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Bruno, Chief of Police #3
Black Diamond
Something dangerous is afoot in St. Denis; in the space of a few weeks, the normally sleepy village sees attacks on Vietnamese vendors, arson at a local Asian restaurant, and subpar truffles from China smuggled into outgoing shipments at a nearby market. All of it threatens the Dordogne's truffle trade, worth millions of dollars each year, and all of it spells trouble for Benoît “Bruno” Courrèges, master chef, devoted oenophile, and beloved chief of police. When one of his hunting partners, a noted truffle expert, is murdered, Bruno’s investigation into the murky events unfolding around St. Denis becomes infinitely more complicated. Because his friend wasn’t just a connoisseur of French delicacies, he was a former high-profile intelligence agent—and someone wanted him dead.
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First published January 1, 2010
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About the author
Martin Walker
68 books1,513 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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April 13, 2021
Rating: 4.5* of five
The Publisher Says: The third installment in Martin Walker's delightful, internationally acclaimed series featuring Chief of Police Bruno.
Something dangerous is afoot in St. Denis. In the space of a few weeks, the normally sleepy village sees attacks on Vietnamese vendors, arson at a local Asian restaurant, subpar truffles from China smuggled into outgoing shipments at a nearby market—all of it threatening the Dordogne’s truffle trade, worth millions of dollars each year, and all of it spelling trouble for Benoît “Bruno” Courrèges, master chef, devoted oenophile, and, most important, beloved chief of police. When one of his hunting partners, a noted truffle expert, is murdered, Bruno’s investigation into the murky events unfolding around St. Denis becomes infinitely more complicated. His friend wasn’t just a connoisseur of French delicacies, he was a former high-profile intelligence agent—and someone wanted him dead.
As the strange crimes continue, Bruno’s detective work takes him from sunlit markets to dim cafés, from luxurious feasts to tense negotiations—from all of the paradisial pleasures of the region to its shadowy underworld—and reunites him with a lost love, an ambitious policewoman also assigned to the case. Filled with an abundance of food and wine (including, bien sûr, many, many truffles) and a soupçon of romance, Black Diamond is a deliciously entertaining concoction that delivers all the complexity and delights of the Dordogne itself.
My Review: I'd like to be clear about one thing up front: No one pays me to write my reviews, and I got no free copy of this book to review it. Save your nastygrams.
What I did get from this third outing in the Bruno, Chief of Police, series was a serious jones for truffes cendrillons (or cendrées, as I knew the dish), the coal-baked tarts filled with truffled foie gras that are outstandingly rich and almost incredibly expensive. They're also the only way I actually *like* truffles.
*pause for near-lethal drooling*
So. Anyway. Truffles are obscenely expensive fungi, and the Périgord (where fictional St-Denis is located) is one of Earth's best places to find the highest quality variety of them. Naturally, this being a Bruno story, the initial push into crime and dishonesty comes from shenanigans at the truffle market. Naturally, this being a Bruno story, the malfeasance and wrong-doing stretch farther and wider than that. Naturally, this being a Bruno story, there is loving and glorious detail lavished upon the preparation and eating of meals. A very great deal less attention is paid to Bruno's rugby-playing, fire-fighting physique in action amoureuse.
I'm down with that. Sex I can get anywhere. A series of mysteries where Pomerol *drool* is fleetingly mentioned and Dom Pérignon is casually served at a public function (!!!), where the meals are...so listen, I don't need to belabor this, it's effin' para-bloody-dise that Walker's describing. A hot rugby-playing 40-year-old cop who can cook and knows his wines. Yes please.
By the end of this entry in the series, it's clear that our lad is as always the bestest Boy Scout in all France and he's got not a single problem with doing the Right Thing even if it's political suicide, even when it costs him dearly and personally, and then refusing to dodge, bob, and weave when shady souls want him to trim his sails expediently.
For this very reason, Bruno ends this installment with a vastly better material life, and a very greatly enlarged circle of influence. Hobnobbing with royalty, even minor royalty, grants a man access to things previously not available. Very useful in a sleuth's development; and as done by Walker in this book, perfectly logical and in fact sort of inevitable.
I'll cut to the chase: For a series-mystery fan, this procedural-cum-cozy-via-thriller series is catnip and should not be resisted. For a foodie, it's madness to pass up. For one who fancies gentlemen of a certain interesting age, it's damn near mandatory reading. (My Gentleman Caller has a serious book-crush on Bruno, for example. I'm not jealous it says here because so do I.) And if wine interests you, for heavens' sake go NOW and buy them all!
The Publisher Says: The third installment in Martin Walker's delightful, internationally acclaimed series featuring Chief of Police Bruno.
Something dangerous is afoot in St. Denis. In the space of a few weeks, the normally sleepy village sees attacks on Vietnamese vendors, arson at a local Asian restaurant, subpar truffles from China smuggled into outgoing shipments at a nearby market—all of it threatening the Dordogne’s truffle trade, worth millions of dollars each year, and all of it spelling trouble for Benoît “Bruno” Courrèges, master chef, devoted oenophile, and, most important, beloved chief of police. When one of his hunting partners, a noted truffle expert, is murdered, Bruno’s investigation into the murky events unfolding around St. Denis becomes infinitely more complicated. His friend wasn’t just a connoisseur of French delicacies, he was a former high-profile intelligence agent—and someone wanted him dead.
As the strange crimes continue, Bruno’s detective work takes him from sunlit markets to dim cafés, from luxurious feasts to tense negotiations—from all of the paradisial pleasures of the region to its shadowy underworld—and reunites him with a lost love, an ambitious policewoman also assigned to the case. Filled with an abundance of food and wine (including, bien sûr, many, many truffles) and a soupçon of romance, Black Diamond is a deliciously entertaining concoction that delivers all the complexity and delights of the Dordogne itself.
