The Coldest Case
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- Create Date：2021-08-05 21:21:06
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Martin Walker
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Summary
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。 The investigation quickly turns thorny and leads Bruno to a reclusive vintner， Henri Bazaine， whose education at a vocational school in a formerly Communist region has raised some eyebrows。 An inquiry into the defunct school turns up shadowy reports of possible connections and funding from the Stasi， the repressive police agency of the former East Germany。 The scrutiny on Henri intensifies once Bruno discovers that he was declared dead thirty years ago and has been living under an assumed name ever since。 The strange case is further complicated as Parisian bureaucrats get involved， hinting that essential diplomatic relations might be at stake。 And to make matters even worse， the Dordogne is suffering from an intense summer drought that is sparking fires across the region。 But as always， Bruno will keep a cool head through it all—and， bien sûr， takes time to enjoy a sumptuous Périgordian meal！
Reviews
Dan O'Meara
，
I have greatly enjoyed Martin Walker's Bruno series， enthusiastically pre-ordering each of the novels as they were announced。 I ordered this one back in September 2020。 It supposed to have been published in May 2021， but publication was pushed back to August。I can understand why this was done。 The publisher would have been wiser to cancel the publication entirely。 My review of the previous novel in the series， The Shooting at Castle Rock， described it as 'comfort food for francophiles'。 But this I have greatly enjoyed Martin Walker's Bruno series， enthusiastically pre-ordering each of the novels as they were announced。 I ordered this one back in September 2020。 It supposed to have been published in May 2021， but publication was pushed back to August。I can understand why this was done。 The publisher would have been wiser to cancel the publication entirely。 My review of the previous novel in the series， The Shooting at Castle Rock， described it as 'comfort food for francophiles'。 But this one stuck in my gullet。 The Coldest Case is， by a very long shot， the weakest in an otherwise highly diverting series。 The plot is worse than thin， and frankly of very little interest to any except those who still hanker after the Cold War。 Walker goes through the motions with his two main devices - describing Bruno's preparation of dinners with his friends， and his doomed relationship with Isabelle。 But these are so mechanical that they have lost all charm and interest。 A very large part of the book consists of a boring set piece that has nothing at all to do with the weak plot and seems simply there to make up the pages。 I could not have been more disappointed， and feel that my money was entirely wasted。To revive this previously intriguing series， Walker desperately needs to introduce some character development。 Another dud like this one would be a sad way to say goodbye to Bruno。 。。。more
Kathy
，
I do love this series and look forward to each new adventure from the Périgord， but this book may be the very best。 Forgive me if I have said that before， as I probably feel that way with each book。 The focus of investigation is not simply an unsolved murder going back to JJ's obsession with a skull found in the woods years past， but new manifestations of criminal acts perpetrated by the man who has remained hidden with a false identity linked to a Stasi program。Whilst this investigation is acti I do love this series and look forward to each new adventure from the Périgord， but this book may be the very best。 Forgive me if I have said that before， as I probably feel that way with each book。 The focus of investigation is not simply an unsolved murder going back to JJ's obsession with a skull found in the woods years past， but new manifestations of criminal acts perpetrated by the man who has remained hidden with a false identity linked to a Stasi program。Whilst this investigation is active the region is plagued with fires， yet another responsibility of Bruno's as he serves and protects。No sense in telling all and spoiling for others。 Read this book！ Then have a glass of wine and plan a meal based on some of Bruno's recipes。I do love it when a series gets better and better！ 。。。more
Susan
，
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 earl 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。 。。。more
Mike Sumner
，
