France, friends, friendship, frustration, foodie, hidden-agendas, historic-buildings, historic-mansion, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, contemporary, suspense, thriller, relationship-issues, relationships, relatives, audiobook, secrets, journalist, investigations, unputdownable, local-politics, local-law-enforcement, local-gossip, threats, Basset-Hounds, witty, rural, tennis, family, family-dynamics, action, interagency, international-crime-and-mystery, international-crimes, international-espionage, interpersonal-problems*****

A retired rock star who has lived in the area as his children grew finds life changes disturbing and there is lots of other things happening both related and unrelated to this disturbance which includes selling the multimillion-euro estate. Along the way we learn about French war dogs in the Afghanistan war, a lot about Bassett hounds, and a whole lot about the international problems involved in Ukraine/Russia politics and hatreds. Riveting! Great police work stringing out the clues and suspects. As addictive as the others I am binge-reading in this series!
Voice actor Robert Ian MacKenzie is excellent with interpretation and character definition, and superior in the rolling tones of French pronunciations. ( )

This is the thirteenth novel in the engaging series featuring Benoit ‘Bruno’ Courrèges, Chief of Police in St Denis and the surrounding area in the Dordogne, and the ninth I have read this year, still without feeling any sense of having overdone it. All the usual cast of characters are present, including Balzac, the loveable basset hound, who is accorded a special role this time around.

Martin Walker paints an idyllic picture of life in the Dordogne, although it does seem to be the location of an awful lot of crime, with murders seldom far behind Bruno as he goes about his daily routines. This time, Bruno finds himself caught up in tensions surrounding a Ukrainian oligarch who may or may not have been a close confederate of Putin. Meanwhile, we learn of another long term resident of the area, but never previously encountered in the stories. He is an ageing Scottish rock star who lives with his considerably younger wife in one of the chateaux in the area. Bruno learns that they are now planning to separate, and that the chateau, which had been a significant participant in the local communal wine production, is going on the market.

With his customary dexterity, Walker manages to blend these two seemingly discrete stories together. He also throws in a hefty selection of sumptuous meals along the way.

Overall I felt that this was one of the weaker books in the series, although I still enjoyed reading it., However I am now a little concerned as to whether the sequence may have peaked. There is always a risk that, having found a highly successful formula, a novelist may be tempted to send the pitcher to the literary well just once or twice too often. ( )

I absolutely love this series!, This book is a fine addition to a very enjoyable series. It's been awhile since I visited with Bruno and his friends. I thought it was time to read another book. This book has all the action and suspense of all the other books in the series, but it also has a little bit about Balzac, Bruno's prize Bassett Hound. A mystery, thriller, and an adorable dog! What else could I ask for? This books delves into the murky waters of senior expoitation, and murder that is a result of that. A hot topic for sure in today's world, and I guess the Doridoigne area is not not an exception to this. As Bruno delves into what happened with all these underhanded and illegal happenings in his region, he is also wrestling with the idea of breeding his two-year-old prize Bassett Hound, Balzac. To Balzac's delight, Bruno comes up with a plan that will ensure Balzac's lineage and, at the same time, make him one happy dog. Throw in some Ukrainian ex-pats and a Russian Oligarch, and you have an international intrigue that will satisfy the most jaded reader. This is a great book, and as usual a wonderful snapshot of life in the South of France where the wine is wonderful and the cuisine even better. ( )

Martin Walker continues to produce enjoyable, almost credible stories about foreign intrigue, in the bucolic Dordogne area of France. His cast of excellent characters led by the Maestro Bruno and his beloved Basset, Balzac continues to grow and evolve. Music, sometimes and food, always provide appropriate interludes to Bruno's astute sleuthing. ( )

We enjoy this Bruno, Chief of Police series. They do sometimes make me a bit anxious because they often end with a gun battle and Bruno's lady friends don't always fare well. This time the two opportunities for extreme violence were cut short. I do enjoy the characters and my husband likes to write down the recipes. Lovely descriptions of the place. Really makes me want to visit. ( )