My Review: I'd like to be clear about one thing up front: No one pays me to write my reviews, and I got no free copy of this book to review it. Save your nastygrams.
What I did get from this third outing in the Bruno, Chief of Police, series was a serious jones for truffes cendrillons (or cendrées, as I knew the dish), the coal-baked tarts filled with truffled foie gras that are outstandingly rich and almost incredibly expensive. They're also the only way I actually *like* truffles.
*pause for near-lethal drooling*
So. Anyway. Truffles are obscenely expensive fungi, and the Périgord (where fictional St-Denis is located) is one of Earth's best places to find the highest quality variety of them. Naturally, this being a Bruno story, the initial push into crime and dishonesty comes from shenanigans at the truffle market. Naturally, this being a Bruno story, the malfeasance and wrong-doing stretch farther and wider than that. Naturally, this being a Bruno story, there is loving and glorious detail lavished upon the preparation and eating of meals. A very great deal less attention is paid to Bruno's rugby-playing, fire-fighting physique in action amoureuse.
I'm down with that. Sex I can get anywhere. A series of mysteries where Pomerol *drool* is fleetingly mentioned and Dom Pérignon is casually served at a public function (!!!), where the meals are...so listen, I don't need to belabor this, it's effin' para-bloody-dise that Walker's describing. A hot rugby-playing 40-year-old cop who can cook and knows his wines. Yes please.
By the end of this entry in the series, it's clear that our lad is as always the bestest Boy Scout in all France and he's got not a single problem with doing the Right Thing even if it's political suicide, even when it costs him dearly and personally, and then refusing to dodge, bob, and weave when shady souls want him to trim his sails expediently.
For this very reason, Bruno ends this installment with a vastly better material life, and a very greatly enlarged circle of influence. Hobnobbing with royalty, even minor royalty, grants a man access to things previously not available. Very useful in a sleuth's development; and as done by Walker in this book, perfectly logical and in fact sort of inevitable.
I'll cut to the chase: For a series-mystery fan, this procedural-cum-cozy-via-thriller series is catnip and should not be resisted. For a foodie, it's madness to pass up. For one who fancies gentlemen of a certain interesting age, it's damn near mandatory reading. (My Gentleman Caller has a serious book-crush on Bruno, for example. I'm not jealous it says here because so do I.) And if wine interests you, for heavens' sake go NOW and buy them all!
January 1, 2023
I’ve been meaning to try the Bruno, Chief of Police series because of the numerous comparisons to the Guido Brunetti series. And yes, the comparison is apt. A well done cozy mystery set in a foreign locale, with a smart detective. There are even lots of food and wine scenes.
This is the third in the series but I had no trouble jumping right in. Bruno raises some truffles himself, so it’s natural for him to be asked to investigate when inferior Chinese truffles find their way into the black truffle market of Dordogne region. But his investigation quickly escalates as there are a series of attacks against Asian businesses. The mystery really starts when a good friend of his, who also raised truffles, is murdered.
I found this an extremely well done police procedural. The plot was well thought out. The author takes his time explaining the entire truffle business. I really liked Bruno - he's got a Basset Hound, he plays rugby, he cooks, he’s a wine connoisseur. Mon Dieu! I think I’m in love. I’m not as sure what I think about his love interest, Pamela. I’m not at all sure they’re a good fit. And the region is a character in its own right.
There’s not the humor here like Donna Leon. But I will enthusiastically check out the next in this series.
Now, here’s my major beef. One of my loves about listening to the Brunetti series is David Colacci, who just embodies Guido. Who decided that Robert Ian Mackenzie, with his posh English voice, was the proper narrator? His voice really threw me for a loop. It’s a big miss.
This is the third in the series but I had no trouble jumping right in. Bruno raises some truffles himself, so it’s natural for him to be asked to investigate when inferior Chinese truffles find their way into the black truffle market of Dordogne region. But his investigation quickly escalates as there are a series of attacks against Asian businesses. The mystery really starts when a good friend of his, who also raised truffles, is murdered.
I found this an extremely well done police procedural. The plot was well thought out. The author takes his time explaining the entire truffle business. I really liked Bruno - he's got a Basset Hound, he plays rugby, he cooks, he’s a wine connoisseur. Mon Dieu! I think I’m in love. I’m not as sure what I think about his love interest, Pamela. I’m not at all sure they’re a good fit. And the region is a character in its own right.
There’s not the humor here like Donna Leon. But I will enthusiastically check out the next in this series.
Now, here’s my major beef. One of my loves about listening to the Brunetti series is David Colacci, who just embodies Guido. Who decided that Robert Ian Mackenzie, with his posh English voice, was the proper narrator? His voice really threw me for a loop. It’s a big miss.
June 25, 2016
Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police series is an acquired taste. Once the addiction manifest itself it is difficult to escape.
Truffles. How to propagate them, find them, eat them, and most of all, with the help of our police chief, how to cook them. Selling them is a story on its own. This black diamond of the Dordogne region is more valuable than gold; regularly more treasured than truth, and often more glorified than love. For forty thousand years now the people of the valley depend on its monitary value to keep the community healthy and prosperous.
But sometimes, just sometimes, things can go seriously, as well as dangerously, wrong when incomers aim to replace the black diamonds with substandard alternatives, such as the Chinese truffle. The invasion of the markets are executed with arson, murder, attacks on market stalls, intimidation, politics and determination. The lucrative crime world demands ancient and modern control in which no prisoners are taken and resistance are not tolerated. So much so, that the national police department have to facilitate truces between the warring factions who control prostitution, illegal immigration, money laundering and tax evasion. Corruption and fraud are added as the subtle foie gras in the truffes cendrillon
In the midst of a local election campaign the little town of Saint-Denis is turned upside down when a beloved war hero is murdered, the Chinese attack the Vietnamese in town, and all available police resources must be called in to handle the situation, while school children almost drown in cow dung and Saint Nicholas, also known as Father Christmas, must still be on time for the annual children's Christmas party. It is the time of the year when rain and mud determines the outcome in a rugby match between the old and the young monsieurs in town. It is not the only way in which pain is dished out. With Benoît "Bruno" Courrèges present, anything can happen to anyone in his effort to protect his beloved town. Love triangles prosper as a subtle afterthought, since the seriousness of the situation in town demands attention 48 hours in a day!
