In this riveting sequel to Martin Walker’s internationally acclaimed novel Bruno, Chief of Police, some of France’s great pleasu...
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reviews
Oct 02, 2011
Bettina
rated it: 
Bruno wird früh aus den Federn geworfen: Es brennt. Am Tatort angekommen, bietet sich allerdings ein merkwürdiges Bild, denn es brennen ein Feld und ein zugehöriger Schuppen - und es sieht nach Brandstiftung aus. Als die Feuerwehr anrückt, stellt sie fest, dass dort eine nicht verzeichnete Steigleitung liegt, aus der sie ihr Löschwasser zapfen kann. Alles in allem brennt in dieser Nacht etwas ab, das es gemäß den Plänen und Verzeichnissen gar nicht geben dürfte.
Kurz darauf wird Bruno zu Ver More...
Kurz darauf wird Bruno zu Ver More...
Dec 01, 2010
Barbara
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Now I, too, would like to run away to wine country in Périgord, France. What more could you want than foie gras, truffles, and the wines of the region, bergerac and monbazillac? And a little non-threatening mystery, perhaps.
This is the follow-up to Martin Walker's first book, Bruno, Chief of Police. (I love a title that plainly says it all.) Bruno Courrèges is in fact the chief of police of the little town of Saint-Denis. It is populated by good souls, some of whom are eccentric, all o More...
This is the follow-up to Martin Walker's first book, Bruno, Chief of Police. (I love a title that plainly says it all.) Bruno Courrèges is in fact the chief of police of the little town of Saint-Denis. It is populated by good souls, some of whom are eccentric, all o More...
Oct 10, 2010
Laura
rated it: 
I’d been skeptical of the idea of police procedurals set in the Dordogne, especially since the first book in this series, 'Bruno, Chief of Police,' opened with some hullaballoo about the illegal sale of raw cheese in the small village of St. Denis. I jumped to the conclusion that here was another ‘cozy mystery’, populated with clichéd and overwritten local characters, its plot revolving around quaint but hardly riveting local issues. After a year of reading the brilliant Scandinavia More...
Aug 09, 2010
Snail in Danger (Sid)
rated it: 
As L. Bob Rife says, I grew up and got old specifically to get away from this adolescent banter. And more importantly, angst. (Somewhat hilariously, this isn't the first time I've alluded to this comment. Hilarious because the contexts are so different. Anyway.)
More seriously, part of the benefit of reading books with older main characters is that there's less adolescent relationship angst and social drama. Theoretically. In this book Bruno angsts a lot about women. It's annoy More...
More seriously, part of the benefit of reading books with older main characters is that there's less adolescent relationship angst and social drama. Theoretically. In this book Bruno angsts a lot about women. It's annoy More...
Sep 22, 2011
Babs
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Very interesting book about a small village policeman who is very good at his job and has no interest in leaving the small village in France were he resides. Bruno is very good at reading people and dealing with politics of all types - whether dealing with the mayor of the village or the internal politics, especially with his superiors, in the law enforcement community. Then there is his love life, which seems to be taking a turn for the better by the end of the book.
Ah, the American More...
Ah, the American More...
Sep 09, 2011
Second in a strong series--Bruno Courreges, who left the French army after service in Sarajevo to live quietly with his basset hound and become police chief (of a force of one) in the little town of Saint-Denis in the wine country of the Dorgogne, protected by the politically connected mayor and handling local problems amongst the dueling French Resistance commemorations (Gaullist and Communist), the population of local Algerian Muslims, teenage hooligans, EU cheese inspectors and the interferin
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May 22, 2011
Forrest
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This satisfying sequel to the very fine Bruno, Chief of Police returns us to the Dordogne region of France, where the residents of fictional St-Denis sit uncomfortably between trying to hold on to their traditions and surviving in an age of rapidly advancing technology and a globalized economy. While the first story turned on issues of race and history and what it meant to be French, this time the focus is on the evolving wine industry and the raging debate over genetically modified crops.
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Jan 18, 2012
Baseni
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Was haben eine brennende Scheune, ein amerikanischer Investor und ein Toter in einer Kelter gemeinsam? Dieser Frage muß Bruno, Chef de Police, jetzt nachgehen. Die Scheune war illegal erbaut, der Investor plant Großes im Tal von Saint-Denis und der Tote wollte dies verhindern. Hier wird nicht nur kriminalistisches Können, sondern auch Fingerspitzengefühl verlangt. Bruno meistert die Herausforderung in ruhiger, manchmal an eine Schwejkiade erinnernder Form.
