This book was just average for me. Maybe it is because I have not read the other titles in this series, but it just was not the detective novel that I was expecting. The characters are likeable and the setting was really nice, but I feel like the sole focus of the book was not on actually solving the crime. At times it almost read like a travel guide which kind of threw me off. If you have read other books in this series then maybe this one will be great for you, but with no context about what had happened before this novel I was a little confused.

The setting called the Perigord, a rural southwestern corner of France, perhaps a 90 minute drive from Bordeaux, and follows the local valley police detective Bruno. Looks like the region is somewhat famous for its prehistoric relics. Bruno's chief, who goes by J-J, keeps a photo of a skull on his door to remind him of an unsolved case from 30 years ago when J-J was new on the force. The identity of the victim and the killer have evaded him for three decades.

After viewing a museum display about what neanderthals might've looked like, based on anthropological reconstructions, Bruno enlists the renowned anthropologist's aid in doing the same thing with J-J's skull. A student is given the assignment and travels to the Perigord region of France. Her arrival, along with some dogged investigation of media photographs of various festivals of the day, the DNA from the skull (those techniques weren't available back then), and records searches of any database they can find identify the alleged killer and victim, both of whom have/had connections with the cold war era East Germany.

The investigative aspects of this story are quite interesting and entertaining. My problem was that the author spends almost as much time on life in the Perigord as that on the cold case. Page after page after page after page about Bruno jogging with his dog, riding his horse with neighbors, wine selection-tasting-discussion-reminiscing-production yadda yadda yadda, and cooking. Bruno is quite the cook and the author let's us know in no small detail what does into planning, preparing, cooking, serving, sampling, eating, and of course the accompanying wine options. I'd bet the book's content was nearly half and half the cold case and life in the region. And I can't forget to mention that the region is France's version of Southern California when it comes to summer wildfires season, the preparations, assignments, logistics, and the ever present 'improvise-overcome-adapt' that the towns have to do when a wildfire approaches. I really wasn't interested in the good life of the Perigord and would skip dozens and dozens of pages unrelated to the actual subject of the book. The cold war connections are interesting from a Charm School by Nelson Demille (the best espionage book I've ever read) or the TV show The American's perspective.

Walker is the author of what appears to be 14 other Bruno stories and about a half dozen non-fiction books, so he is an established writer with a following of significant size to keep him turning out Detective Bruno books. Now if the author's intent was to portray the comings and goings of what could well be an idyllic region of France, then he was successful. I just wasn't that interested.

A Bruno, Chief of Police Novel #14

Bruno uses facial reconstruction to solve an unsolved murder case from 30 years ago.

The first quarter of the book is a slow-burn read. The rest of the book goes faster as more clues come to light. I liked the characters but found the book was not really interesting to me because of all the historical military knowledge dispersed throughout the book and the explanations of the foods he prepares. I felt it had nothing to do with the story. There is a sexual assault scene in the book, so heads up on that. I would recommend this book to readers that already enjoy the series or readers that enjoy true crime stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Bruno is always welcome on my book shelf! The Coldest Case was enjoyable but perhaps not the strongest entry in the series, as the mystery itself seemed to be missing some of the usual twists and turns. However, the setting and the cast of characters more than make up for any small flaws--this time, at least.

After attending an exhibit on the facial reconstruction of ancient skulls, Bruno wonders if this technology might provide an invaluable clue to a thirty-year-old cold case. But learning the identity of the murder victim is only the beginning.

My first exposure to the Martin Walker books was in a review magazine from the library and I was immediately hooked. After reading the one reviewed, I went back to the beginning and have been completely intrigued by the series having now finished them all including the Christmas one. Having said that, this was not my favorite. I thought it dragged a bit getting into the mystery. And there were pieces that took a while to fit together.

Happy to say, Bruno is still cooking in this one. Since I don't cook, I am amazed how easy it appears to be that he can through a meal together despite his otherwise busy life. French food is my favorite and I personally would like to sample one of his meals. The cooking is as much fun as the mystery solving.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review the book.

In the latest Bruno installment, we find Bruno applying new technology to a cold case in the hopes that he will be able to identify a murder victim in a 30 year old crime. What seems like a simple identification quickly becomes much more. One of the things that I enjoy most about the Bruno series is that the mystery is surrounded by entertaining characters, culture, and food. Unfortunately, in The Coldest Case, it seems that the culture and food have crowded out the mystery, leaving me wanting more of the case and less of the culture/cuisine.

Thanks go to @NetGalley and @KnopfDoubledayPublishingGroup for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm afraid it's time for Martin and I to part was.

I started reading the series from the beginning and truly enjoyed them. However, the focus has shifted. While there is still a mystery, more emphasis is given on the food, whose descriptions are delicious, a travelogue of the region, and his romantic entanglements. For heaven's sake, commit!

