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Bruno, Chief of Police #11
A Taste for Vengeance
A missing woman, a shocking pregnancy, a dash of international intrigue, and a bottle or two of good Bergerac: it's another case for Bruno, Chief of Police.
When a British tourist fails to turn up for a luxurious cooking vacation in Bruno's usually idyllic Dordogne village of St. Denis, the worried hostess is quick to call on Bruno for help. Monica Felder is nowhere to be found, and her husband, a retired British major, is unreachable. And not long after Bruno discovers that Monica was traveling with a mysterious Irishman (her lover?), the two turn up dead. The Irishman's background in intelligence and his connection to Monica's husband only raise more questions for Bruno. Was she running away? How much does her husband really know? What's the real story behind a scandal buried in the threesome's military past? Meanwhile, the star of the girls' rugby team, a favorite of Bruno's, is pregnant, putting at risk her chances of being named to the French national squad. Bruno's search for the truth in both cases leads him to places he hadn't intended to go--but, as ever, he and his friends take time to savor the natural delights of the Dordogne. Santé!
When a British tourist fails to turn up for a luxurious cooking vacation in Bruno's usually idyllic Dordogne village of St. Denis, the worried hostess is quick to call on Bruno for help. Monica Felder is nowhere to be found, and her husband, a retired British major, is unreachable. And not long after Bruno discovers that Monica was traveling with a mysterious Irishman (her lover?), the two turn up dead. The Irishman's background in intelligence and his connection to Monica's husband only raise more questions for Bruno. Was she running away? How much does her husband really know? What's the real story behind a scandal buried in the threesome's military past? Meanwhile, the star of the girls' rugby team, a favorite of Bruno's, is pregnant, putting at risk her chances of being named to the French national squad. Bruno's search for the truth in both cases leads him to places he hadn't intended to go--but, as ever, he and his friends take time to savor the natural delights of the Dordogne. Santé!
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2018
1343 people are currently reading
1449 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 517 reviews
November 10, 2023
Back in my happy place with Bruno et al in the quaint and very hospitable town of St Denis in France. This is the eleventh book in the series in which Bruno gets a promotion, the IRA shows it still has teeth even in France, and Isabelle returns to play games with Bruno's psyche.
The author knows this area of France really well and it shows. In this book he cleverly uses a cooking school to provide even more opportunity for mouth watering descriptions of the preparation of the local fare. At one point Bruno is grating truffles. I am amazed no one has caught him in the marriage trap yet - he is definitely first rate material.
This an amazingly good series. I will be so sad when it ends!
The author knows this area of France really well and it shows. In this book he cleverly uses a cooking school to provide even more opportunity for mouth watering descriptions of the preparation of the local fare. At one point Bruno is grating truffles. I am amazed no one has caught him in the marriage trap yet - he is definitely first rate material.
This an amazingly good series. I will be so sad when it ends!
November 3, 2024
2 1/2/ stars and I probably will not read another in this series. It might make an ok tv show.
I skipped a chunk in the middle. You might like it if you like cozy style set in France. I’ve got to stop accepting free or very cheap books that only look vaguely appealing.
With this book the author chose to go on at great (but superficial) length about his detective, food, the village, its inhabitants etc., in spite of the fact that this is number eleven in the series. The story, when it finally gets going, isn’t gripping nor are the forensics convincing. Early on several things are noticed by the detective only by fortunate circumstances created by the author. That seems like cheating.
I skipped a chunk in the middle. You might like it if you like cozy style set in France. I’ve got to stop accepting free or very cheap books that only look vaguely appealing.
With this book the author chose to go on at great (but superficial) length about his detective, food, the village, its inhabitants etc., in spite of the fact that this is number eleven in the series. The story, when it finally gets going, isn’t gripping nor are the forensics convincing. Early on several things are noticed by the detective only by fortunate circumstances created by the author. That seems like cheating.
June 21, 2018
4.5 stars
A Taste for Vengeance is an excellent addition to the Bruno, Chief of Police series. In this installment, Bruno has received a promotion and now oversees a wider range of territory while also maintaining his role as Chief of Police in St. Denis. Much like Michael Connelly with Harry Bosch, Walker focuses on Bruno’s life in addition to the crimes he is pursuing, and I have enjoyed following his relationships (romantic and otherwise) and connections in the town and with other law enforcement. Walker also includes the food and culture of the Perigord region and a fabulous map of the imaginary St. Denis which allows the reader to follow Bruno around the town.
The mystery in A Taste of Vengeance is unique and clever. Several of the past Bruno mysteries focus on the historical aspects of the Perigord region (one of my favorite aspects of the series); however, this story involves an Irishman who has ties to the IRA and the New IRA which made for an exciting and novel issue for Bruno. While attempting to solve the deaths of the Irishman and his companion, Bruno, who coaches the girls’ rugby team, gets drawn into some troubles one of the star rugby players is encountering. Both issues are intriguing and captivating, and I was pleased with each issue’s resolution.
I love this series; it is one of my very favorites. I am not one to feel that I have to start at the beginning of a series to enjoy later books, but I do feel that beginning with the first book in this series, Bruno, Chief of Police, is wise – there is so much character development that would be missed by leaping into the series at this stage. I highly recommend A Taste for Vengeance; it is a standout in the series.
