what to say about this one.
They talk about EU's reinstatement of absinthe, the amount of water it takes to produce a kilo of beefsteak, pork and other foods, the hunting of local wildlife (boar, deer, etc.) for food, and Bruno's bravery in diving into the river to save a family from drowning in their crashed car.
9) Fifth Million Bubbles:
This story is about the town's investment into its own wine industry. Covid has devasted the town's venture due to less people traveling and imbibing. They think of methods to increase sales and consumption. One method is to enter the town's sparkling wine into a pan European taste test.
10) Oystercatcher: Already reviewed separately.
11) La Mere Noel: Wine business is in the dumps due to the economy. The town decides to try and duplicate old Mere Daillous's mulled wine to sell. But she has passed and she did not leave her recipe. Using Florence's expertise, Bruno and the town figure it out and call it Mere Noel's Christmas Cheer.
12) Boeuf Neanderthal: The mayor continues to try and drum up business for the town. He asks Bruno if he can duplicate Neanderthal cooking. Bruno asks the town's resident archeologists and they do a pretty fair job of cooking up a meal using basic ingredients and cooking methods.
13) The Collaborator:
A 100 year old Frenchman has passed away in Germany and it is his wish to be buried in his home town of St. Denis. There was some question of whether he collaborated during the war and whether is allowed to be buried there. His grandson puts the question to the mayor and Bruno.
The author makes a mention of the Vichy situation during WW2 and how one of the locals (and by extension) some Frenchmen acted during this time. He ends up by saying that it was been a lifetime since that time.
14) Bruno and le Pere Noel:
A warm story to end the collection. A prisoner with 4 months to go has escaped from his detail and is on his way to St. Denis to see his son. Bruno alerts the local law enforcement but the man eludes capture and even steals a charity collection tin worth over 200 euros.
Bruno eventually finds the man on the river fishing with his son. Instead of turning him in right away, Bruno treats him reasonably and lets him stay for the day to have a Christmas meal with his family and Bruno's friends.
Overall this has been a nice collection. Not every short story was good but there is enough of Bruno and St. Denis that everyone who is a fan should read this collection.
June 16, 2023
Martin Walker admits that writing short stories is hard, and it shows. I enjoyed all the other Bruno books, but not this one. If, like me, you don't like or understand cooking and skim over those parts, you could finish reading this book very quickly. Also, the stories are sometimes simply unbelievable. Forgiving someone for violating parole, robbery and kidnapping simply because it's Christmas? Bah, humbug! Bottom line: Read Bruno's other books first, and then skip this one.
February 2, 2025
I really savored these stories: the food, the region, the history. I listened again. I love this series adn I may go to sleep while listening sometimes. I am going blind and order audiobooks even if I can't remember if I have already listened to them. This one deserves a regular revisit. Love Bruno, Black and Martin Walker.
April 29, 2022
Delightful collection of all things Bruno ! These short stories feature Bruno thru the seasons in his home of St Denis. Of course, food and wine are the major characters in this special Walker edition of Bruno. Thanks to Random House for a copy !
May 29, 2022
i stopped reading this collection of short stories after two stories. I enjoy the series, but these stories were just about his cooking for people. Some of the longer books have a bit too much cooking in them too.
August 25, 2023
No mysteries. But also no character development. More like --let's give some details about caves. Then wine. DNF for me. Sooooo boring
March 14, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Bruno's Challenge and Other Stories of the French Countryside is a quaint and gently written collection of short stories featuring the main characters from the Bruno, Chief of Police novels by Martin Walker. Due out 15th March 2022 from Knopf Doubleday on their Knopf imprint, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
These books are so very well written and so comforting to read. They're gentle stories, full of slice-of-life anecdotes and told well, with drama and sometimes pathos, good (but never cruel) moments of humour and always, always good food, wine, and friends. That's what keeps me coming back. I love reading the delicious food commentary and preparation and the rich atmosphere of the French countryside and Bruno's circle of friends, associates, and acquaintances.
Most of the stories also contain one or more small everyday mysteries which are generally well resolved by the end of each tale. The bulk of these stories have been released as individual shorts earlier, though this is their first collection in one volume. There is very little in the way of backstory provided, and as such, they're probably not the best entry into the series as a whole. For current fans of Bruno, and Mr. Walker's beautifully living French countryside, these stories are a treat.
