Bruno is a great policeman who notices things others do not
585856
Found this story delightful.  Bruno is a great policeman who notices things others do not.  A very pleasant read.
4602384
Rough and tumble and seasoned detective Peter Decker takes a back seat to his rookie cop daughter, Cynthia, as they belatedly team up to drive out who and why someone is scaring 'Cindy' into paranoia and fear.  Is it related to a high-profile murder investigation?  Or to the recent carjackings in L. A.?  Or maybe a vendetta against her not-always politically correct dad?
Cindy's paranoia extends to her cop colleagues who think she is a holier-than-thou and arrogant ivory leaguer who does not play the police blues very well.  And just like her daddy, she is not very good at fitting in, but she is pretty good at piecing together transgressions, even those that are perpetuated against her.
The anchor and centering force for both daughter and father is Peter's wife, Rina Lazarus, who has wisdom and religion beyond her years.  She is also a steadying force for her kids and others that are touched by her.  Rina is low-key but direct; warm and humanly insightful.  She is a wonderful counterbalance to the world of cops and robbers.
The introduction of Cindy as a main character is a bold move for this series, but one that opens up many possibilities for author Faye Kellerman.  But we have come to love and enjoy fictional 'characters' Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus, so the author's argument to embrace Cindy will have to be extraordinarily strong.  The jury is still out on this, but the odds are good that Cynthia will eventually win our hearts.
3082995
Bruno Courreges is a likeable super agent posing as a small-town policeman in the French Dordogne. He lives with his basset hound in a picturesque cottage which he has renovated himself, grows his own vegetables and is a dab hand at cooking regional fare to the delight of his friends. But as in previous outings in the series, Bruno once again plays an essential role assisting French secret service in fighting international organized crime and terrorism. This time, as a way of exception, he does not get romantically or sexually involved with a spectacular female, many of whom have in the past broken Bruno's heart, before getting seriously injured or even killed in the action. If you can accept the preposterous premise of the series of Bruno's double life, then this is again reliable entertainment.
1823259
I bought the Vera boxed set, and when the supplemental season 6 came out, I had to have it also.  I have learned so much about the United Kingdom since I began watching all their detective stories, including Vera.  One common variable among all of the detectives seems to be that the people, especially the youth, of all ethnicities, have absolutely no respect for police officers.  In the US, anti-police sentiment is more confined to certain ethnic groups in city neighborhoods.  I wonder if that's because our police are armed.  Oh well.  Vera is a down to earth frumpy detective, and the plots are very interesting.  I highly recommend it.
2699252
This police procedural is unusual in that the lead character is gay. This leads to some interesting and often hilarious situations. The plot is believable and the action is brisk. Highly recommended.
3369274
Very good except for being a detective and always getting jumped he's never on his guard and is never scanning his area for ambushes. Bring a police officer for 25 years makes you always aware of your surondings and potential threats. I think he could be a little more careful.
4846473
I don't typically look for detective stories, but this one came highly recommended.  I probably enjoy the diversion of the typical characterizations of street-smart, hard nosed detectives in most cop stories.  But the characters usually seem like caricatures, without depth.  I was  surprised here. Impressed, actually.  The two principal detectives in the story (or stories, actually!)both have their tough cop lingo and behavior down well.  But they're both really human, and really struggling with issues in their lives.  Lots of flat characters are given handicaps, and everybody struggles, but these characters and their efforts are not static.  It's very hard not to be drawn to these cops, not because they're stellar humans, but because their daily struggles are heroic, even if scaled down to realistic proportions.  As the story unfolds, the characters unfold in parallel. This is primarily what draws me to novels, and the writer does a great job of putting us in the cops' heads.
  The novel is very well and tightly crafted.  It's a great story with a realistic view of the kind of drama and blood that detectives in any decent sized city deal with, but the gore isn't rubbed in our face.  The story is great.  I had to shirk my responsibilities and read it pretty continuously.
  I would give this a big both thumbs up.
3649342
Following his usual routine, a banker drives into a parking garage near his office. But he doesnt make it out of his car. Someone stabs him with a stiletto.

And then an associate of the banker, whod been involved with him on several deals, is found dead in his apartment building elevator. Hes been killed in exactly the same way.

Notes left with both bodies suggest they were killed because bankers get rewarded while the people suffer. At least two activist groups have been agitating about bankers and banking reform.