A Taste for Vengeance is an excellent addition to the Bruno, Chief of Police series. In this installment, Bruno has received a promotion and now oversees a wider range of territory while also maintaining his role as Chief of Police in St. Denis. Much like Michael Connelly with Harry Bosch, Walker focuses on Bruno’s life in addition to the crimes he is pursuing, and I have enjoyed following his relationships (romantic and otherwise) and connections in the town and with other law enforcement. Walker also includes the food and culture of the Perigord region and a fabulous map of the imaginary St. Denis which allows the reader to follow Bruno around the town.
The mystery in A Taste of Vengeance is unique and clever. Several of the past Bruno mysteries focus on the historical aspects of the Perigord region (one of my favorite aspects of the series); however, this story involves an Irishman who has ties to the IRA and the New IRA which made for an exciting and novel issue for Bruno. While attempting to solve the deaths of the Irishman and his companion, Bruno, who coaches the girls’ rugby team, gets drawn into some troubles one of the star rugby players is encountering. Both issues are intriguing and captivating, and I was pleased with each issue’s resolution.
I love this series; it is one of my very favorites. I am not one to feel that I have to start at the beginning of a series to enjoy later books, but I do feel that beginning with the first book in this series, Bruno, Chief of Police, is wise – there is so much character development that would be missed by leaping into the series at this stage. I highly recommend A Taste for Vengeance; it is a standout in the series.
March 10, 2023
Martin Walker’s Bruno Courreges series is so much more than the standard police procedural. It manages to encompass a whole way of life, that of small town France. I knew I was engrossed with the town when I was more interested in the subplot about a young female rugby player than the deaths being investigated.
Walker always has a theme to his murders (much like Donna Leon) and this time it’s the IRA and terrorists. It might have been 20 years since the British and the Irish provisional army (the Provos) reached a peace agreement, but some desires for revenge reach back further. One of the dead people was using a false Irish passport, while the other was the wife of an ex-British Army Intelligence general. It takes a whole team of internationals to piece together the puzzle on this one.
I adore Walker’s writing; I always feel like I’m in Saint Denis. His descriptions make me feel I can picture the town and surrounding countryside perfectly. It’s also a fine art to be able to include facts in a story without affecting the flow of the story. Walker manages it seamlessly, weaving bits of history and politics in.
This story moved at a nice firm clip. There’s just the right mix of personal life to professional case.
Robert Ian Mackenzie does a great job as the narrator. These books work really well as audio experiences.
Walker always has a theme to his murders (much like Donna Leon) and this time it’s the IRA and terrorists. It might have been 20 years since the British and the Irish provisional army (the Provos) reached a peace agreement, but some desires for revenge reach back further. One of the dead people was using a false Irish passport, while the other was the wife of an ex-British Army Intelligence general. It takes a whole team of internationals to piece together the puzzle on this one.
I adore Walker’s writing; I always feel like I’m in Saint Denis. His descriptions make me feel I can picture the town and surrounding countryside perfectly. It’s also a fine art to be able to include facts in a story without affecting the flow of the story. Walker manages it seamlessly, weaving bits of history and politics in.
This story moved at a nice firm clip. There’s just the right mix of personal life to professional case.
Robert Ian Mackenzie does a great job as the narrator. These books work really well as audio experiences.
September 12, 2022
The idealic place St Denis the home of Benoit Courreges chief of police of is once again the place for some shenanigans that are looked into by Bruno, for friends.
The day starts with a championship match of the local female rugby team and a pregnancy of one of its players.
Then a request from one of his friends about a missing tourist expected on a cooking course.
Then Bruno has to go through a whole ceremony of him becoming a regional chief of police.
When his missing tourist is found murdered and a man is found hung the crime aspect of the story really starts.
It ends up bring a fairly international affair concerning the new IRA and Bruno plays his part in the story.
Of course essential for these books are the cooking, eating & drinking and long descriptions of food. You cannot finish any of the books in this series without being informed about the local cuisine.
Once again a splendid book that does not fail to entertain, inform you but mostly leaves you hankering for a meal as described in this book. The right phrase for this book would be a culinary thriller, as have been the previous books in this series. Culinary policiers
Great to visit this series time after time.
The day starts with a championship match of the local female rugby team and a pregnancy of one of its players.
Then a request from one of his friends about a missing tourist expected on a cooking course.
Then Bruno has to go through a whole ceremony of him becoming a regional chief of police.
When his missing tourist is found murdered and a man is found hung the crime aspect of the story really starts.
It ends up bring a fairly international affair concerning the new IRA and Bruno plays his part in the story.
Of course essential for these books are the cooking, eating & drinking and long descriptions of food. You cannot finish any of the books in this series without being informed about the local cuisine.
Once again a splendid book that does not fail to entertain, inform you but mostly leaves you hankering for a meal as described in this book. The right phrase for this book would be a culinary thriller, as have been the previous books in this series. Culinary policiers
Great to visit this series time after time.
August 7, 2018
This is a favorite series of mine, each entry enjoyable to varying degrees. As with other Bruno books, this one has many story lines, some about the locals and some about international intrigue that spills over into The Dordogne region of France. Bruno has been promoted to Chief of Police of the Vezere Valley, which expands his jurisdiction by quite a bit from the village of St. Denis. This leads to confusion as to who he's accountable to and some strife with the chiefs of police in some of the other villages now under his leadership.
A murder takes place in an area of his expanded territory and these frictions come into play in the investigation and solving of the murder. We learn that one of those murdered was an IRA operative and the intrigue begins! Law enforcement come from all over - Britain, the U.S., Paris, the EU in Brussels - as well as lots of involvement of the locals.