The end of a wonderful journey as I turned the last page of The Coldest Case， the last in the series of fourteen books of The Dordogne Mysteries。 I have totally immersed myself in this series， which has become my favourite of all I have read and I am at a loss to know what to turn to。 It is almost as though St Denis has become my second home and Bruno a good friend， along with his Basset hound Balzac and his horse Hector。 Bruno， the thoroughly likeable cop along with distinctive characters that The end of a wonderful journey as I turned the last page of The Coldest Case， the last in the series of fourteen books of The Dordogne Mysteries。 I have totally immersed myself in this series， which has become my favourite of all I have read and I am at a loss to know what to turn to。 It is almost as though St Denis has become my second home and Bruno a good friend， along with his Basset hound Balzac and his horse Hector。 Bruno， the thoroughly likeable cop along with distinctive characters that compliment these tales in the magical Dordogne。 I would go back there in a heartbeat， if I could。The Coldest Case is an obsession of Bruno's boss， Chief of Detectives known as J-J。 An unsolved murder from thirty years ago and J-J keeps the skull of the victim as a reminder and calls him 'Oscar'。 Bruno comes up with the idea of reconstruction similar to those expertly reconstructed ancient skulls in the museum in nearby Les Eyzies。 It's the start of a long investigation， overshadowed by the threat of forest fires in the region during a very hot， dry spell。 The danger was clear and present and I became increasingly alarmed as to how this might end。 This is after all， number fourteen， the last of the series so far。 How long must I wait， I wonder， for number fifteen？ There are many loose ends that need tying up， many threads that require fulfilling。 Over to you Martin Walker。 Give your fans a sign！ 。。。more
Richard Swan
，
I have never seen so much product placement in my life。 Recipes （from the Walker cookbook）， individual Dordogne wines， vineyards， food producers， merchants， castles， even the local fire brigade。 This 14th outing for Bruno， the local chief of police， is riddled with shout-outs for all Walker’s local delicacies and cronies。 The story’s OK if you can get past this。***PS The inclusion of the Castelnaud trebuchets brings a welcome medieval touch。 Their use for fire fighting is a different matter。
Jacqueline Weston
，
While I really enjoy this series， this one came up a bit lacking， leaving me feeling that this was Bruno's finale case。 Hopefully not While I really enjoy this series， this one came up a bit lacking， leaving me feeling that this was Bruno's finale case。 Hopefully not 。。。more
Kelly Callaghan
，
I really hope that Martin Walker gets a commission from the local tourist office。 He really should， as his books are about the history， food and wine of the area。 When visiting an exhibition Chief of Police Bruno Courreges sees the facial reconstructions of early man and realises this could be the tool to solve a 30 year old mystery。 Of course it takes time， we meet his friends （snd make new ones）， dabble in politics and enjoy the good life on the way to the resolution of several plot threads。A I really hope that Martin Walker gets a commission from the local tourist office。 He really should， as his books are about the history， food and wine of the area。 When visiting an exhibition Chief of Police Bruno Courreges sees the facial reconstructions of early man and realises this could be the tool to solve a 30 year old mystery。 Of course it takes time， we meet his friends （snd make new ones）， dabble in politics and enjoy the good life on the way to the resolution of several plot threads。A comfort read in times of lockdown。 。。。more
Mrs
，
This is the first book I have read of Martin Walker and I really enjoyed it。 I looked it up on the internet and did not realise this is a series of books which was not obvious when reading it as I do not like reading books out of order particularly。 The book is about a 30 year old murder which his friend， JJ， wants help with to close。 Also in the mix is Bruno’s dog， Blazac， is the father of new puppies。 Bruno likes to ride his horse Hector。 He is Chief of Police in his area of France， the Dordog This is the first book I have read of Martin Walker and I really enjoyed it。 I looked it up on the internet and did not realise this is a series of books which was not obvious when reading it as I do not like reading books out of order particularly。 The book is about a 30 year old murder which his friend， JJ， wants help with to close。 Also in the mix is Bruno’s dog， Blazac， is the father of new puppies。 Bruno likes to ride his horse Hector。 He is Chief of Police in his area of France， the Dordogne。 As well as everything else he grows his own food， is a great cook and has some very close friends。 When does he have time to sleep。 The story line runs from the skull which was found of the murder victim and finding someone who could reconstruct this to be able to have a face to work with。 While dealing with this， things come to light to push them towards a suspect who has a vineyard locally。 As they investigate Henri Bazaine the story moves to rumours in the past of espionage。 It is found that Henri and his friend Max who they believe is the murdered victim were brought up in an orphanage with links to East Germany。 Paris gets involved in this as they are pursuing release of Stasi papers。 Eventually it is all resolved even through a forest fire。 Bruno is certainly a resourceful man。 A enjoyed the characters and the food references were fun。 Good book， thank you as always Netgalley for the opportunity to read this 。。。more