Der 2. Roman um Bruno gewinnt gege More...
Der 2. Roman um Bruno gewinnt gege More...
Jul 15, 2011
Scilla
rated it:
Bruno is the chief of police in Saint-Denis, a small town in the Dordogne. He is personable and has many friends there and is dedicated to small town life. A research station for genetically modified crops is burned down, and Bruno investigates. A mysterious Canadian woman, Jacqueline, is "dating" Max, a young man who grew up in the local commune and is adopted by an elderly wine producer who he has been helping, and Fernando, the heir to a large California wine company. Then the e
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Jan 30, 2012
Cathy
rated it:
First Line: The distant howl of the siren atop the mairie broke the stillness of the French summer night.
The fire could have been a disaster for everyone in the area, but fortunately the fire crew performed their jobs quickly and well. With the ruins still smoking, Bruno-- the Chief of Police of the small village of St. Denis in southern France-- is left with a mystery. You see... officially the building that burned down does not exist. When Bruno begins investigating, he learns that i More...
The fire could have been a disaster for everyone in the area, but fortunately the fire crew performed their jobs quickly and well. With the ruins still smoking, Bruno-- the Chief of Police of the small village of St. Denis in southern France-- is left with a mystery. You see... officially the building that burned down does not exist. When Bruno begins investigating, he learns that i More...
Nov 16, 2010
Marie
rated it:
In The Dark Vineyard, Bruno, the Chief of Police in Saint-Denis gets called in when there's a fire at a research station for genetically modified crops. Bruno suspects that some local environmentalists are to blame and begins looking at that angle. Meanwhile, winemakers are interested in the land around Saint-Denis and Bruno is concerned that his small town is about to get very crowded. He has his hands full with suspicious characters and two mysterious deaths, but still finds time for roman
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Nov 18, 2011
Francis
rated it:
I don't particularly like the way Martin Walker ends his mysteries, he withholds the essential clues until the very end of the story.
However, I do like the village, I like the pace of life. I like the people, simple but wise. They don't ask much, they appreciate what they have. I like the slow languid way the stories evolve. I like the food, the wine, the women. In my mind they are petite with pretty smiles and nice accents.
I like the way he wants to protect this villa More...
However, I do like the village, I like the pace of life. I like the people, simple but wise. They don't ask much, they appreciate what they have. I like the slow languid way the stories evolve. I like the food, the wine, the women. In my mind they are petite with pretty smiles and nice accents.
I like the way he wants to protect this villa More...
Sep 05, 2011
Jenna
rated it:
I can most certainly see why AJ enjoyed this book. As she said, set in a small village in France, there is a great deal of loving description of wine(s) and wonderful food. And, I could certainly understand the affection for Bruno; I nearly got a crush on him myself. However, I was somewhat disappointed overall in the story as a mystery. I got bogged down in some details and felt the suspense wasn't quite...developed enough. But, not a bad book. I'm unlikely to read it again but I'd be willing t
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Jul 03, 2010
LJ
rated it:
First Sentence: The distant howl of the siren atop the Marie broke the stillness of the French summer night.
The alarm on the top of the Mairie (city hall) of St. Denis calls Police Chief Bruno Courrèges and the volunteer squad out to a fire of a field and large barn. Upon investigation, Bruno learns the fire was arson and the property being used to develop GMO (genetically modified organisms) crops; specifically drought-resistant grape vines. The Californians are coming, wanting t More...
The alarm on the top of the Mairie (city hall) of St. Denis calls Police Chief Bruno Courrèges and the volunteer squad out to a fire of a field and large barn. Upon investigation, Bruno learns the fire was arson and the property being used to develop GMO (genetically modified organisms) crops; specifically drought-resistant grape vines. The Californians are coming, wanting t More...
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Jul 03, 2010
Kay
rated it:
After 80 pages I thought it seemed to give a good impression of normal life in the French countryside.
The story brought in several possible new loves for the rather classically French policeman, Inspector Bruno, but I won't spoil the story for you by saying how successful he was with how many!
The plot was nicely mysterious but I felt the "false leads" weren't fleshed out enough to convince me in a short number of pages. However, it was interesting how the plight of the Fren More...
The story brought in several possible new loves for the rather classically French policeman, Inspector Bruno, but I won't spoil the story for you by saying how successful he was with how many!
The plot was nicely mysterious but I felt the "false leads" weren't fleshed out enough to convince me in a short number of pages. However, it was interesting how the plight of the Fren More...