As with all books in this series there is lots of food - cooked by Bruno, of course - weekly group dinners with his friends and colleagues, rugby and tennis, romantic intrigue (Isabelle is back on the scene), exercising of horses, teaching at his friend Pamela's cooking school, an expanded cast of regular characters and a well-developed picture of the region. In my review of another of these books, I said "At times I wished for less detail; it felt as if Martin Walker was trying to include every single thing he had learned in his research related to every single story line." I often felt the same in this book about the level of detail on the history of the IRA and previous events that led to this murder. But as with other books in the series, even if uneven, even if I have some complaints, I always have a sense of satisfaction after finishing and a great anticipation of the next one to come.
A murder takes place in an area of his expanded territory and these frictions come into play in the investigation and solving of the murder. We learn that one of those murdered was an IRA operative and the intrigue begins! Law enforcement come from all over - Britain, the U.S., Paris, the EU in Brussels - as well as lots of involvement of the locals.
As with all books in this series there is lots of food - cooked by Bruno, of course - weekly group dinners with his friends and colleagues, rugby and tennis, romantic intrigue (Isabelle is back on the scene), exercising of horses, teaching at his friend Pamela's cooking school, an expanded cast of regular characters and a well-developed picture of the region. In my review of another of these books, I said "At times I wished for less detail; it felt as if Martin Walker was trying to include every single thing he had learned in his research related to every single story line." I often felt the same in this book about the level of detail on the history of the IRA and previous events that led to this murder. But as with other books in the series, even if uneven, even if I have some complaints, I always have a sense of satisfaction after finishing and a great anticipation of the next one to come.
June 23, 2018
A dramatic plot — with international intrigue, murders and gunfights.
But after 11 novels in the series I’m getting a bit tired of Bruno. Too much about food and recipes — we hear details of nearly every meal. And Bruno seems almost superhuman in all he can fit into the day — not just his police duties (now expanded, with a promotion) but running, exercising his horse, looking after his garden, shopping in the market for the ingredients for meals he’s forever cooking for friends or bringing along, and coaching the kids’ rugby and tennis teams. Let alone interludes with lovely Isabel, whenever she deigns to drop in from Paris. And babysitting his friend’s kids. And solving other problems along the way.
And too many times where we learn what happened by characters telling each other what happened.
The only character I still enjoy is Balzac, the hound.
But after 11 novels in the series I’m getting a bit tired of Bruno. Too much about food and recipes — we hear details of nearly every meal. And Bruno seems almost superhuman in all he can fit into the day — not just his police duties (now expanded, with a promotion) but running, exercising his horse, looking after his garden, shopping in the market for the ingredients for meals he’s forever cooking for friends or bringing along, and coaching the kids’ rugby and tennis teams. Let alone interludes with lovely Isabel, whenever she deigns to drop in from Paris. And babysitting his friend’s kids. And solving other problems along the way.
And too many times where we learn what happened by characters telling each other what happened.
The only character I still enjoy is Balzac, the hound.
March 9, 2025
‘…once we let our lives be governed by security, then the terrorists have won.’
In this the 11th Dordogne mystery, Bruno (Benoit Courrèges, Chief of Police of St Denis) has been promoted to chief for the whole Vézère valley, placing him in charge of the aging Louis (municipal police presence at Montignac) and young Juliette Robard, formerly with the railways and now the police presence at Les Eyzies. But before he can slip into his extended role he is called to assist at Lalinde, in the neighbouring area, at an apparent murder-suicide.
When the male victim who seemingly hung himself, was found in possession of a false Irish passport, suspicion is drawn towards former IRA operatives living in the area, strengthened by the female victim killed by a British commando knife, widely used by Special Forces throughout NATO. She was listed as missing, failing to arrive for a French cuisine class held at the riding school run by British ex-pats Pamela and Miranda, and is identified as the German-born wife of a retired British general, founder of an international security consultancy, receiving treatment in the US for cancer.
(This cleverly brings in detective J-J of the Police Nationale, MI6, the FBI and Isabelle, Bruno’s sometime lover from counterterrorism in Paris, into his arms and bed).
As always, the actual murder mystery takes a back seat to Bruno’s bucolic lifestyle – feeding his chooks and geese, hunting with his dog Balzac and friend le baron, riding his horse Hector, coaching tennis and rugby at the local school and preparing and sharing sumptuous meals with his friends. Not to mention the vineyards. It is a wonder Bruno gets any police work done at all.
Former journalist Martin Walker has lived in the Dordogne for over twenty years and his love for the area – the scenery, historic towns, ancient rock paintings at Lascaux and its people, shines through the eyes of his fictitious but well-rounded character – he fought in the Balkans. Through Bruno we witness the colours and flavours of the seasons, and a community spirit that celebrates the good times and shoulders the hardships. Any discord is usually through external forces, and when danger arises the town has Bruno’s back.
Each of the Dordogne mysteries is complete in itself (no cliff-hangers) so this works as a standalone, though I suggest reading earlier titles first to get a feel for the characters and the region. Not an action-packed thriller, but any time spent with Bruno seems time well-spent.
In this the 11th Dordogne mystery, Bruno (Benoit Courrèges, Chief of Police of St Denis) has been promoted to chief for the whole Vézère valley, placing him in charge of the aging Louis (municipal police presence at Montignac) and young Juliette Robard, formerly with the railways and now the police presence at Les Eyzies. But before he can slip into his extended role he is called to assist at Lalinde, in the neighbouring area, at an apparent murder-suicide.