Frederick Mitchell Henderson
，
Another Martin Walker easy to read trip to the Dordogne， with an almost equal space devoted to Bruno's cooking， friends， animals， police protocol and action。 I was always enjoyably relaxed and never on the edge of my seat。 Another Martin Walker easy to read trip to the Dordogne， with an almost equal space devoted to Bruno's cooking， friends， animals， police protocol and action。 I was always enjoyably relaxed and never on the edge of my seat。 。。。more
Mary O'Shea
，
Unusually interestingNot having anything from this author before I was quite quickly caught up in the intrigue storyline and characters。 Fantastique
Sharon
，
The Coldest Case （Bruno， Chief of Police #14） by Martin WalkerAlways enjoy this series。 Bruno， his dog Balzac，horse Hector， his friends and colleagues。 His past as an orphan then military life shaping how he forms his present life， career， friendships， gardening， cooking， community…。 Each book is a very good read。 This was 5/5 again。 “”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 The Coldest Case （Bruno， Chief of Police #14） by Martin WalkerAlways enjoy this series。 Bruno， his dog Balzac，horse Hector， his friends and colleagues。 His past as an orphan then military life shaping how he forms his present life， career， friendships， gardening， cooking， community…。 Each book is a very good read。 This was 5/5 again。 “”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。 The investigation quickly turns thorny and leads Bruno to a reclusive vintner， Henri Bazaine， whose education at a vocational school in a formerly Communist region has raised some eyebrows。 An inquiry into the defunct school turns up shadowy reports of possible connections and funding from the Stasi， the repressive police agency of the former East Germany。 The scrutiny on Henri intensifies once Bruno discovers that he was declared dead thirty years ago and has been living under an assumed name ever since。 The strange case is further complicated as Parisian bureaucrats get involved， hinting that essential diplomatic relations might be at stake。 And to make matters even worse， the Dordogne is suffering from an intense summer drought that is sparking fires across the region。 But as always， Bruno will keep a cool head through it all—and， bien sûr， takes time to enjoy a sumptuous Périgordian meal！ “” 。。。more
Mrs Carole Taylor
，
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Martin Walker's Bruno， Chief of Police books， particularly as I know the area well and he depicts it beautifully。 I find， however， that his style is becoming too didactic。 I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Martin Walker's Bruno， Chief of Police books， particularly as I know the area well and he depicts it beautifully。 I find， however， that his style is becoming too didactic。 。。。more
Dipra Lahiri
，
The idyllic setting of St。 Denis have charmed me throughout this series， exemplified by the humane and talented policeman Bruno。 This latest episode starts off in the same mold， but takes a turn into international spy secrets that is a bit of a stretch。 New characters are being added， which makes me believe that Walker intends the series to continue for some time， which is good news！
Virginia Tican
，
This concerns Bruno's friend's JJ's thirty~year~old case but aside from the cold case's investigations。。。 there was the celebration of Balzac's 9 live progeny and the unusual spur of the moments solutions that Bruno presented and were implemented regarding the timely issues of fire fighting during ominous dry summers。。。 the lack of water， the heat and the drought affecting all living things' health and lives。 I specially cheered while they used the working and authentic~looking trebuchets to cat This concerns Bruno's friend's JJ's thirty~year~old case but aside from the cold case's investigations。。。 there was the celebration of Balzac's 9 live progeny and the unusual spur of the moments solutions that Bruno presented and were implemented regarding the timely issues of fire fighting during ominous dry summers。。。 the lack of water， the heat and the drought affecting all living things' health and lives。 I specially cheered while they used the working and authentic~looking trebuchets to catapult sacks of water against the advancing enemy flames。。。 a truly medieval defense at an equally historic château under siege caught on modern television。 And to think these were constructed to provide tourists with the atmosphere of local historical colour and drama。 Of course， it was inevitable that truly ambitious persons （with political pretensions， like the Fire Department Chief） would also capitalize in the community's concerted efforts of bonding together to fight a common enemy。。。 Bruno even saw a murder suspect helped fight the fire。 Lest we also forget the thwarted sexual assault on a promising student （the pink haired， tattooed and pierced Virginie） who was diligently and conscientiously reconstructing the cold case victim's face applying the technology used in replicating the neanderthals' life~like appearance based on their skeletons at the museum （Bruno's brilliant idea）。。。 the assault deeply mortified the men since most of them knew of the crucial importance of her work to the solution of JJ's case （thus were also instrumental in bringing her in） and righteously angered the women in Bruno's circle。 。。。more