Detective Inspector (DI) John Marco of the South Wales Police isn't entirely convinced that the activists and protestors are to blame. The first victims family isn't exactly free from motives. And so Marco, assisted by Detective Sergeant (DS) Lydia Flint, has to examine whether the motive is familial greed, extreme activism, or possibly something else.

Another Good Killing is Stephen Pulestons second DI John Marco police mysteries, and its a winner of a story. Puleston combines a topical theme (anger against bankers), the psychology of protest groups, and DI Drakes ongoing political and personal battles to create a highly satisfying police procedural story. (Puleston has also written three DI Ian Drake of the North Wales Police stories.)

And DI Marco has some personal battles. Hes a recovering alcoholic. Hes divorced and his former wife has remarried, but the son they share has a serious accident that lands him in surgery and the intensive care ward. He starts a relationship with an employee in the coroners unit, but he discovers that he may be compromising the integrity of his case.

And then theres a third murder. And a kidnapping that hits a bit too close.

Another Good Killing will keep you guessing (and biting your nails) until the end, but its perhaps the best detective story Puleston has yet written  and hes written some good ones.
83034
This is the best Bruno book so far.  Mr. Walker keeps his stories fresh and topical with a very interesting layering of different sub-plots woven cleverly throughout the book.  It helps if the reader likes France and the more you know of the culture the better your ability to catch the nuances.  I'm looking forward to the next in the series due to be released a month from the time this review is being written.
3815272
I enjoy the detective and his sergeant so much- what nice people they are to do such ugly work as investigating murder.  This case involves a very reclusive victim and a lot of work to reveal the murderer and more importantly the motive.
3621582
This is one of the most revealing and humanizing cop stories out.  People who have a problem with how the law is enforced should read this and develop a little empathy for the difficulties of the job.  The author exposes the occasional callousness of the police, but in such a way as to make one understand the reasons.  The central strand running through, is of course, the serial armed robber and their frustration in searching for him.  But the parts of the story that made the most impression, and that I will take with me, are the stresses of the job, the chagrin when mistakes are made, and the toll these take on the individuals noble enough to take on a thankless (most of the time), task.  The author is compelling and will be on my list of "to be read"  in the future.
511210
Another wonderful Bruno novel from Martin Walker. The author is a master at blending contemporay political and security issues with French history.  Although the plot is sometimes dark and the action violent, it is well balanced with the wonderful character of Bruno and the lovely descriptions of the Perigord countryside. This is a great series. I can't wait for next book!
231736
Inspector Faro was smart and went with his gut, which he was much more able to do in the early years of detection. Mr. McQuinn was easy to dislike but Vincent was a great stepson. I was surprised by the ending, but had a clue earlier in the book.
4246572
Okay Marco has definite control issues bit that is part of his appeal.  He definitely likes to control situations and people.
3224950
Basil Thompson's characters are richly portrayed, and, at times, very funny. Inspector Richardson is a brilliant detective who is modest, likeable, and almost always underestimated by those on both sides of the law.  Very satisfying.
3602693
The "Gouffre de Padirac" is a deep meandering subterranean cave in Dordogne which Martin Walker uses as the backdrop for his latest Bruno mystery. This is the fifth Bruno book; each gets better and better. Fictional "Saint Denis" is the locus for this mystery on a Satanic theme,  but I enjoy even more his small town characters, his mouthwatering descriptions of the food and drink (e.g. affogato), Bruno's girl friends (i.e., Pamela, Fabiola, Isabelle), the exquisite landscape, the old chateaus, police procedures a la francaise and his action sequences which are top notch. Solving this mystery is as much due to the concerted efforts of the inhabitants of Saint Denis as it is to the loveable, humane Bruno whose love of basset hounds and horses warms the story throughout. The ending, the fast-paced tie up,  is almost too much for the reader whose attention has been soothed and mellowed by the Perigord ambiance for the first three hundred (300) or so pages.
1122916
After following Inspectors Gamache and Brunetti, it only seemed fair to give equal time to a French detective. This series started out a little slow, but built momentum through the first book and into this, the second in the series. Apart from the engaging mystery, there is lots of contemporary French history not taught in US schools. It is also refreshing to have a police character who is not tormented (Wallender), thwarted by incompetence (Brunetti) or at the mercy of corrupt leadership (Gamache).  Quietly heroic, Bruno is a warm, likeable character with a dramatic past and a flair for cooking. I'm eagerly anticipating reading the next books in the series.