When the male victim who seemingly hung himself, was found in possession of a false Irish passport, suspicion is drawn towards former IRA operatives living in the area, strengthened by the female victim killed by a British commando knife, widely used by Special Forces throughout NATO. She was listed as missing, failing to arrive for a French cuisine class held at the riding school run by British ex-pats Pamela and Miranda, and is identified as the German-born wife of a retired British general, founder of an international security consultancy, receiving treatment in the US for cancer.
(This cleverly brings in detective J-J of the Police Nationale, MI6, the FBI and Isabelle, Bruno’s sometime lover from counterterrorism in Paris, into his arms and bed).
As always, the actual murder mystery takes a back seat to Bruno’s bucolic lifestyle – feeding his chooks and geese, hunting with his dog Balzac and friend le baron, riding his horse Hector, coaching tennis and rugby at the local school and preparing and sharing sumptuous meals with his friends. Not to mention the vineyards. It is a wonder Bruno gets any police work done at all.
Former journalist Martin Walker has lived in the Dordogne for over twenty years and his love for the area – the scenery, historic towns, ancient rock paintings at Lascaux and its people, shines through the eyes of his fictitious but well-rounded character – he fought in the Balkans. Through Bruno we witness the colours and flavours of the seasons, and a community spirit that celebrates the good times and shoulders the hardships. Any discord is usually through external forces, and when danger arises the town has Bruno’s back.
Each of the Dordogne mysteries is complete in itself (no cliff-hangers) so this works as a standalone, though I suggest reading earlier titles first to get a feel for the characters and the region. Not an action-packed thriller, but any time spent with Bruno seems time well-spent.
July 23, 2018
Hmm, only 3 stars for one of my favorite series? I reserve the right to change this rating after reading the book a second time when I am not hungry.
Do not read this book if you have no food. It is rather fully packed with meals, the making of them in detail and the enjoyment of them along with the wines of the Bergerac region, of course.
Also...I was watching the wonderful golf played in Scotland at the Open and found myself comparing ad interruptions to the many meal interruptions to the major plot of the book.
So how can I fairly evaluate the book since I still have no food in the house?
The action starts with a promotion for Bruno, officially and ceremoniously elevated to Chief of Police for the entire valley. He balances his duties with helping his friend and neighbor with her cooking school, trying to watch over one of his rugby girls who finds herself in a bit of trouble and protecting another friend targeted by the IRA.
IRA you say?! Yes...apparently they don't forgive easily. And that would be related to the book's title with regard to vengeance. There are so many levels of government rules/procedures from varying countries that help to muddy the waters swirling around the deaths of two people it may require a spreadsheet to track it all.
Perhaps I am being unfair about the complexity of this plot due to lack of nourishment and general exhaustion after sitting on the edge of my seat watching golf whilst reading. In normal times I do love these little tastes of the French countryside, but this was a global plot despite French cuisine.
And another thing...I have now lost count of the books I have read that include the theft of millions of US dollars during Afghanistan conflict. It has now gotten to the point where I will have to google this phenomenon.
Final Note: I changed star level up one notch to four, everything looks better after a meal. This is a very full book and I will continue to be a fan of the Bruno series and its gourmet recipes even though duck fat is not a thing I would consider eating.
Do not read this book if you have no food. It is rather fully packed with meals, the making of them in detail and the enjoyment of them along with the wines of the Bergerac region, of course.
Also...I was watching the wonderful golf played in Scotland at the Open and found myself comparing ad interruptions to the many meal interruptions to the major plot of the book.
So how can I fairly evaluate the book since I still have no food in the house?
The action starts with a promotion for Bruno, officially and ceremoniously elevated to Chief of Police for the entire valley. He balances his duties with helping his friend and neighbor with her cooking school, trying to watch over one of his rugby girls who finds herself in a bit of trouble and protecting another friend targeted by the IRA.
IRA you say?! Yes...apparently they don't forgive easily. And that would be related to the book's title with regard to vengeance. There are so many levels of government rules/procedures from varying countries that help to muddy the waters swirling around the deaths of two people it may require a spreadsheet to track it all.
Perhaps I am being unfair about the complexity of this plot due to lack of nourishment and general exhaustion after sitting on the edge of my seat watching golf whilst reading. In normal times I do love these little tastes of the French countryside, but this was a global plot despite French cuisine.
And another thing...I have now lost count of the books I have read that include the theft of millions of US dollars during Afghanistan conflict. It has now gotten to the point where I will have to google this phenomenon.
Final Note: I changed star level up one notch to four, everything looks better after a meal. This is a very full book and I will continue to be a fan of the Bruno series and its gourmet recipes even though duck fat is not a thing I would consider eating.
June 14, 2018
First Sentence: On this cool, damp Sunday afternoon in spring, with clouds and rain showers sweeping in from the Atlantic some sixty miles to the west, Bruno Courrèges had his day off.
With his promotion from being responsible only for St. Denis, to now covering the entire valley and two additional jurisdictions, Bruno is still most involved with the people of his town. One of his star rugby players could be chosen for the French national squad, except that she is pregnant and unwilling to expose the father's name. British tourist Monica Felder was coming to St. Denis for a cooking vacation but fails to show up. Her husband can't be reached, and she, along with an Irishman, is found dead. More than a murder case, the investigation soon goes from murder to possible terrorism.