Walter
，
One of the weakest books of the series。 Each of the books rests on three pillars: food， women and history。 With this one the first is so overwhelming it almost has become a foodporn。。。 Regarding the women it is as usual that Bruno cannot make the choice between what he wants， had and cannot have。 And as for the history: this time it is really lacking because the way the past of a murder-victim and some other aspects are clobbered together is seriously flawed。Still good reading but in comparison One of the weakest books of the series。 Each of the books rests on three pillars: food， women and history。 With this one the first is so overwhelming it almost has become a foodporn。。。 Regarding the women it is as usual that Bruno cannot make the choice between what he wants， had and cannot have。 And as for the history: this time it is really lacking because the way the past of a murder-victim and some other aspects are clobbered together is seriously flawed。Still good reading but in comparison to others from the series a real disappointment。 。。。more
nik farmer
，
Disappointed Really didn't find that this one conveyed the essence of the region and St Denis at all。 It felt formulaic as if the sections about the Stasi etc had been pasted into segments of Brunoisms which had no real depth。 Disappointed Really didn't find that this one conveyed the essence of the region and St Denis at all。 It felt formulaic as if the sections about the Stasi etc had been pasted into segments of Brunoisms which had no real depth。 。。。more
giveusaclue
，
All the usual suspects reappear in the latest Bruno book， like old friends not just of Bruno。 The cold case refers to a body found 3o years ago but never identified， but thanks to more recent progress in DNA and facial reconstruction the body is finally identified。 Once again， amazingly the inhabitants small town of St Denis are involved in matters of state security and， of course， Bruno is there to save the day。 Plenty of cookery， plus an introduction to Bruno's cousin and his fiancée who I hop All the usual suspects reappear in the latest Bruno book， like old friends not just of Bruno。 The cold case refers to a body found 3o years ago but never identified， but thanks to more recent progress in DNA and facial reconstruction the body is finally identified。 Once again， amazingly the inhabitants small town of St Denis are involved in matters of state security and， of course， Bruno is there to save the day。 Plenty of cookery， plus an introduction to Bruno's cousin and his fiancée who I hope will appear in future books。 。。。more
Thomas
，
An enjoyable read， typical of the usual Bruno checklist and recurring features。 Some more development for future installments with several new faces。 A good plot which moved nicely， though the realism of the fire fighting segment took a bit too much suspension of reality。 Is there nothing Bruno can't do。 Seems not haha。 An enjoyable read， typical of the usual Bruno checklist and recurring features。 Some more development for future installments with several new faces。 A good plot which moved nicely， though the realism of the fire fighting segment took a bit too much suspension of reality。 Is there nothing Bruno can't do。 Seems not haha。 。。。more
Dr Robert J Thomas
，
Lots of fun with BrunoAlways a pleasant and interesting read the Bruno series is hard to put down。 This is a very pleasing extension to the Bruno universe。
Tim
，
99% about food and the cultural superiority of contemporary Europeans and 1% mystery about which no one cares。
Verity Halliday
，
I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy mystery set in the beautiful Perigord region of France。 It was a pleasure to spend time （and delicious-sounding dinners） with chief of police Bruno， his Basset hound Balzac and an assortment of friends and neighbours。 Reading this novel was like relaxing in a warm bubble bath with a glass of wine。Now I need to go back to the start of the series and get to know Bruno from the beginning。Thanks to the author， publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exch I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy mystery set in the beautiful Perigord region of France。 It was a pleasure to spend time （and delicious-sounding dinners） with chief of police Bruno， his Basset hound Balzac and an assortment of friends and neighbours。 Reading this novel was like relaxing in a warm bubble bath with a glass of wine。Now I need to go back to the start of the series and get to know Bruno from the beginning。Thanks to the author， publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback。 。。。more
Lou
，
