Martin Walker's An Enemy in the Village

 

 

By Margaret S. Hamilton

 

An Enemy in the Village is Martin Walker’s eighteenth Bruno, Chief of Police mystery, set in the Dordogne region of southwest France. In his previous books, Walker uses the history and geography of the area as the basis of his plots, particularly the prehistoric caves, archeological digs, and Resistance opposition to the German Army occupation in 1944. Walker also highlights environmental concerns and French agriculture, particularly the local vineyards and truffle industry.

 

In Walker’s latest book, Bruno is faced with opposition closer to home. Green activists organize a negative response to his local radio call-in show. A local businesswoman commits what appears to be suicide, though Bruno suspects otherwise. Bruno, who is a municipal policeman taking orders from the mayor of his small town, is ordered to investigate a rogue Gendarme officer who abuses women.

 

Bruno has tremendous respect and admiration for his women colleagues, all intelligent and hard-working. He is the only man at a four-star Michelin dinner with the local magistrate, a lawyer, doctor, and two successful business owners. The sumptuous food is lavishly described, course by course, during which Bruno gleans enough information from the private detective at the table to further investigate the dead woman’s demise.

 

Bruno’s basset hound, Balzac, is his truffle-hunting dog and constant companion. By chance or design, Bruno’s new lover has an enchanting female basset, George Sand. Martin Walker dedicates the book to his own basset, Violette.

 

This book represents a change for Walker. Bruno finds a new love and considers his other career options. Future children are very much on his mind, with visions of little Brunos learning how to hunt truffles and collect eggs from the chicken coop.

 

Readers and writers, have you experienced exemplary regional cuisine? Do you enjoy reading about excellent food?

 

Margaret’s short story, “Voices in the Caves,” is set in the Dordogne region of southwest France.  Gone Fishin’: Crime Takes a Holiday.

 

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