The map of St. Denis not only orients one. It makes one feel part of the village. The description of the rugby match isn't so much about the game as it is the community and the excitement.
It is such a pleasure to have Bruno be a policeman who is respected by the townspeople, his colleagues, and his superiors as witnessed by his promotion ceremony. And being France, there is, of course, food—"They would be eating foie gras with a glass of sweet, golden Monbazillac wine, followed by fresh trout with toasted almonds, accompanied by a white wine from the town vineyards, then cheese and salad, tarte au citron and coffee."
Walker does a very good job of introducing all the characters and providing background on them. Bruno's modesty makes him is the type of person one would want to know. He is one of the most well-developed and well-rounded characters one will find. He has a military background and is an excellent cook, he fought in a war, but takes pleasure from acting as a crossing guard when the infant school lets out, he rides and hunts, and teaches tennis and rugby to the town's school children, and the list goes on. Yet Bruno never seems too good to be true as he can make mistakes.
Walker paints such a wonderful picture of St. Denis, both in terms of the physical description—"The day had dawned clear, still chill from the night with the sun not yet above the horizon. …the rays began to reach him slantwise through the trees, lighting up the first leaves, brilliant in the pure, fresh green of springtime and serenaded by the dawn chorus of the songbirds."—and the barter system between the town's residents—"His friend Stephané, the cheesemaker, kept Bruno in butter, cheese, milk, and yogurt in return for the ducks, chickens, and truffles that Bruno brought him…" But don't mistake this for a cozy mystery.
Details of the crime scene and forensics, and the information on the victims is very thorough and quite interesting, even for those who are not 'on scene.' As the story progresses and we learn there is more here than a domestic murder, we learn some history and are reminded both that--"terrorists had their own rules, and that hatred and bigotry are passed down from generation to generation—"…some of the old diehards don't give up and many of them try to raise their kids the same old ways, with the same old songs and legends."
"A Taste for Vengeance" meshed the threads of the story in a way that wasn't anticipated, with danger, suspense, and heroism. This is a book to be read slowly so as not to miss the details.
A TASTE FOR VEGEANCE (Pol Proc-Chef de Police Bruno Courrèges-France-Contemp) - Ex
Walker, Martin – 11th in series
Alfred A. Knopf – June 2018
With his promotion from being responsible only for St. Denis, to now covering the entire valley and two additional jurisdictions, Bruno is still most involved with the people of his town. One of his star rugby players could be chosen for the French national squad, except that she is pregnant and unwilling to expose the father's name. British tourist Monica Felder was coming to St. Denis for a cooking vacation but fails to show up. Her husband can't be reached, and she, along with an Irishman, is found dead. More than a murder case, the investigation soon goes from murder to possible terrorism.
The map of St. Denis not only orients one. It makes one feel part of the village. The description of the rugby match isn't so much about the game as it is the community and the excitement.
It is such a pleasure to have Bruno be a policeman who is respected by the townspeople, his colleagues, and his superiors as witnessed by his promotion ceremony. And being France, there is, of course, food—"They would be eating foie gras with a glass of sweet, golden Monbazillac wine, followed by fresh trout with toasted almonds, accompanied by a white wine from the town vineyards, then cheese and salad, tarte au citron and coffee."
Walker does a very good job of introducing all the characters and providing background on them. Bruno's modesty makes him is the type of person one would want to know. He is one of the most well-developed and well-rounded characters one will find. He has a military background and is an excellent cook, he fought in a war, but takes pleasure from acting as a crossing guard when the infant school lets out, he rides and hunts, and teaches tennis and rugby to the town's school children, and the list goes on. Yet Bruno never seems too good to be true as he can make mistakes.
Walker paints such a wonderful picture of St. Denis, both in terms of the physical description—"The day had dawned clear, still chill from the night with the sun not yet above the horizon. …the rays began to reach him slantwise through the trees, lighting up the first leaves, brilliant in the pure, fresh green of springtime and serenaded by the dawn chorus of the songbirds."—and the barter system between the town's residents—"His friend Stephané, the cheesemaker, kept Bruno in butter, cheese, milk, and yogurt in return for the ducks, chickens, and truffles that Bruno brought him…" But don't mistake this for a cozy mystery.
Details of the crime scene and forensics, and the information on the victims is very thorough and quite interesting, even for those who are not 'on scene.' As the story progresses and we learn there is more here than a domestic murder, we learn some history and are reminded both that--"terrorists had their own rules, and that hatred and bigotry are passed down from generation to generation—"…some of the old diehards don't give up and many of them try to raise their kids the same old ways, with the same old songs and legends."
"A Taste for Vengeance" meshed the threads of the story in a way that wasn't anticipated, with danger, suspense, and heroism. This is a book to be read slowly so as not to miss the details.
A TASTE FOR VEGEANCE (Pol Proc-Chef de Police Bruno Courrèges-France-Contemp) - Ex
Walker, Martin – 11th in series
Alfred A. Knopf – June 2018
July 6, 2018
It was so good to be back in the land of Bruno, but I felt this one was a bit slimmer than some of the others, plot-wise. I also get very annoyed with Isabelle - I don't see the attraction: she is hot-and-cold, often jealous, and in this one, just kind of a place-holder. I wonder if we're eventually headed for happy domesticity with Florence, who is a "womanly woman" with two children and strong female friendships, but seems equally comfortable in male company discussing work and sports (to use the examples given in the book).
As always, I look forward to the next installment, but I hope we get a bit more development in Bruno's personal life in the next one.