The Coldest Case is the fourteenth instalment in the much-loved Dordogne Mysteries series featuring Bruno Courreges， Chief of Police for the small town of Saint-Denis in the Dordogne region of south-west France。 An anonymous skull， an unsolved murder， sinister rumours from the Cold War era of espionage–Bruno’s investigation into a long-standing cold case finds him caught between an enigmatic winegrower and a menacing Communist organization from the past。 After attending an exhibit on the facial The Coldest Case is the fourteenth instalment in the much-loved Dordogne Mysteries series featuring Bruno Courreges， Chief of Police for the small town of Saint-Denis in the Dordogne region of south-west France。 An anonymous skull， an unsolved murder， sinister rumours from the Cold War era of espionage–Bruno’s investigation into a long-standing cold case finds him caught between an enigmatic winegrower and a menacing Communist organization from the past。 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。 The investigation quickly turns thorny and leads Bruno to a reclusive vintner， Henri Bazaine， whose education at a vocational school in a formerly Communist region has raised some eyebrows。 An inquiry into the defunct school turns up shadowy reports of possible connections and funding from the Stasi， the repressive police agency of the former East Germany。 The scrutiny on Henri intensifies once Bruno discovers that he was declared dead thirty years ago and has been living under an assumed name ever since。 The strange case is further complicated as Parisian bureaucrats get involved， hinting that essential diplomatic relations might be at stake。 And to make matters even worse， the Dordogne is suffering from an intense summer drought that is sparking fires across the region。 But as always， Bruno will keep a cool head through it all—and， bien sûr， takes time to enjoy a sumptuous Périgordian meal！ This is another compulsive， absorbing and superbly plotted police procedural in this brilliant series set against the backdrop of sunny but drought-ridden France。 Packed with descriptions of the food Courrèges and his friends cook， of the gorgeous French countryside and of the local community， The Coldest Case is pure escapism and an absolute treat。 It's immersive and we learn as much about Bruno’s personal life as we do about the investigation; particularly his penchant for cooking and the delicious-sounding recipes he attempts throughout the book have your mouth watering。 A propulsive， richly atmospheric and intelligently woven piece of crime fiction。 This is engrossing and entertaining comfort reading at it's finest。 Roll on number fifteen。 Highly recommended。 。。。more
miss。mesmerized mesmerized
，
It’s been thirty years that Bruno’s boss J。-J。 has been haunting the murderer of an unknown man found in the forest。 This cold case seems unsolvable， nobody missed someone and no item which could help to identify him was ever found。 Yet， as technology advances， so do the police’s possibilities。 By the help of an expert in face reconstruction， they try to remodel his looks， at the same time， quite unexpectedly， another DNA search shows a hit。 While J。-J。 is happy that his longest case might come It’s been thirty years that Bruno’s boss J。-J。 has been haunting the murderer of an unknown man found in the forest。 This cold case seems unsolvable， nobody missed someone and no item which could help to identify him was ever found。 Yet， as technology advances， so do the police’s possibilities。 By the help of an expert in face reconstruction， they try to remodel his looks， at the same time， quite unexpectedly， another DNA search shows a hit。 While J。-J。 is happy that his longest case might come to a close， the lovely Périgord region is threatened by fires。 While the inhabitants fear the worst， this comes on a very political level with J。-。J。’s cold case: the murderer he has been looking for might be linked to even more serious crimes and thus， national security is suddenly threatened。With Martin Walker’s series about Bruno Courrèges， you always know what you will get: it is not simply a cosy crime novel located in a beautiful region which finds its deserved place in the book by providing a lot of good food and impressive nature， but also a case which starts out as a minor incident and suddenly develops into something totally unexpected。 These by now well-known ingredients also make the 14th instalment an enjoyable holiday read。What I found most fascinating in this novel were the technical explanations of how you can infer from a skull how the person has looked like。 This technique might be useful not just for artistic and museological purposes but also as shown for investigative aims。 It is also a clear signal that no deed is unsolvable and that with modern technology， the perfect crime might not be that perfect anymore。As a German， I was aware of the Rosenholz papers which surprisingly come up in the novel。 Surely a rather deplorable part of our history but still offering a lot of food for speculation even today。 So again， nothing from the past is ever really over。All in all， a pleasant cosy crime novel which makes you feel like on holiday and enjoy the atmosphere of France’s countryside。 。。。more