The book centers around the French colonial history in all its brutality. The mystery is layered with relationship-, political-, and international trade issues, and cocooned in the warm embrace of the town's ancient cultures and eccentric characters who become close friends with the reader.
Once again a great read.
Truffles. How to propagate them, find them, eat them, and most of all, with the help of our police chief, how to cook them. Selling them is a story on its own. This black diamond of the Dordogne region is more valuable than gold; regularly more treasured than truth, and often more glorified than love. For forty thousand years now the people of the valley depend on its monitary value to keep the community healthy and prosperous.
But sometimes, just sometimes, things can go seriously, as well as dangerously, wrong when incomers aim to replace the black diamonds with substandard alternatives, such as the Chinese truffle. The invasion of the markets are executed with arson, murder, attacks on market stalls, intimidation, politics and determination. The lucrative crime world demands ancient and modern control in which no prisoners are taken and resistance are not tolerated. So much so, that the national police department have to facilitate truces between the warring factions who control prostitution, illegal immigration, money laundering and tax evasion. Corruption and fraud are added as the subtle foie gras in the truffes cendrillon
In the midst of a local election campaign the little town of Saint-Denis is turned upside down when a beloved war hero is murdered, the Chinese attack the Vietnamese in town, and all available police resources must be called in to handle the situation, while school children almost drown in cow dung and Saint Nicholas, also known as Father Christmas, must still be on time for the annual children's Christmas party. It is the time of the year when rain and mud determines the outcome in a rugby match between the old and the young monsieurs in town. It is not the only way in which pain is dished out. With Benoît "Bruno" Courrèges present, anything can happen to anyone in his effort to protect his beloved town. Love triangles prosper as a subtle afterthought, since the seriousness of the situation in town demands attention 48 hours in a day!
The book centers around the French colonial history in all its brutality. The mystery is layered with relationship-, political-, and international trade issues, and cocooned in the warm embrace of the town's ancient cultures and eccentric characters who become close friends with the reader.
Once again a great read.
March 15, 2023
The third book in the series and another really good read.
Black Diamond is a well written cosy mystery, set in France with a very personable main character. Bruno is the local policeman for St. Denis a small town which is situated in an area which produces a very valuable product - truffles. The Black Diamond of the title is a much sought after and very costly type of these.
So much goes on in this book but briefly there is trouble in the truffle market, fighting between Chinese and Vietnamese incomers, the mayor may be about to lose his position, and then one of Bruno's close friends is murdered in an exceptionally nasty way. In between all this Bruno cooks some amazing food, goes truffle hunting with his delightful dog, dresses up as Santa for the local children and dithers between two women.
I enjoyed the whole book enormously and I am looking forward to the next!
Black Diamond is a well written cosy mystery, set in France with a very personable main character. Bruno is the local policeman for St. Denis a small town which is situated in an area which produces a very valuable product - truffles. The Black Diamond of the title is a much sought after and very costly type of these.
So much goes on in this book but briefly there is trouble in the truffle market, fighting between Chinese and Vietnamese incomers, the mayor may be about to lose his position, and then one of Bruno's close friends is murdered in an exceptionally nasty way. In between all this Bruno cooks some amazing food, goes truffle hunting with his delightful dog, dresses up as Santa for the local children and dithers between two women.
I enjoyed the whole book enormously and I am looking forward to the next!
May 7, 2014
There is something about this series that I love. I picked up the first book, Bruno, Chief Of Police, because I was firstly attracted to the cover. And then when I read the synopsis, I had to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed, quickly falling in love with Bruno's life, his village and friends. I've since read the second book, The Dark Vineyard, which was even better, further developing Bruno's character and letting us know more about his friends and his village. I finished this third book this morning; I had to find out how it would end. I have to give this a five-star rating. I find that Martin Walker writes the story in such a way that I find myself drawn into the life of the community of St Denis in the district of Perigord. I find myself caring for Bruno, worrying about his future, his personal life and the lives of his close friends; the Baron, Pamela (the English resident), the lovely Fabiola (the doctor) and all of the others. This story is filled with action, from illegal truffle activities, illegal Asian immigrants, gang wars and political intrigue. But even with all that, there is time to delve into the community that Bruno patrols and into Bruno's life. He loves his community and will do anything to protect it. The people are colourful and different from my own experiences and Walker describes them gently and lovingly. And the food... ah, the food, my mouth waters as i watch Bruno prepare his repasts. At any rate, it's an excellent series and I'm happy to discover that there are at least three follow-on books for me to find and see what will happen next? Will Bruno settle down with Pamela? Or someone else? :) Enjoy!
October 6, 2015
Bruno, Chief of Police, series continues to engage and delight. The Black Diamond of the title refers to the rare and precious truffles of the region, a long-standing engine of the area's economy. As in previous Bruno books, Walker brings in issues both ancient and contemporary. In this one there's sullying of the truffles being packaged and sold locally with cheap Chinese counterfeits. There's illegal Chinese immigration, turf wars between Chinese gangs and the established Vietnamese immigrants of a generation ago, corruption in the local truffle market of a neighboring town, unemployment in St. Denis with the closing of the sawmill, political partisanship heightened by the looming mayoral election and echos of France's troubles in Vietnam and Algeria. Phew!
All these are brought to light as Bruno works to solve the murder of Hercule, his hunting partner and truffle hunting mentor. Hercule was involved in both Vietnam and Algeria in days of yore as a barbouze, a secret agent or spook. His death gets the immediate attention of the Police Nationale and other higher ups in Paris and the game is on!