As always, I look forward to the next installment, but I hope we get a bit more development in Bruno's personal life in the next one.
August 10, 2018
Another delectable serving for Bruno fans. Somehow Martin Walker keeps coming up with reasons for new terrorists to be attacking in the Perigord. This installment has a cooking school and I think the recipes were too much of a good thing. Otherwise, it is as absurdly enjoyable as the rest of the series.
July 24, 2018
Another well-written installment of Bruno, our favorite French policeman/gastronimique extraordinaire! His compatriots in the village of St. Denis in the Dordogne flesh out this crime solving series. You can almost smell the delicious meals he cooks from home-grown or local food sources and taste the perfect wine pairings! He is well respected and an integral part of the community as he keeps law and order. A delightful insight to the Dordogne culture and history.
April 5, 2022
I jumped from book 1 to book 11 and had no problem catching up. The town and the characters were still charming, but I found the mystery to be flat. It centers on the murder of two characters from the UK that we never meet. I simply didn't care about them. Another issue might be that I haven't kept up with the IRA in this century so my interest was low, so low in fact that I donated the book 35 pages from the end. I might try another installment in the future, but this one was not for me.
January 2, 2020
I'm still catching up with reviews of books read in the latter part of December. This is actually the last book that I read in 2019, something to entertain in the quiet moments as the holidays wound down.
In this eleventh in the Bruno, Chief of Police series, Bruno has received a promotion. He is no longer only the chief of police for the little town of St. Denis, he now has responsibility for a wide range of territory in the Dordogne region of France which encompasses two other towns with current police with whom he must build a relationship. Bruno, who thoroughly enjoys being the chief in St. Denis and being a large fish in a small pond, is not at all sure he likes the idea of his enhanced authority and responsibility.
Moreover, his efforts to work with the policeman in one of the new towns under his jurisdiction prove problematic when it turns out the man seems to spend most of his day drinking. He's not someone on whom Bruno can rely.
Fortunately, the head policewoman in the other town seems very proficient. She is definitely a keeper.
Bruno learns all of this as he works with them in the investigation of a double murder. An Englishwoman who was slated to attend the cooking school run by his friends, Pamela and Miranda, failed to turn up and efforts to reach her are unsuccessful. Then, her body is discovered in a local farmhouse. She had been stabbed once. The body of the owner of the house is found hanging from a tree in the woods nearby. A suicide note is found. It appears to be a murder/suicide.
But, of course, it is not that simple.
The male victim turns out to be an Irishman hated by the remnants of the IRA who have never resigned themselves to a peaceful outcome of "The Troubles". They instead continue to seek vengeance from those they consider to be their enemies. And that, it seems has been the case in the instance of the two dead bodies.
Because of the international terrorism connection, the national police of France and of the European Union become involved, which allows Bruno's former lover, Isabelle, to put in an appearance. One begins to wonder, is this woman going to continue dipping in and out of his life forever even though it is obvious the relationship is going nowhere? It seems as though Walker thinks, "Okay, time for a little sex to liven things up and provide an interlude!" And so, he brings on Isabelle. I confess to being more than a little tired of her.
The best thing about this book, as in all the series, is the description of the culture, the food, wine, history, and archaeology of the Dordogne region. But there was actually less of that in this one than in most of the books and, for that reason, it was not quite as enjoyable.
In this eleventh in the Bruno, Chief of Police series, Bruno has received a promotion. He is no longer only the chief of police for the little town of St. Denis, he now has responsibility for a wide range of territory in the Dordogne region of France which encompasses two other towns with current police with whom he must build a relationship. Bruno, who thoroughly enjoys being the chief in St. Denis and being a large fish in a small pond, is not at all sure he likes the idea of his enhanced authority and responsibility.
Moreover, his efforts to work with the policeman in one of the new towns under his jurisdiction prove problematic when it turns out the man seems to spend most of his day drinking. He's not someone on whom Bruno can rely.
Fortunately, the head policewoman in the other town seems very proficient. She is definitely a keeper.
Bruno learns all of this as he works with them in the investigation of a double murder. An Englishwoman who was slated to attend the cooking school run by his friends, Pamela and Miranda, failed to turn up and efforts to reach her are unsuccessful. Then, her body is discovered in a local farmhouse. She had been stabbed once. The body of the owner of the house is found hanging from a tree in the woods nearby. A suicide note is found. It appears to be a murder/suicide.
But, of course, it is not that simple.
The male victim turns out to be an Irishman hated by the remnants of the IRA who have never resigned themselves to a peaceful outcome of "The Troubles". They instead continue to seek vengeance from those they consider to be their enemies. And that, it seems has been the case in the instance of the two dead bodies.
Because of the international terrorism connection, the national police of France and of the European Union become involved, which allows Bruno's former lover, Isabelle, to put in an appearance. One begins to wonder, is this woman going to continue dipping in and out of his life forever even though it is obvious the relationship is going nowhere? It seems as though Walker thinks, "Okay, time for a little sex to liven things up and provide an interlude!" And so, he brings on Isabelle. I confess to being more than a little tired of her.
The best thing about this book, as in all the series, is the description of the culture, the food, wine, history, and archaeology of the Dordogne region. But there was actually less of that in this one than in most of the books and, for that reason, it was not quite as enjoyable.