Mar 22, 2011
Shannon
rated it:
Another good installment of the Bruno series - however, this one took far too long to get going. A bit too much on the set up in some ways and not enough in others. The culmination of the investigation into two simultaneous deaths was not necessarily surprising but the build up could have included more about the 'suspect' in this case. I do love the descriptions of the life in the small commune in France and the characters are really unique and likable. I look forward to the next installment
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Jul 10, 2011
Carmen
rated it:
Too bad I can't mark a 3.5. This is the second in a new series of mysteries set in a French village in the Dordogne region. A field of crops is mysteriously burned down including a shack with records. The mysteries start. What kind of farmer puts a shed in the middle of a field and has files in it? Why is there no record of the building, much less of the field? Who did the act and why? This is just the beginning of the mysteries that Bruno has to solve.
Sep 01, 2011
Vilo
rated it:
This mystery series, set in France, poses intriguing and perplexing puzzles but also has more depth and observations about the human condition than many mysteries. Bruno is a veteran of France's participation in Bosnia. He has settled in a village in southern France and made it his own, becoming the sort of policeman who knows everybody and is able to head off some troubles before they begin.
Feb 03, 2011
Jeri
rated it:
Set in France so who couldn't love it! Seriously, it's a good mystery sequel about Bruno, chief of police in a small town in France, Saint Denis. Story is about the destruction of some genetically modified crops and the suspcions about some local environmentalists. But the fun of the story is the people -- good characterization. I'd read another of the "Bruno" books.
Sep 07, 2010
Harriet
rated it:
This book was a sort of French version of Donna Leon's Brunetti mysteries. There's alot of food in it as well as a sense of the area it takes place which is where the Lascaux caves are. I just ordered the first book in this series. It's not profound but the mystery was good and I enjoyed it.
Sep 15, 2011
Sally
rated it:
Just a fun read with Bruno, chief of Police In Saint-Denis. This time a multiple millionaire comes to town to buy up
much of Saint Denis to further his family empire. A fire is started and it is arson so Bruno has he work cut out for him.
A new love is on the horizon and lots of good food and wine.
much of Saint Denis to further his family empire. A fire is started and it is arson so Bruno has he work cut out for him.
A new love is on the horizon and lots of good food and wine.
Dec 22, 2011
Angie
rated it:
It seems almost like the norm for the second book in a promising series not to measure up to the first. Unfortunately, that was the case for The Dark Vineyard. (Happily, however, the third book, Black Diamond, was even better than the first!) The mystery in The Dark Vineyard was never compelling. The book just seemed to move from one convivial meal or drinks session to another without a lot of a sense of progression. The denouement was rather disappointing. The relationships among the charact
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Apr 15, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
An okay storyline and easy to read. I didn't care for the main character, and I just felt like I had random character names thrown at me constantly. It was hard to keep up with the characters and know which ones were going to be important keystones to the novel and which ones weren't.
Apr 07, 2011
Pattie
rated it:
You might want to lay in a stock of good cheese and good wine, because you'll be craving some after reading this; in addition to the mystery, the author celebrates the French people's love of food and wine. Not earth-shattering, but good enough that I'll be looking for more books from Martin.
Aug 26, 2010
Lauren
rated it:
Entertaining enough. But I wish Bruno was a bit more of a loner. He's ridiculously social and seems to appeal to all the ladies. But perhaps that's village life in the Dordogne.
I do wish he'd make me a truffle omelet though.
I do wish he'd make me a truffle omelet though.
Oct 25, 2011
Andrea
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I do like these mysteries. Maybe it is Bruno, maybe it is the setting, maybe it is the wine and the food (although I would stop at chomping down on the head of that bird....)
A good read.
A good read.
May 01, 2011
Tricia
rated it:
Fun detective/crime novel. The best part is the description of life in a village in France. I'm going to have to read the other two so I can find out about all the characters in the village.
Dec 15, 2010
Caroline
rated it:
Enjoyable second entry in series featuring Bruno, the Maigret of the Dordogne: atmosphere, characterization and setting combine for a superlative if rather cozy mystery.
Oct 27, 2010
Christine
rated it:
I like the French countryside details--makes small town life appealing, but mystery titles are so goofy. Also, some of the "mystery" was a little lame.
Sep 25, 2010
Connie
rated it:
Not quite as good as the first book with Bruno, where all the character of the small French village was new and interesting. A couple improbably twists.
