Black Diamond

Read previous two stories and found them utterly enjoyable. Decided to buy the following two. Black diamond is a fascinating discovery of a very hush-hush world, that of truffles. A most interesting journey, with Bruno the Chief of Police in Dordogne :-)

This is the third in Martin Walker's 'Bruno' series. Last year I read 'Dark Vineyard' the second in the series. Dark Vineyard: A Case for Bruno, Chief of Police: A Bruno Courreges Investigation I was not won over by it and hoped for better things when I bought 'Black Diamond'. I was not disappointed. I found this a much more coherent plot than 'Dark Vineyard' and I was caught by the story by the end of the first chapter. I completed the book in a couple of sittings and thoroughly enjoyed it. There are a lot of themes in this story, the green environmentalist presence from the 'Dark Vineyard' is still here as a prominent feature but it does not dominate the storyline in the way it did to the detriment of 'Dark Vineyard'. We also have illegal immigration; Chinese triads; Vietnamese exile gangs; truffle fraud and spooks from the war in French Vietnam and Algeria. All these come together in the not so sleepy little town of St Denis in the Perigord. Poor Bruno, chief of police, gets blasted by a stun grenade; descends into a slurry pit and gets caught in a conflagration. A third woman and potential love interest gets added to the mix. Unlikely as it seems it all fits together to make a cracking good story. I look forward to the next episode.

viel Lokalkolorit, humorvoll und besonders gegen Ende zu spannend. Viel Kolonialgeschichte Frankreichs (Vietnam und Algerien, die Machendschaften der Geheimdienste Frankreichs)

This has to be one of my favourite Bruno novels. Informative and entertaining as always one can almost feel the sun's warmth and taste the dishes our hero creates ... do not read this book on an empty stomach! Characters are well drawn and the plot good, if a little far fetched maybe at times. However, much can be forgiven when the descriptions of rural life in south west France are so enticing! If Martin Walker is not already on the payroll of the French Tourist Board he should surely be given an honorary post!!

I love Martin Walker Bruno Courreges novels they are so full of the south of france and the food and company and wine plus the history of the region which is fascinating, the history of the resistance in that part of France and the beauty and warmth of the area come through the writing plus the man Bruno himself and his dog who are so easy to like - there's that lovely picture of them both peeing in the early morning - funny and somehow endearing too - then on top of that their are hair raising plots and this is no exception, except to say that it has little to do with truffles - truly and more to do with really nasty vested or wishing to be vested interests! Well worth a read especially as autumn is closing in.