May 12, 2019
Bruno has become tiresome. Far too much of this book is him inserting himself in a young women's choice to have an abortion. The arrogance that he should first follow her to determine the paternity, then make an assumption about what he sees and follow that person, and then spread it around town, well it's just gross. And the worst part is that it doesn't need to be there. It adds nothing to the plot and only reminds us yet again of Bruno's outdated, backward views about women.
June 20, 2018
Bruno is still his charming self,and his cooking seems to get better with each book. Bruno has a promotion,which means for him new responsibilities and coworkers. The mystery was okay. For me this was not a Bruno book l enjoyed,something felt off to me.
August 20, 2018
Hmm. Didn't care for the plot at all. Not compelling, convoluted, seemed to be an awful lot of characters (the various police agencies, the town, the bad guys) and a lot of story lines that didn't really intersect. Really didn't care what happened. The lead character, Bruno, seemed to make a lot of assumptions and then talk about them to others as fact (e.g. who's the father of Paulette's pregnancy) -- totally unprofessional. All that said, loved the descriptions of the Perigord area of France and the culinary delights. This book certainly sparked an interest in visiting the Perigord, but probably not in reading other books in the series.
August 23, 2018
I’ve always loved the Bruno series but this one left me with just an okay feeling. I felt myself rushing to the end not because I cared about the victims but because I just wanted to finish it. I hoped Bruno would finally tell Isabelle to take a hike and be with Florence.
The Paulette storyline felt unresolved to me because she never had it out with her mother.
Same familiar characters but not much interaction between them and Bruno this time.
For me the mystery is just part of the book. I like interactions between all the characters.
The Paulette storyline felt unresolved to me because she never had it out with her mother.
Same familiar characters but not much interaction between them and Bruno this time.
For me the mystery is just part of the book. I like interactions between all the characters.
July 18, 2018
Another masterful turn in this series. Bruno has a new title, new responsibilities but still has his great common sense, kindness and quick mind. This crime has lots of those famous Bruno ripples.
July 28, 2018
In Martin Walker's A Taste for Vengeance, the 11th installment in the Bruno, Chief of Police mystery series, this novel would give you the right ingredients for a dark and twisted mystery plot and a dollop of intrigue too. Bruno is the Chief of Police of St. Denis, a small village town in the South of France. He's also a rugby coach and a cooking instructor on the side. It all started for Bruno, when he received a call from his colleague that one of her cooking students never showed up for class. When he searched for her, he discovered she was found dead with a man in her hotel room. Not only did he have to deal with this double homicide, he had to dig into Monika Felder's background and how she ended up here. Besides that, he had to deal with pressure from the mayor, and one of his star rugby player's unplanned pregnancy, and a daring plot to assassinate one of his esteemed colleagues. Although Bruno's devoted to his dog Balzac and to his job, he's looking for a woman to spend his life with. As he looked further to discover the hidden background in Monika Felder's ailing husband and her lover, when things come to a head when he learned of a hit from the IRA and how it was connected to both murders and who wanted to do both of them in with a dash of revenge.
June 21, 2018
A Taste for Vengeance (Bruno, Chief of Police #11) by Martin Walker
Oh what a trud pleasure this series is, book after book! This time we see Bruno having had a promotion but still his wonderful neighbors, friends, colleagues and Balzac are featured throughout as everyone tries to solve a double murder. The trail leads to various theories and twists that bring cooperation between the French, British, American and Irish services. Meanwhile, Bruno is attending to his garden, riding his horse, cooking up amazing meals for friends and colleagues and the troubles and rewards of his female rugby team and it’s star player. Lots of life’s pleasures well described and enjoyed along with some heavy twists as the plot moves on to a big finale! Various details on intelligence services, IRA history past and present and guns are well written along side the joys of duck well prepared, great wines and good truffles! More of these great books please!
Oh what a trud pleasure this series is, book after book! This time we see Bruno having had a promotion but still his wonderful neighbors, friends, colleagues and Balzac are featured throughout as everyone tries to solve a double murder. The trail leads to various theories and twists that bring cooperation between the French, British, American and Irish services. Meanwhile, Bruno is attending to his garden, riding his horse, cooking up amazing meals for friends and colleagues and the troubles and rewards of his female rugby team and it’s star player. Lots of life’s pleasures well described and enjoyed along with some heavy twists as the plot moves on to a big finale! Various details on intelligence services, IRA history past and present and guns are well written along side the joys of duck well prepared, great wines and good truffles! More of these great books please!
August 7, 2022
Bruno receives a promotion which creates confusion in his line of reporting. One of Pamela's cooking school students fails to show. Since she phoned a few days early with great enthusiasm about attending, Pamela asks Bruno to look into it. As they track her to the home of a man with whom she was seen earlier, law enforcement officials discover her corpse inside the house and his outside where birds preyed on his body. As the investigation progresses, they discover the woman's husband near death in a Texas hospital and that the dead man used a fake name. With links to the Irish Republican Army and intelligence forces from England, Ireland, and America, this one presents a little "cozy" international intrigue. As always the food descriptions make readers drool! I enjoyed seeing Bruno's new role. I listened to the audio book read by Robert Ian Mackenzie who is the perfect series narrator.