I may continue to read Martin for pleasure, but not so much for review in the future.

The Coldest Case is the 14th Chief Bruno novel by Martin Walker. Released 3rd Aug 2021 by Knopf, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.

These books are such enjoyable reading breaks. They're like inviting and civilized visits with an old and dear friend. They're full of quirky characters who are intelligent and cultured (and the occasional villain). I always learn lots about food and French cuisine and countryside. But, at the end of the day, they're murder mysteries and the untangling of the mysteries are well written and engaging.

The motives for murder and conspiracy are complex and somewhat rarefied and academic, tied to a 30 year old cold case murder which has plagued Bruno's colleague throughout his career. Due to advances in forensic techniques, for the first time in 3 decades, Bruno and colleagues have a real chance to put the case to rest. Soon though, there are uncomfortable rumblings from the highest echelons of power and real life fallout from cold-war power struggles that are way over Bruno's pay grade. The book does include a brief and unsettling sexual assault, carried out on-scene which wasn't pleasant to read (but resolves well), as well as scary descriptions of wildfires, but no other trigger warnings.

This author is on my auto-read list and this particular book was lovely. I love that the book is redolent with Gallic sensibilities regarding work, food, culture, life, and love. There's a lot of content devoted to Bruno's basset hound's "love life", and some to his own love life, and his horse Hector, and while it might've been a little over the top, a fair bit of why I choose to spend time on this series is the culinary and cultural asides. I loved it. This is a book for slowing down and savoring. Plus, medieval siege weaponry. You had me at trebuchet.

The denouement and resolution are satisfying and Bruno once again ties up the loose threads (except possibly of his love life), and he and Balzac and Hector can once again concentrate on the important non-violent aspects of life, love, and wine.

This was such a fun read and I loved it to bits. Long live Bruno!

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Bruno, Chief of Polce, has attended a facial recognition program about neanderthal skull from a nearby dig. He suggests to one of his detectives that facial recognition could be used to identify the murderer in an old cold case, The Coldest Case. They zero in on a local winery proprietor; then the Central Government gets involved due to an old spy case. Complications ensue. Enjoy.

It’s difficult to believe that this is the fourteenth book in the Bruno, Chief of Police series, largely because nothing about it feels tired or repetitive.

Walker always excels at atmosphere and sense of place. That is, of course, a requirement for a French countryside mystery, but Walker is among the very best at it, The food, the architecture, the local history are all standard ingredients for the genre, but Walker does those better than most, and also gives us some extras (basset hound breeding! Trebuchets!)

But what really sets Walker apart from other authors in the genre is the quality of the procedural mystery. Throughout this series, that well-above/average quality has been a consistent attribute of Walker’s novels, but this book in particular is one of the best examples in his oeuvre.

So many series become repetitive or tiresome as they stack up too many installments, but this one actually seems to be getting even better as it continues.

Ah...another Bruno detective book! I enjoy this crime-solving detective who shares his cooking and gardening tips. If you are a Bruno fan, this book will not disappoint.

I received an advanced readers copy for my unbiased review.

Welcome to the world of Bruno Courreges, Chief of Police in the town of Saint Denis, located in the
Dordogne region of SW France. If you are new to this wonderful, entertaining series, you are in for a great read. Between mouth watering talk of French cooking there is a mystery to solve and this one is very cold, indeed. Bruno's friend, JJ, the Chief of Detectives, has been trying to solve a cold case from thirty years ago. When Bruno visits a local museum and sees facial reconstructions of early man he has the idea to do the same for the cold case skull. That case and some other threads involving the Cold War and various local residents all make for an entertaining puzzle in one of the most lovely parts of France. It's a perfect series for the armchair traveler.
My thanks to the publisher Knopf and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Another cozy mystery from this well regarded author. Good friends, good food, wonderful scenery and some espionage and
Climate change thrown in make a rousing tale.

An amiable story in a long-running series with cameo appearances of familiar characters. Bruno is devoted to his job (which doesn't seem to take too much of his energy much of the time), his garden, and his kitchen, where the greatest challenge comes from having to devise a menu for a vegan guest. The guest is in town to reconstruct the face of a long-dead murder victim, a cold case that has haunted Bruno's boss. The solution to the crime is rather interesting and dates back to the cold war, but it all takes a back seat to the effort to save rural residents and an ancient castle from a raging forest fire, making use of medieval technology. And even that takes a back seat to the numerous descriptions of meals and visits to historic sites in the region. Good fun for series fans; a bit of a bouillabaisse of a plot that could have focused more on the titular cold case.