Walker deftly draws the reader in to the community of St Denis and environs and to Bruno's circle of friends. It's so easy to become invested in his and everyone else's success, feeling as if these people are your new best friends. I was talking with a friend who is reading the series at the same time and we were speculating about whether he will get more involved with Pamela or get back with Isabelle who he seems to love, but does not want her lifestyle. I didn't mention Florence to her because she's only on book 2. :) As if these people are our friends! And we continue to want to be invited to all the dinners which are described in delicious detail. So much detail in this book that I feel I could cook the venison stew that Bruno made for the memorial dinner to his friend, Hercule.
Can't wait for my next brief vacation to the Dordognes in The Crowded Grave
All these are brought to light as Bruno works to solve the murder of Hercule, his hunting partner and truffle hunting mentor. Hercule was involved in both Vietnam and Algeria in days of yore as a barbouze, a secret agent or spook. His death gets the immediate attention of the Police Nationale and other higher ups in Paris and the game is on!
Walker deftly draws the reader in to the community of St Denis and environs and to Bruno's circle of friends. It's so easy to become invested in his and everyone else's success, feeling as if these people are your new best friends. I was talking with a friend who is reading the series at the same time and we were speculating about whether he will get more involved with Pamela or get back with Isabelle who he seems to love, but does not want her lifestyle. I didn't mention Florence to her because she's only on book 2. :) As if these people are our friends! And we continue to want to be invited to all the dinners which are described in delicious detail. So much detail in this book that I feel I could cook the venison stew that Bruno made for the memorial dinner to his friend, Hercule.
Can't wait for my next brief vacation to the Dordognes in The Crowded Grave
December 20, 2023
(Bruno) looked up at his cottage as it began to loom against the stars and at the roof where he’d already drawn the plans for the chien assist the dormer window that would turn his empty loft into an extra bedroom. Why do that if not because he had a family in mind someday…
Another enjoyable Dordogne mystery where Bruno is brought in to investigate the substitution of inferior Chinese truffles at the market in a neighbouring, town while a local Vietnamese family in St Denis caught up in a racial gang war (cue Chinese triads and Vietnamese Binh Xuyen). Then there are the murders: the gruesome one of a prominent member of the hunting club with a past linked to the secret services, and an apparent murder –suicide with an Irish connection. Naturally JJ of the Police Nationale is called in, and Bruno’s bed is kept warm alternatively by Pamela and Isabelle.
Hats off to author Martin Walker for another gastronomic-inspired adventure, character driven as always, with an inspirational countryside close to the Lascaux caves. Here peace and harmony are disrupted by shadows from France’s colonial past, both in North Africa through de Gaulle, and Vietnam Indochine with refugees from both making their homes in France. (I particularly like the way Martin Walker introduces the reader to earlier events forming the background to current issues without bogging down in detail.) But the best cameo role is Corsican businessman Paul Savani, who explains his connection.
‘It goes back to Napoleon,’ Savani explained. It had taken a while, but now Bruno was pretty sure that he was in presence of a leading figure in the Union Corse, the oldest network of organised crime in France. ‘We were cousins of the Bonapartes.’
Looking forward to the next book.
Another enjoyable Dordogne mystery where Bruno is brought in to investigate the substitution of inferior Chinese truffles at the market in a neighbouring, town while a local Vietnamese family in St Denis caught up in a racial gang war (cue Chinese triads and Vietnamese Binh Xuyen). Then there are the murders: the gruesome one of a prominent member of the hunting club with a past linked to the secret services, and an apparent murder –suicide with an Irish connection. Naturally JJ of the Police Nationale is called in, and Bruno’s bed is kept warm alternatively by Pamela and Isabelle.
Hats off to author Martin Walker for another gastronomic-inspired adventure, character driven as always, with an inspirational countryside close to the Lascaux caves. Here peace and harmony are disrupted by shadows from France’s colonial past, both in North Africa through de Gaulle, and Vietnam Indochine with refugees from both making their homes in France. (I particularly like the way Martin Walker introduces the reader to earlier events forming the background to current issues without bogging down in detail.) But the best cameo role is Corsican businessman Paul Savani, who explains his connection.
‘It goes back to Napoleon,’ Savani explained. It had taken a while, but now Bruno was pretty sure that he was in presence of a leading figure in the Union Corse, the oldest network of organised crime in France. ‘We were cousins of the Bonapartes.’
Looking forward to the next book.
June 19, 2017
Bruno is a different type of chief of police. He does not use a gun but he was in Bosnia and has gun skills. He uses his people skills to keep the peace in his domain. He volunteers as a coach and dresses up as Santa. He is well liked by the people in his district. He is observant and knows human nature. He is good at deducting crimes.
Besides all that, he can cook. The description of his meals and his wine choices makes one wish they would be invited to dinner. This book was about the finding and selling of truffles, wars between the Vietnamese and the Chinese and illegal immigrants. He also loses a friend to a violent murder.
Bruno does catch the eye of the ladies. After reading the first 3 books, I am starting to enjoy and like the secondary characters too. Another important star of the book is the location. The books take place in a small village in south France. Bruno is completely happy there with his house in the country, the scenery and the people that he does not want to leave the area with a promotion. It is a good series
Besides all that, he can cook. The description of his meals and his wine choices makes one wish they would be invited to dinner. This book was about the finding and selling of truffles, wars between the Vietnamese and the Chinese and illegal immigrants. He also loses a friend to a violent murder.
Bruno does catch the eye of the ladies. After reading the first 3 books, I am starting to enjoy and like the secondary characters too. Another important star of the book is the location. The books take place in a small village in south France. Bruno is completely happy there with his house in the country, the scenery and the people that he does not want to leave the area with a promotion. It is a good series
October 29, 2014
In his first two novels featuring Bruno Courreges, Martin Walker created an affectionate portrait of a small community in rural France. They were also essentially crime stories, the two elements neatly interwoven. In Black Diamond the balance is woefully out of kilter.
