BRUNO, CHIEF OF POLICE

Bruno does not leap over tall buildings in a single bound, but we know that he could if he wished to. Narrator Robert Mackenzie offers a subtle, understated reading, which reinforces the protagonist's charms in this French mystery. As Bruno, chief of police in a rural Dordogne town, investigates the murder of an elderly Muslim immigrant, we expect that he will succeed and that all the local women will fall for him. We are not disappointed. The story is as much about relations between natives and immigrants, and between Paris and rural France, as it is about the murder; which is fine, as the amusing writing and easy narration will appeal to many. Also, recommended for Francophiles, whether mystery fans or not. R.E.K. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2009]