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Book Review of A Chateau Under Siege (Bruno, Chief of Police, Bk 16)

A Chateau Under Siege (Bruno, Chief of Police, Bk 16)
cathyskye avatar reviewed on + 2307 more book reviews


One of the reasons why I enjoy Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police series so much is that I get a non-US view of the world and how a country like France fits into that world. (In A Château Under Siege, I also learned a surprising fact about South Dakota.)

While learning how to stage a historical reenactment, I watched Bruno as he worked to learn who would want to kill Brice Kerquelin. Bruno has his fingers on the pulse of his hometown of St. Denis. He is a vital part of life there; he knows everyone and everyone knows him. That's one of the things that makes him such a good policeman. He's also an excellent coordinator of various French law enforcement and government agencies, which is why he's been given much more responsibility.

But A Château Under Siege isn't merely about working with official departments and solving the mystery. There are also the things that long-time fans of this series have come to love and expect. We meet an adorable six-year-old named Patsy who has a secret friend. We have virtual ringside seats to one of Bruno's homecooked feasts (would they were real!), and we even get to watch Bruno's friends attempt a romantic intervention for their friend.

If you enjoy strong mysteries with a beguiling sense of place and wonderful characters, you need to immerse yourself in the world of Bruno Courrèges, Chief of Police of the village of St. Denis in southwestern France. Bon appétit!