Roger
，
I had heard favourable reports of this series， but this NetGalley ARC was the first opportunity to read one。Unfortunately I found it literally unbelievable。 It would need the equivalent of the Millau Viaduct （Google it） to support the suspension of disbelief necessary for this paragon of a "Chief of a Police"。 Is there nothing Bruno cannot do （and where does he find the time） ？ Run every morning， horse ride， owner of a Royal pedigree dog， Monty Don level gardener， Michelin-star level cook， wine I had heard favourable reports of this series， but this NetGalley ARC was the first opportunity to read one。Unfortunately I found it literally unbelievable。 It would need the equivalent of the Millau Viaduct （Google it） to support the suspension of disbelief necessary for this paragon of a "Chief of a Police"。 Is there nothing Bruno cannot do （and where does he find the time） ？ Run every morning， horse ride， owner of a Royal pedigree dog， Monty Don level gardener， Michelin-star level cook， wine connoisseur， fighter who take out an enormous bully with 2 blows， able to rot knicker elastic in ladies of a certain age with a mere twitch of his Gallic eyebrows ？I laughed out loud when he went into his garden and found a summer truffle in moments for breakfast。。。 And when the emergency strikes he finds 2 （count them ！） solutions that make a huge difference to the outcome as well as come up with a series of radical improvements to the disaster plan。The writing itself isn't bad， but the story is a bit far-fetched too even though it's based on fact （I still own a bean bag - long story - given to me by a French spy from when I worked at TI France in the early 80's ）。Another aspect of Bruno that is to good to be true is that he knows these high-level people and has access to all this top secret intelligence as a lowly village cop， which duties he performs assiduously not least as a morning school lollipop man。 It would be preferable if he'd spend a bit of time arresting his friends and himself for drink-driving given the vast quantities of alcohol they consume at every meeting。Having lived full time in a village in the Cote d'Azur for 5 years （see above） I do recognise the bucolic charms of rural France he describes， but there was very little mention of the downsides （in this book at least） of the bureaucracy， poor service， backwardness （people still using cheques at supermarkets when I was there last year） and rudeness of shop staff， not just to me as an Englishmen but to other French customers too。 It's the sort of rose-tinted view of the country that many occasional visitors have even if they have houses there and visit regularly。The story itself develops very quickly with no false leads and everything falling into place far too easily to be believable and far too many diversions into cooking and other things。Not for me。 。。。more
Alyson
，
This is the first book I've read about Bruno， chief of police in the French town of St Denis in the Périgord region， but find it is number fourteen in what is obviously a popular series。 In this book Bruno notices the reconstruction of some ancient skulls in the museum and wonders if this technology could help with the identity of a thirty year old murder victim。 He enlists the help of a technician to reconstruct the skull but meanwhile DNA evidence helps to identify surviving family members。 Th This is the first book I've read about Bruno， chief of police in the French town of St Denis in the Périgord region， but find it is number fourteen in what is obviously a popular series。 In this book Bruno notices the reconstruction of some ancient skulls in the museum and wonders if this technology could help with the identity of a thirty year old murder victim。 He enlists the help of a technician to reconstruct the skull but meanwhile DNA evidence helps to identify surviving family members。 The team are led to a reclusive vintner， Henri Bazaine whom they suspect of not being all he appears。 This investigation is set agains the backdrop of a particularly hot summer season in the south of France and burning wild fires which Bruno must help with。The setting of the story was interesting and sounds beautiful ，with chateau and museums dotted around the landscape， and every house appearing to have abundant gardens oozing with vegetables and fruit and wine on tap。 The cold case mystery is also interesting and the links with East Germany and the Stasi providing an interesting backdrop to the story。 However， my problem with the book were twofold。 Firstly， Bruno can do no wrong。 It is his idea to bring in the technician to reconstruct the skull。 It is his idea during the fires to use the boats and the trebuchet to provide some relief。 He is a brilliant rider， a fine gardener and a locally renowned cook。 He helps children across the road in the mornings。 He is too good to be true！My second， lesser beef， is that sometimes the dialogue was stilted and designed to impart information to the reader， rather than being completely realistic。 These two points are a shame and spoiled what was otherwise an intriguing plot and an enjoyable setting。 Many thanks to Netgalley and Quercus Books for a chance to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Alan