Bruno, Chief of Police in Courrèges, France is back in book 16 of the series. If you have not treated yourself to this series, you need to grab a few and get started. Like Father Brown and Grantchester, you get a bucolic look at life in the countryside with a soupçon of mystery, well a bit more mystery than that but you get the idea. You will be packing your bags to visit Bruno in the Périgord region of France.

Bruno joined the police once his military service was finished. Loving the peace of the countryside Bruno has adapted well to a life of pleasure. He is a gourmet cook, has a faithful Basset hound named Balzac and a horse named Hector. He loved knowing his neighbors and making great friends but above all he is whip smart and is the first person you should ask for help.

Bruno's old friend JJ has an unsolved case from 30 years ago. A man was found buried in the countryside when a rare flood uncovered the remains. JJ calls the deceased Oscar and has been trying to identify the man for years. During a museum reception for a prehistoric display, Bruno is fascinated by the stunning artwork made using the remains of Neanderthal and Cro Magnon people. Bruno asks the artist if this could be done with Oscar's skull. Just like that JJ and Bruno are opening the case of what happened to Oscar and who he was.

However there is much more to the story than just a murder. Always a pleasure to read but even better during this time of such anxiety. You always know Bruno will get his man and then treat you to a gourmet meal.

This is the 16th installment of the wonderful Bruno Chief of Police series by Martin Walker. This one involves a very clever use of facial reconstruction of a skull . This skull turns out to be part of a thirty-year-old cold case. The investigation leads Bruno to the past, to East German schools and communist organizations. It is a complex plot and very engaging. Bruno's former love Isabelle makes an appearance. The story also continues the adventures of the adorable basset hound Balzac, whose ownership is shared by Bruno and Isabelle. And as always, the food and drink, along with Bruno's friendships take center stage. This is a good, satisfying read and a nice addition to the series.

Martin Walker has done it again with his 14th Bruno book. Bruno is in top form helping J-J solve a 30 year old case, fighting forest fires, and creating a gourmet vegan meal! If I could, I would move to the Perigord, drink wine and adopt one of Balzac's new puppies! I learn so much about French history from Bruno while enjoying enticing descriptions of food, wine and the French countryside.

Bruno Courrèges, Chief of Police in the fictional town of St. Denis in the Périgord region of southern France, has a lot on his plate in this 15th of Martin Walker’s books featuring him. Helping his friend J-J, a detective in the Police Nationale, with J-J’s very cold case (from 30 years ago), in which a body and murder weapon were found, but no identity (or even missing person report) in all this time - DNA and advances in archeology may help, but uncover deeper mysteries, involving secret Stasi moles from WWII. The death of his aunt, who raised him (if not especially kindly) leads to a visit by his cousin Alain and Alain’s fiancée Rosalie, his Basset hound Balzac’s 9 puppies are born, and the hot, dry summer culminates in a ravishing forest fire throughout the region, calling Bruno’s volunteer firefighter skills into play, as he helps evacuate the frail and elderly from the path of the fire and shoots burlap bags of water to help douse remote parts of the fire using historic trébuchets from a local castle. But no fear - he still has time to pick peaches and onions from his garden, run with Balzac every day, ride his horse Hector almost every day - and cook scrumptuous meals for his friends and houseguests and savor the special wines of the region. Readers will race and eat and drink along with Bruno, and look forward to their next exciting visit with him.

The Bruno, Chief of Police series is one of my favorites. The setting in Perigord region of France is wonderful and the small villageof St-Denis is charmingly described. The reoccurring characters are interesting and unique and new ones are regularly welcomed into the fold. Bruno's culinary expertise makes one's mouth water. Usually the crime/mystery is intriguing .
This latest entry in the series involves an unsolved murder, an anonymous skull and echoes of espionage and Cold War documents. It's an interesting mix. Unfortunately, the mystery is overshadowed by lengthy descriptions of Bruno's meal preparation, even down to sprinkling of salt and pepper and how many eggs he leaves in the bowl. You could almost make Vichyssoise from the detailed steps provided, although, the leeks weren't cleaned! There's the usual discussions of various wines and their attributes. The other distraction is that the area is in the midst of widespread forest fires. Bruno is part of the local volunteer firefighters. Entire chapters are given over to details of containing the fires. Bruno does come up with an ingenious way of getting water to a remote area..
Somehow with all this going on the crime solving gets lost in the mix.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this latest entry in the series.

I have read and enjoyed every book in the Bruno Chief of police series. This did not disappoint. Bruno's friend JJ has had a skull from a 30 year old cold case. So we see an expert recreate the face of the skull. Along with all Brunos friends and contacts they set out to solve the mystery. And the lack of rain in the Perigord adds a great dimension to the story. As always we are delighted with the cooking skills that Bruno displays, along with descriptions of the wines he and his friend enjoy. And an added attraction of Balzac becoming a father to 9 sweet Bassett hounds gives this book a great addition. Highly recommend