Martin Walker: An Enemy in the Village (USA 2025)

From the publisher:
A real estate agent's death sends shockwaves through the idyllic town of St. Denis, leading Bruno, Chief of Police, to suspect that there's more to this tragedy than meets the eye.

When Bruno stumbles upon a motionless figure in a car parked at a scenic overpass on the ridge of the Vézère valley, he's ready to investigate. Inside, he finds a suicide note and the dead body of Monique, a successful businesswoman who rented châteaus to wealthy expats. It seems like an open-and-shut case.

But Bruno can't shake the feeling that something sinister lurks underneath this tidy narrative. After he delivers Monique's final messages to those most important to her, malicious gossip about Bruno begins to spread through the village. One thing leads to another, and soon Bruno faces pressure to resign from the job. Despite this disturbing turn of events, Bruno remains Bruno, never one to turn down a fine meal with good company in the French countryside. In the course of inquiry, he meets Laura -- and her dog, which happens to be the same breed as his beloved basset hound. As sparks fly and Bruno realizes just how much he has at stake, he races to find out what really happened to Monique, before he loses his badge, his new love -- or worse.

Martin Walker: An Enemy in the Village. A Bruno, Chief of Police Novel. Alfred A. Knopf, ISBN: 9780593536643 (June, 2025), 320 p., $28.00, eBook $14.99.

Martin Walker: An Enemy in the Village (UK 2025)

From the publisher:
France's favourite country policeman investigates a suicide and gets involved in a tricky local issue in the latest adventure in this ever popular and bestselling mystery series.

'FRENCH TOURISM SHOULD RAISE A GLASS TO WALKER'S DORDOGNE MYSTERIES' Daily Mail

Bruno Courrèges is chief of police of the lovely Dordogne town of St Denis with a remit that covers the beautiful valley of the river Vézère. One autumn morning he comes across an abandoned car parked near a local beauty spot. Inside is a dead woman, Monique, an apparent suicide resulting from depression. But there are circumstances surrounding the death that raise Bruno's suspicions, particularly when disputes arise surrounding her Will.

At the same time, Bruno makes the mistake of interfering in a local marital dispute. Deputy mayor Xavier has been playing away and finds himself evicted from the family home. Old controversies about deer culls take on new life and then a second campaign begins, stating that Bruno is less of a village copper and more of a secret policeman, whose main job is working for French intelligence. Some of the ammunition for this attack, Bruno learns, comes from Xavier, who sees this as a way to topple Bruno and the mayor and succeed to the mayor's job himself.

Suddenly Bruno's shiny reputation is looking a little tarnished as he battles to save his name and answer the questions surrounding Monique's suicide.

Martin Walker: An Enemy in the Village. The Dordogne Mysteries. Quercus, ISBN: 9781529428339 (June, 2025), 368 p., £22.00, eBook £12.99.