The fact thee the crime element involved the truffle industry and (improbably in t Denis) Chinese and Vietnamese gang warfare called for a great deal of exposition. There are necessary digressions to Algeria, toVietnam and Kossovo. Chapters 19 deals with nothing else, and 20 is not much better. As a result life in St Denis is dropped in as semi-detached chunks.
The chapter devoted to the Over 35w v Under 18s rugby match suggests an author who has been there and experienced it from the inside. It is lovingly done but carries the plot forward only marginally.
Black Diamond should not put off Martin Walker's fans, but they will hope for a return to more familiar territory next time.
The fact thee the crime element involved the truffle industry and (improbably in t Denis) Chinese and Vietnamese gang warfare called for a great deal of exposition. There are necessary digressions to Algeria, toVietnam and Kossovo. Chapters 19 deals with nothing else, and 20 is not much better. As a result life in St Denis is dropped in as semi-detached chunks.
The chapter devoted to the Over 35w v Under 18s rugby match suggests an author who has been there and experienced it from the inside. It is lovingly done but carries the plot forward only marginally.
Black Diamond should not put off Martin Walker's fans, but they will hope for a return to more familiar territory next time.
January 30, 2025
The local saw mill is shut down. The Greens claim it's because of air pollution, but of course, it isn't. When his friend is murdered, Bruno gets on the case. The Chinese and the Vietnamese mobs are fighting as well, leading to a lot of arson around. There's a to do with counterfeit truffles. I found it interesting that the truffle industry still hasn't recovered from WW1.
Bruno investigates, and tries to keep his town safe, while staying PC. Very difficult.
Bruno investigates, and tries to keep his town safe, while staying PC. Very difficult.
June 29, 2024
4★
“‘And when you say “gangs” you can miss the point. These are old organisations, more like clans. Membership is to do with family and heritage. Sometimes you don’t have a choice.’”
There’s a different vibe in the markets of the Perigord region of France. It’s an area famous for truffles, and Bruno, the Chief of Police, has a keen interest, proud that he’s got some growing on his own property. But the markets are competitive, with the best, “black diamonds”, fetching the highest prices.
“ ‘China bought over five million euros’ worth of Périgord truffles. Just three years ago, they bought nothing. It’s like cognac; anything that’s really rare and expensive has a snob appeal for China’s new rich. So if you can add a few scraps of our good stuff and then sell cheap Chinese truffles as if they were from France, there’s real money to be made at the Chinese end. But it won’t last long before they get caught and the market collapses in scandal.’ ”
While Bruno is at the marketplace one morning, one of the stalls has oil thrown over it in a drive-by attack. Next, a ride-by attacker throws paint over another stall. It’s the Chinese and the Vietnamese, of whom there are many in the region.
Bruno is close friends with a Vietnamese family and wants to know why they were targeted. On top of that, something is amiss with the sales figures. Restaurants have complained they’re getting inferior truffles, so who’s fiddling with the packaging?
It’s a little like the Mafia. As the opening quotation says, these groups are more like clans.
“‘Fujian and Binh Xuyen, they both started out as river pirates. There’s a centuries-old feud, but sometimes they cooperate. It’s a bit like France and Germany, or France and England – hundreds of years as enemies, then allies. Vietnam and China are old enemies, but Binh Xuyen and the Dragons were never very obedient to government. They always had their own deals.’
‘So the trouble we’re seeing is not some Chinese–Viet ethnic conflict but something between criminal gangs?’ ”
Then one of Bruno’s dearest old friends is found murdered. France’s colonial history is as bad as any other country’s, and Walker doesn’t spare our sensibilities. He doesn’t concentrate on the atrocities in Africa and Vietnam, but he certainly lets us know how bad things were.
Meanwhile, there is a mayoral election coming up (Bruno is hired by the mayor), and a couple of new hats have been thrown in the ring. There’s a Christmas party for the children with guess-who as Father Christmas? Oh, and a big rugby game and Bruno’s two love interests make a showing.
All-in-all, a lot of ground is covered. It’s a good mix of history, real crime (I nearly forgot the people smugglers), excitement (oh, and the deadly fire), and the fond human relationships that are more often found in cosy mysteries. And the food!
“‘And when you say “gangs” you can miss the point. These are old organisations, more like clans. Membership is to do with family and heritage. Sometimes you don’t have a choice.’”
There’s a different vibe in the markets of the Perigord region of France. It’s an area famous for truffles, and Bruno, the Chief of Police, has a keen interest, proud that he’s got some growing on his own property. But the markets are competitive, with the best, “black diamonds”, fetching the highest prices.
“ ‘China bought over five million euros’ worth of Périgord truffles. Just three years ago, they bought nothing. It’s like cognac; anything that’s really rare and expensive has a snob appeal for China’s new rich. So if you can add a few scraps of our good stuff and then sell cheap Chinese truffles as if they were from France, there’s real money to be made at the Chinese end. But it won’t last long before they get caught and the market collapses in scandal.’ ”
While Bruno is at the marketplace one morning, one of the stalls has oil thrown over it in a drive-by attack. Next, a ride-by attacker throws paint over another stall. It’s the Chinese and the Vietnamese, of whom there are many in the region.
Bruno is close friends with a Vietnamese family and wants to know why they were targeted. On top of that, something is amiss with the sales figures. Restaurants have complained they’re getting inferior truffles, so who’s fiddling with the packaging?
It’s a little like the Mafia. As the opening quotation says, these groups are more like clans.
“‘Fujian and Binh Xuyen, they both started out as river pirates. There’s a centuries-old feud, but sometimes they cooperate. It’s a bit like France and Germany, or France and England – hundreds of years as enemies, then allies. Vietnam and China are old enemies, but Binh Xuyen and the Dragons were never very obedient to government. They always had their own deals.’
