If you are a cross platform crime fan any phrase suggesting a cold case will have you thinking of New Tricks or Unforgotten. In The Coldest Case Bruno Courreges is up to his ‘old tricks’ and most definitely not forgotten!
I’ve always been amused by the genre ‘cosy crime’ for it is such a contradiction. How can crime ever be cosy? But one of the things I love most about Martin Walker’s Dordogne Mysteries is how he depicts a slice of life for Bruno and his associates and the crimes slot in neatly alongside the daily doings in St. Denis. There are usually enough recipes in each book for the determined reader to open a Michelin starred restaurant I reckon!! Bruno, his wonderful Bassett Hound, Balzac, his horse Hector, dominate an almost idyllic picture of life in this valley town. I say almost because when all is said and done Bruno is a policeman and there are crimes committed, not to mention the challenges of life and, in this story, the perils of a long hot, dry summer. But the balance is delightful.
Cosy crime can also be a deceptive genre. The reader can be lulled into thinking it’s an easy, undemanding read but Martin Walker isn’t afraid to inject contemporary and topical issues into his plot lines. Never overtly political there are some meaty incidents here to get you thinking.
Now to all matters blurbish -
‘Bruno’s promotion to Chief of Police of the whole valley of Vezere river has not changed his first loyalty to the town of St Denis. His main wish is to keep the local people safe and his town free from crime. But crime has a way of finding its way to him.
For thirty years, Bruno’s boss, Chief of Detectives known as J-J, has been obsessed with his first, unsolved case, and Bruno knows that it continues to haunt him. A young male body was found in the woods near St Denis and never identified. J-J keeps the skull as a reminder and calls him “Oscar”.
Visiting the famous pre-history museum in nearby Les Eyzies, Bruno see some lifelike heads expertly constructed from ancient skulls. He suggests performing a similar reconstruction on Oscar as a first step towards identifying him. And so the search for Oscar’s killer begins again in earnest.’
That deals with the bare bones of the crime, no pun intended. It’s intriguing and the detailed plot is a fascinating one as Bruno and his colleagues strive to unravel identities and chains of events. But Bruno still has to maintain his local policing responsibilities not to mention his private life! It all adds up to a thoroughly enjoyable read, even more so if you are already acquainted with Bruno. For he is one of life’s good guys and seems to be in possession of endless skills and capabilities, empathic and perceptive. He’s a comfortable character and a reader feels safe when in his company. Martin Walker’s narrative flows along; evenly and well paced, populated with a host of characters, old and new. All well defined, people you might recognise if you bumped into them. It is a wonderful series of stories.
The books are also the most wonderful advert for that particular region of France. Walker’s love of the region shines through as he depicts in vibrant detail the sights, sounds and smells of an area overflowing with rural French bonhomie.
My thanks to Joe Christie at Quercus Book for my gifted copy and a place upon the blog blast.
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