August 14, 2019
I love this series, but even Homer nods. It's a bit too much Bruno whipping up delicious dishes and taking interminable meetings without actually showing much in the way of action to advance the plot until what I think was supposed to be the exciting finish. It would have been exciting had the villains existed in the story prior to the exciting finish. There is an awkward subplot about abortion; why? It too seems to resolve offstage, without much to do with Bruno. The usual characters are in the book as well to provide St. Denis color. Isabelle swans in from Paris once or twice. There is once scene that was so French in its description that it became unintentionally a parody. A tousled Isabelle appears in Bruno's kitchen doorway The Morning After clad only in once of his shirts, haphazardly buttoned. All she needs is a Gitane dangling from her pouty lips to complete the look. Needless to say, there is Another Interlude. But Balzac is also present a great deal (a very good thing), and the Mayor is wise, and Bruno gets a promotion.
Look, I can't see myself ever not wanting to spend time with this character in this setting. One thing for sure, the series has given me an itch to see Southwest France. But this entry just wasn't up to the previous books. Still, it was a pleasant distraction, and we give points around here for that.
Look, I can't see myself ever not wanting to spend time with this character in this setting. One thing for sure, the series has given me an itch to see Southwest France. But this entry just wasn't up to the previous books. Still, it was a pleasant distraction, and we give points around here for that.
June 9, 2019
After reading the mystery by Rhys Bowen, The Tuscan Child, which evoked beautifully Tuscany as an interesting mystery developed, I decided to try another author whose mystery was set in the french countryside. Mon Dieu! The actual mystery was incidental to endless descriptions of food, cooking, and wine written by a Frenchman whose writing implies that the French might just be a little bit superior to the rest of us. His protagonist is a French cop who cooks like Julie Child, coaches a winning female rugby team (because he is NOT a sexist, of course, mais non!), goes for a run each and every morning, rides his horse Hector, plays tennis and is as knowledgeable about wine as a sommelier. He knows every apparently delightful character in town and is a previous war hero and a patriot etc.etc. Oh, and did I say there was a mystery here? Yes, but unfortunately the author himself did not find it as compelling as french food, good wine and Bruno's expansive lifestyle, despite the fact that he earns a cop’s salary. While Bowen incorporated Italian food, images of Tuscany and local characters into her mystery, none of this obscured the mystery itself nor did the beauty of the lifestyle come across as smug. In comparison, A Taste For Vengeance left me hungry.
July 17, 2018
It's hard not to like a Bruno novel, but this wasn't one of my favorites. Walker's efforts to connect
the murders of Mr. McBride (Rentoul) and Mrs. Felder with a decades-old vendetta from the IRA was
somewhat convoluted and unnecessarily complicated. M. Walker, we really aren't as interested in
the murders as we are French village life, Périgord food specialties, wine selections, good dinners,
and Bruno's love-life. Make it easy for yourself.
the murders of Mr. McBride (Rentoul) and Mrs. Felder with a decades-old vendetta from the IRA was
somewhat convoluted and unnecessarily complicated. M. Walker, we really aren't as interested in
the murders as we are French village life, Périgord food specialties, wine selections, good dinners,
and Bruno's love-life. Make it easy for yourself.
June 16, 2018
!!!!
Very good read. An enjoyable next 'chapter' in Bruno's life. As usual, hated to reach the end! Bravo Martin Walker! Encore!
Very good read. An enjoyable next 'chapter' in Bruno's life. As usual, hated to reach the end! Bravo Martin Walker! Encore!
July 18, 2018
Maybe if I had started with the first book and not the eleventh, I would have enjoyed it more. It was a bit long and all the cooking and wine references were distracting.
January 11, 2025
I have enjoyed this series very much and I think that I may only have one more full length to go to bring me right up to date.
I seem to remember thinking (if not actually writing) last time, that I thought that the series had shifted, and not for the better, from its original stories based around a french small town policeman's life. I felt this even more so this time.
Here we have international terrorism again -this time its the IRA. Also here we have representatives from America and Britain and Ireland becoming involved. Bruno himself has worries about just who he is supposed to be working for and I sympathise as I lost track of who was working for which, too.
I started to get bored with this side of the story and how there was always someone who knew someone who could get information not usually privvy to an investigation.
Fortunately Bruno still has time for his village duties, his daily runs, feeding his chickens, guiding his rugby protégé and to cook for friends and visiting foreign law enforcers.
Liked the recipes but sorry, didn't enjoy this story as much. Maybe it is time for Bruno give up on St Denis and move to Paris with Isabelle.
I seem to remember thinking (if not actually writing) last time, that I thought that the series had shifted, and not for the better, from its original stories based around a french small town policeman's life. I felt this even more so this time.
Here we have international terrorism again -this time its the IRA. Also here we have representatives from America and Britain and Ireland becoming involved. Bruno himself has worries about just who he is supposed to be working for and I sympathise as I lost track of who was working for which, too.
I started to get bored with this side of the story and how there was always someone who knew someone who could get information not usually privvy to an investigation.
Fortunately Bruno still has time for his village duties, his daily runs, feeding his chickens, guiding his rugby protégé and to cook for friends and visiting foreign law enforcers.
Liked the recipes but sorry, didn't enjoy this story as much. Maybe it is time for Bruno give up on St Denis and move to Paris with Isabelle.
July 18, 2022
There's a lot going on in Bruno's life: he has received a promotion, exposing him more to political wrangling. A case of a missing woman turns out to be a murder-suicide--or is it a murder-murder? Some possibly dangerous IRA members are living in the area. One of his top rugby players is pregnant, and unsure of what to do about it. His on-again off-again girlfriend Isabelle is on the scene, at least until her high-powered job calls her off again. And someone has to make a typically Perigord dinner for a visiting FBI man and a Scotland Yard detective. As usual, the emphasis is heavy on food and drink.
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