‘So the trouble we’re seeing is not some Chinese–Viet ethnic conflict but something between criminal gangs?’ ”
Then one of Bruno’s dearest old friends is found murdered. France’s colonial history is as bad as any other country’s, and Walker doesn’t spare our sensibilities. He doesn’t concentrate on the atrocities in Africa and Vietnam, but he certainly lets us know how bad things were.
Meanwhile, there is a mayoral election coming up (Bruno is hired by the mayor), and a couple of new hats have been thrown in the ring. There’s a Christmas party for the children with guess-who as Father Christmas? Oh, and a big rugby game and Bruno’s two love interests make a showing.
All-in-all, a lot of ground is covered. It’s a good mix of history, real crime (I nearly forgot the people smugglers), excitement (oh, and the deadly fire), and the fond human relationships that are more often found in cosy mysteries. And the food!
June 1, 2020
Another good page turner. We come to know much about truffles in this book, where it is found, how it is gathered, how it is sold and incorporated in the cuisine, the culture surrounding it in fact. Which was very interesting. Also the problems arising from the presence of Asian migrants and why they are there at all, the criminal activities surrounding it. The only problem I had was that too much was piled on, it left me rather breathless. A little more spacing would have enhanced the reading. And also making Bruno some kind of superman rescuing anyone in distress, was a bit yucky.
October 21, 2010
First Sentence: There weren’t many times that Bruno Courréges disliked his job, but today was one of them.
Truffles are big business in France. When it is suspected that someone is replacing high-quality truffles with cheaper Chinese truffles, Bruno is asked to do an informal investigation. With a heinous murder and attacks on Vietnamese merchants, things become serious, and dangerous, very quickly.
Any impression of this being light, cozy series is completely dispelled by this book. It is, in fact, a strong, complex, compelling police procedural with a protagonist who has become one of my favorites.
Although Bruno is the focal character, it is his relationships with friends and associates that add layers and texture. Bruno is his town’s only policeman. This makes him an integral part of the community while helping maintain its structure. He is intelligent, analytical and a by-the book policeman without being rigid. He has a history, doesn’t shy from violence, dresses as Pare Noel and teaches rugby and tennis to the kids. In other words, he is well rounded, interesting and realistic.
Walker, with a deft hand, starts with bucolic descriptions which set the scene and provide sense of place. Throughout there are mouth-watering descriptions of food and its part in a tradition which touches the heart. The use of French expressions lends veracity while their translation prevents readers from feeling excluded.
The plot builds and weaves in a way that kept me going. It started off seemingly simple, yet escalated quickly as does the motive behind the crimes. Again, anything but a cozy; yet an interesting look into the politics and issues of France; one of the reasons I am attracted to books set outside the US.
As always, I recommend starting the series at the beginning and not being put off by either the title or cover of the first book, “Bruno, Chief of Police.” Walker is a very good writer; Bruno a very good policeman in a series that improves with each entry.
BLACK DIAMOND (Pol Proc-Bruno Courréges-France-Cont) – VG
Walker, Martin – 3rd in series
Quercus, ©2010, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780857380494
Truffles are big business in France. When it is suspected that someone is replacing high-quality truffles with cheaper Chinese truffles, Bruno is asked to do an informal investigation. With a heinous murder and attacks on Vietnamese merchants, things become serious, and dangerous, very quickly.
Any impression of this being light, cozy series is completely dispelled by this book. It is, in fact, a strong, complex, compelling police procedural with a protagonist who has become one of my favorites.
Although Bruno is the focal character, it is his relationships with friends and associates that add layers and texture. Bruno is his town’s only policeman. This makes him an integral part of the community while helping maintain its structure. He is intelligent, analytical and a by-the book policeman without being rigid. He has a history, doesn’t shy from violence, dresses as Pare Noel and teaches rugby and tennis to the kids. In other words, he is well rounded, interesting and realistic.
Walker, with a deft hand, starts with bucolic descriptions which set the scene and provide sense of place. Throughout there are mouth-watering descriptions of food and its part in a tradition which touches the heart. The use of French expressions lends veracity while their translation prevents readers from feeling excluded.
The plot builds and weaves in a way that kept me going. It started off seemingly simple, yet escalated quickly as does the motive behind the crimes. Again, anything but a cozy; yet an interesting look into the politics and issues of France; one of the reasons I am attracted to books set outside the US.
As always, I recommend starting the series at the beginning and not being put off by either the title or cover of the first book, “Bruno, Chief of Police.” Walker is a very good writer; Bruno a very good policeman in a series that improves with each entry.
BLACK DIAMOND (Pol Proc-Bruno Courréges-France-Cont) – VG
Walker, Martin – 3rd in series
Quercus, ©2010, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780857380494
January 21, 2023
The 3rd installment of the Bruno, Chief of Police series, which I am thoroughly enjoying. I am not a big mystery fan, however Bruno is a self taught home chef and the food and wines he serves to friends keeps me reading.
In this book there is trouble in the the food industry as someone is passing off cheap Chinese truffles in place of the delicacies from the French countryside. Politically, The Green Party is still pushing for control and the current Mayor, Bruno's boss and good friend, fears he may unseated.
Bruno's love life is still messy, maybe that is why he cooks so much? LoL, food is comfort for me, so I assume it is the same for him.
Martin Walker has a wonderful way with writing and keeps you invested in all the characters. He has proven he is not afraid to shock you with a murder of a character you have grown to know and like.
Recommended for all you Cozy Mystery Fans.
In this book there is trouble in the the food industry as someone is passing off cheap Chinese truffles in place of the delicacies from the French countryside. Politically, The Green Party is still pushing for control and the current Mayor, Bruno's boss and good friend, fears he may unseated.
Bruno's love life is still messy, maybe that is why he cooks so much? LoL, food is comfort for me, so I assume it is the same for him.