Four and a half stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Bruno's Challenge and Other Stories of the French Countryside is a quaint and gently written collection of short stories featuring the main characters from the Bruno, Chief of Police novels by Martin Walker. Due out 15th March 2022 from Knopf Doubleday on their Knopf imprint, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
These books are so very well written and so comforting to read. They're gentle stories, full of slice-of-life anecdotes and told well, with drama and sometimes pathos, good (but never cruel) moments of humour and always, always good food, wine, and friends. That's what keeps me coming back. I love reading the delicious food commentary and preparation and the rich atmosphere of the French countryside and Bruno's circle of friends, associates, and acquaintances.
Most of the stories also contain one or more small everyday mysteries which are generally well resolved by the end of each tale. The bulk of these stories have been released as individual shorts earlier, though this is their first collection in one volume. There is very little in the way of backstory provided, and as such, they're probably not the best entry into the series as a whole. For current fans of Bruno, and Mr. Walker's beautifully living French countryside, these stories are a treat.
Four and a half stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
November 9, 2021
I am not the biggest fan of short stories. However I am a big fan of Bruno and also, I really don't mind short stories when they contain characters and places I am already familiar with. So... it was a no brainer that I was mega excited to get my hands on this - a whole book crammed full of Bruno's shorts, some new, others previously published elsewhere. Each one was a veritable delight as I wondered which one of Bruno's friends would pop up to assist him in whatever was going on.
Starting with a bit of a cooking challenge which had him thrown in at the deep end a bit. But, as with what usually happens in the main books, everyone comes together and, well, I'll let you find out for yourself how that goes. Another one which stood out for me was when Bruno had to keep the peace in the market when a new kid on the block appeared and started to sell his own coffee, taking custom away from the locals.
If you are wanting a proper big crime solving fix then this isn't the book for you as a lot of the stories deal with the day to day stuff that Bruno, as Chief of police, has to deal with. There's crime to be had but it is of the softer variety, that is easily solved in a few pages. That's not to say that it's boring. Far from it. There's plenty still to guess and ponder on. And most stories are served up with the most delicious sounding treats, and wine. Which means that this book should come with a warning not to dive in unless you have already eaten! Made my mouth water...
For me it has filled a gap between the proper Bruno books. But, although I had a bit of fun along the way, it's not a substitute for the real thing. A proper Bruno mystery. Which I hope will not be too long coming after.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Starting with a bit of a cooking challenge which had him thrown in at the deep end a bit. But, as with what usually happens in the main books, everyone comes together and, well, I'll let you find out for yourself how that goes. Another one which stood out for me was when Bruno had to keep the peace in the market when a new kid on the block appeared and started to sell his own coffee, taking custom away from the locals.
If you are wanting a proper big crime solving fix then this isn't the book for you as a lot of the stories deal with the day to day stuff that Bruno, as Chief of police, has to deal with. There's crime to be had but it is of the softer variety, that is easily solved in a few pages. That's not to say that it's boring. Far from it. There's plenty still to guess and ponder on. And most stories are served up with the most delicious sounding treats, and wine. Which means that this book should come with a warning not to dive in unless you have already eaten! Made my mouth water...
For me it has filled a gap between the proper Bruno books. But, although I had a bit of fun along the way, it's not a substitute for the real thing. A proper Bruno mystery. Which I hope will not be too long coming after.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
July 4, 2022
After a long time reading the Brunetti books, I found this little addition to the Bruno series. Apparently Walker had some little stories about Bruno and no way to fit them into one big story so he published this little book of 14 single chapter stories. They are all about food in one way or another which is the part of Bruno we like the best. Bruno is such a good guy and such a diplomat in handling the problems and people in his small town in southwestern France. He is always able to rally the crowd to get things done. His love life is the only thing that I find better in Brunetti who has the fantastic Paola as his long time wife and wise mate. I guess I would like to see Bruno end up with someone that fits him as well as Paola does Guido. But Bruno clings to his flings with the career minded Isabelle and ignores some of the more appropriate women of St. Denis. This book even suggests that Bruno sees Florence as the next Mayor (when the old Mayor dies or retires I suppose) and what an interesting idea. The Chief of Police and the Mayor as a couple! But Walker pretty much keeps Florence as a part of the scenery too busy teaching science and raising twins to be a love interest. I have to admit that the final chapter in the book left me a little misty-eyed. What the world needs more of are guys like Bruno!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews