Bruno, Chief of Police: The Early Cases — Martin Walker

The first three cases for Bruno, Chief of Police of St Denis in the Dordogne. The perfect escapist read for a winter's night. 'The Maigret of the Dordogne' - Antony Beevor DEATH IN THE DORDOGNE Bruno investigates the death of a local North African patriarch, in a case whose solution may lie in that most fraught part of recent French history: the Second World War. St Denis was part of Vichy France, with a strong Resistance movement. Will the people of St Denis allow Bruno to dig up their past in order to find the killer? THE DARK VINEYARD A Californian wine producer is planning to set up a wine-making business in the St Denis valley. The locals aren't happy, and when a violent death occurs at the vineyard, Bruno will have to draw on all his local knowledge to reach the truth. BLACK DIAMOND The black truffles of the Dordogne are world-famous and extremely valuable. But their price is being driven down by cheaper, adulterated truffles from China, and it seems Chinese organised crime is behind the fraud. A vicious murder in St Denis points Bruno in the direction of the scam. Will he be able to sniff out the culprit, and find the killer? 'A satisfyingly intriguing, wish-you-were-here read' Guardian