Martin Walker has a wonderful way with writing and keeps you invested in all the characters. He has proven he is not afraid to shock you with a murder of a character you have grown to know and like.
Recommended for all you Cozy Mystery Fans.
June 6, 2022
Another Covid catch up review. I like this series and the reader is perfect for the book. Another complicated story line where you think the mystery is one thing but it turns out to be something entirely different (although it is connected in a plausible way).
I like Bruno and it seems his character is consistent. I didn't like the change in some of the characters in this series (I'm referring to a possible love interest...).
This is a series that keeps my interest on my morning walks. I'm thankful that my library carries so many good audio books.
This is not a great review but am just trying to get something down so my foggy Covid brain will remember that I read this.
I like Bruno and it seems his character is consistent. I didn't like the change in some of the characters in this series (I'm referring to a possible love interest...).
This is a series that keeps my interest on my morning walks. I'm thankful that my library carries so many good audio books.
This is not a great review but am just trying to get something down so my foggy Covid brain will remember that I read this.
June 15, 2022
Irgendwie kann ich nicht aufhören, diese Krimis zu lesen. Nach jedem Buch denke ich mir, dass es mir gar nicht so gut gefallen hat und ich nicht weiterlesen werde, aber dann habe ich wieder Lust in diese stimmungsvolle, kulinarisch interessante Welt von Bruno zurückzukehren und lese wieder einen Roman aus der Serie.
August 24, 2014
This series grows on you, and so do the characters. This time Martin Walker has chosen two different themes woven together: the Perigord truffle business and illegal Chinese immigration. I liked this one better than the first three, and I'm off to begin #4.
September 4, 2023
Bruno Courreges is the chief of police in a small town in the southwest Périgord region of France, where he investigates criminal cases and has a rich social life in the community. In this third episode of the series he looks into suspected fraud in the truffle industry. As usual, the author packs tons of delectable historical, cultural, and political insights. And maybe a little too much about hunting for my taste.
November 27, 2020
I've never been to rural France, but these books make me want to go. In Walker's France, the food is always delicious, the wine is plentiful, the markets are charming and the village police chief is just as good at being Father Christmas as he is at sniffing out international crime rings.
This was probably 3.5 stars, rounded down to three. Even though I love a good twisty mystery, this had slightly more exposition about French foreign policy Africa and Indochina than I might have wanted. The pacing was also quite slow until the final third, which really ramped up. Bruno himself though (and Walker's descriptions of things like truffle creme brulee) kept me well entertained.
My favourite cozy mysteries are always the ones with immersive settings, and Walker's France is certainly that. (Also, I have no idea how French policing and justice system bureaucracy work, so when Bruno is caught up in things that I would imagine are pretty improbable, I'm not bothered, because I can just shrug and turn the page.) This was a fine piece of entertainment, but I don't remember the plot to the first two books in the series, and I imagine this one will slide out of my brain fairly quickly too. But I had fun reading this, especially as the end veered towards thriller, and I'll definitely pick up the next one.
This was probably 3.5 stars, rounded down to three. Even though I love a good twisty mystery, this had slightly more exposition about French foreign policy Africa and Indochina than I might have wanted. The pacing was also quite slow until the final third, which really ramped up. Bruno himself though (and Walker's descriptions of things like truffle creme brulee) kept me well entertained.
My favourite cozy mysteries are always the ones with immersive settings, and Walker's France is certainly that. (Also, I have no idea how French policing and justice system bureaucracy work, so when Bruno is caught up in things that I would imagine are pretty improbable, I'm not bothered, because I can just shrug and turn the page.) This was a fine piece of entertainment, but I don't remember the plot to the first two books in the series, and I imagine this one will slide out of my brain fairly quickly too. But I had fun reading this, especially as the end veered towards thriller, and I'll definitely pick up the next one.
July 19, 2024
Who woulda thought Black Diamond was not about skiing but instead about truffles? This mystery veered into danger territory when the author decided to talk about several threads at once, clearly not at ease with the Asian portion.
Market stall owners of Asian descent are set upon by Asians of different nationalities and the immigration/fakes/drugs issues that crop up are all thrown in for flavor. The complicated nature of the relationships threaten to overcome the slow pace of Saint Denis but somehow Bruno manages to come out on top once again.
The similarly complicated relationship between Pamela and Bruno presents choices I wouldn't make the way they do, I don't thin change that might be necessary. Wrenching change is offset by pleasant additions to the character list, like Hector.
Market stall owners of Asian descent are set upon by Asians of different nationalities and the immigration/fakes/drugs issues that crop up are all thrown in for flavor. The complicated nature of the relationships threaten to overcome the slow pace of Saint Denis but somehow Bruno manages to come out on top once again.
The similarly complicated relationship between Pamela and Bruno presents choices I wouldn't make the way they do, I don't thin change that might be necessary. Wrenching change is offset by pleasant additions to the character list, like Hector.
May 4, 2021
French truffles are found to be adulterated with cheaper Chinese varieties, and Bruno must find out how this is happening, while trying to solve the murder of one of his oldest friends.
November 24, 2014
Habe den dritten Teil der Bruno-Saga in das Regal „Politisch korrekte Spannung“ eingereiht, da zumindest die Bösewichter ins Anforderungsprofil passen, Spannung findet praktisch nicht statt. Insofern eignet das Buch auch vortrefflich für den Abdruck als Roman in einer Tageszeitung.
Die Fronten sind so klar wie in einem Groschenroman, den eine grün angehauchte ältere Dame geschrieben hat, eine ideale Lektüre für Leute, die sich beim Lesen nicht aufregen sollen, obwohl die vollkommene Abwesenheit von Spannung bei einem Krimi der Aufreger schlechthin ist.
Keine äußere Äktschn, keine inneren Konflikte oder sonst eine erkennbare Entwicklung... Aber vielleicht muss man die beiden vorhergehende Teile gelesen haben, um den Fortschritt auszumachen... Oder schon mal im Périgord Urlaub gemacht haben. Aber wenn mir etwas an dieser Landschaft und ihren Leuten liegen würde, dann wäre das vermutlich der dritte Grund diesem abgestandenen Dreck seinen verdienten einzigen Stern zu verleihen.
Die Fronten sind so klar wie in einem Groschenroman, den eine grün angehauchte ältere Dame geschrieben hat, eine ideale Lektüre für Leute, die sich beim Lesen nicht aufregen sollen, obwohl die vollkommene Abwesenheit von Spannung bei einem Krimi der Aufreger schlechthin ist.
Keine äußere Äktschn, keine inneren Konflikte oder sonst eine erkennbare Entwicklung... Aber vielleicht muss man die beiden vorhergehende Teile gelesen haben, um den Fortschritt auszumachen... Oder schon mal im Périgord Urlaub gemacht haben. Aber wenn mir etwas an dieser Landschaft und ihren Leuten liegen würde, dann wäre das vermutlich der dritte Grund diesem abgestandenen Dreck seinen verdienten einzigen Stern zu verleihen.
July 16, 2017
I am really enjoying this series. I like the characters, the locale, the love of food and friendship. This is a great series for a vacation which, for me, is high praise as vacation books are the most important. Really looking forward to continuing on with Bruno and his adventures.
February 11, 2023
I love Bruno, the main character and all of the descriptions of the village, but this was a little boring for me. The narrator does a great job, but if I didn't listen to it, I would have skipped all of the rugby blow by blows.
February 10, 2015
Always good to catch up with Bruno, chief of police in St. Dennis, France! Such a great cast of characters in this mystery series.
November 15, 2024
When I’m in the right mood, I like this genre, and I’ve enjoyed one other Bruno story. I’m just getting to know Bruno and he’s likeable enough: an honest, competent village policeman, maybe early forties, an unmarried man who knows how to cook, loves his food and his dog. What I enjoyed most in this (and perhaps true for other books in the series) is not so much the mystery (somewhat complicated, with people-smuggling, Viet-Chinese gang warfare, and corruption in the lucrative truffle business) but the rich descriptions of the French countryside, the town market, and cultural life around St Denis, a medieval town north of Paris. I’m no authority on this, but, from what I’ve read, the author is. He’s a former foreign correspondent and lived for many years in the region he describes. It’s fun to read about the food and drink. I’ll no doubt pick up another Bruno book when I’m in the mood.
June 26, 2021
And onto the third book in this series of mysteries set in the Dordogne region of France. Bruno, the Chief of Police in St. Denis is on the case involving a scam in the supply chain of truffles.
The atmosphere of this book is exactly the same as the previous two books in this series. A comfortable and easy read with a mix of police and private life. Many of the characters continue from the other books. There are plenty of crimes for Bruno to deal with as he enjoys his life in rural France. We have the scam in the supply chain of truffles, racial hate crimes, a murder, some illegal immigrants and arson plus the discovery of a very disturbing crime at the end of the story. But between all this crime solving, Bruno makes time for a little romance.
I enjoyed reading Black Diamond and consider it to be a GOOD 4 star read. I found Martin to be consistent in his writing and feel his name has become a brand readers can trust.
The atmosphere of this book is exactly the same as the previous two books in this series. A comfortable and easy read with a mix of police and private life. Many of the characters continue from the other books. There are plenty of crimes for Bruno to deal with as he enjoys his life in rural France. We have the scam in the supply chain of truffles, racial hate crimes, a murder, some illegal immigrants and arson plus the discovery of a very disturbing crime at the end of the story. But between all this crime solving, Bruno makes time for a little romance.
I enjoyed reading Black Diamond and consider it to be a GOOD 4 star read. I found Martin to be consistent in his writing and feel his name has become a brand readers can trust.
October 16, 2023
Wie auch an den vorherigen Teilen mochte ich besonders die Atmosphäre der südfranzösischen Provinz, die dieses Buch sehr stark zu vermitteln weiß. Bruno ist ein sympathischer und gewitzter Charakter und es ist einfach, mit ihm mitzufiebern und ihn bei der Lösung seiner Fälle anzufeuern.
Besonders den geschichtlichen Aspekt des Algerienkriegs fand ich an diesem Teil interessant. Sehr lesenswert
Besonders den geschichtlichen Aspekt des Algerienkriegs fand ich an diesem Teil interessant. Sehr lesenswert
February 20, 2022
Sõbrad, armastajad, trühvlid, hea vein ja toit, mõrv, poliitika, endine kallim.
Vot nii palju erinevaid tahkusid on selles raamatus üheks köidetud ja pean ütlema, et pole üldse paha.
Kalliskivid on puudu ning mustaks teemandiks on antud loos hoopis trühvlid.
Politseiinspektor Bruno on ka üks sümpaatne tegelane, kel jagub kõigeks ja kõigile aega.
Üllatav aga oli raamatu lõpus olnud reisikava. Ehk et piirkonda, kus see lugu toimub, on kokku pandud 7-päevane reisikava koos detailsete soovitustega vaatamisväärsuste, veinimõisate, majutuse jne kohta.
Vot nii palju erinevaid tahkusid on selles raamatus üheks köidetud ja pean ütlema, et pole üldse paha.
Kalliskivid on puudu ning mustaks teemandiks on antud loos hoopis trühvlid.
Politseiinspektor Bruno on ka üks sümpaatne tegelane, kel jagub kõigeks ja kõigile aega.
Üllatav aga oli raamatu lõpus olnud reisikava. Ehk et piirkonda, kus see lugu toimub, on kokku pandud 7-päevane reisikava koos detailsete soovitustega vaatamisväärsuste, veinimõisate, majutuse jne kohta.
April 4, 2018
Another installment of the Bruno series, which are mysteries but which sparkle with detailed descriptions of meals and their preparation. Foodies, get acquainted with Bruno!
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