，
Another solid and totally enjoyable outing for Bruno， basset hound Balzac and the whole cast of characters who inhabit the Périgord。 This time， an old case of Bruno's boss J-J - his very first as a young cop many years ago - is re-opened thanks to modern technology in reconstructing skulls into 3D imagery。 Needless to say， old wounds are picked over and the case becomes entangled with attempts to declassify old Stasi documents relating back to the Cold War。 As all of Bruno's circle comes togethe Another solid and totally enjoyable outing for Bruno， basset hound Balzac and the whole cast of characters who inhabit the Périgord。 This time， an old case of Bruno's boss J-J - his very first as a young cop many years ago - is re-opened thanks to modern technology in reconstructing skulls into 3D imagery。 Needless to say， old wounds are picked over and the case becomes entangled with attempts to declassify old Stasi documents relating back to the Cold War。 As all of Bruno's circle comes together to help solve the case， modern political alliances are stretched to the extreme。As ever with the Bruno books there is much more going on: a heatwave brings about forest fires which threaten the valley; Balzac has become father to a litter of puppies; and， not content with cooking a meatless bolognese in the previous book， this time Bruno faces the challenge of cooking an entirely vegan meal for his friends。 Mon dieu！！I love this series， and even though actually very little of the book has any action concerning the cold case （it does get solved but it feels more like a background story than anything else） the comings and goings of Bruno， Pamela， Isabelle and everyone else makes this feel like a very welcome homecoming， where readers are safe in the knowledge that all is right with the world。 Great characters， a wonderful setting and， of course， that wonderful food。 Another winner from Martin Walker。 4。5 tasty stars。 。。。more
Janet
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Bruno Courreges is Chief of Police of the lovely town of St Denis in the Dordogne。 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 Jalipeau， known as J-J， has been obsessed with his first case。 It was never solved and Bruno knows that this failure continues to haunt J-J。 A young male body was found in the woods near St Denis and never identified。 For all these years， J- Bruno Courreges is Chief of Police of the lovely town of St Denis in the Dordogne。 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 Jalipeau， known as J-J， has been obsessed with his first case。 It was never solved and Bruno knows that this failure continues to haunt J-J。 A young male body was found in the woods near St Denis and never identified。 For all these years， J-J has kept the skull as a reminder。 He calls him 'Oscar'。 Visiting the famous pre-history museum in nearby Les Eyzies， Bruno sees some amazingly life-like heads expertly reconstructed from ancient skulls。 He suggests performing a similar reconstruction on Oscar as a first step towards at last identifying him。 An expert is hired to start the reconstruction and the search for Oscar's killer begins again in earnest。I can’t believe that this is the fourteenth book in this riveting series。 I eagerly await each book & I’ve not been disappointed in any of them。 I love the mix of police work， cooking & socialising， which combine effortlessly to make an engrossing read。 I loved how the story built from the skull & how it developed， it has me engrossed from cover to cover & I devoured it。 I highly recommend this brilliant book & in fact the whole seriesMy honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read 。。。more
Jackie
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This is the first book I’ve read by Martin Walker although I’ve found out that ‘The Coldest Case’ is the 14th book in the Dordogne Mysteries！ I was immediately drawn to the promise of a murder mystery set in the glorious French countryside。 I found myself quickly immersed into the life of Bruno and his friends living in the Dordogne enjoying the offerings of sumptuous gourmet food and wine which is embellished throughout the mystery making it a refreshing change from the usual crime novels I’ve This is the first book I’ve read by Martin Walker although I’ve found out that ‘The Coldest Case’ is the 14th book in the Dordogne Mysteries！ I was immediately drawn to the promise of a murder mystery set in the glorious French countryside。 I found myself quickly immersed into the life of Bruno and his friends living in the Dordogne enjoying the offerings of sumptuous gourmet food and wine which is embellished throughout the mystery making it a refreshing change from the usual crime novels I’ve read。 In short， it’s a 30 year old cold case which remains unsolved until Bruno saw an exhibition of a study of the reconstruction of faces of historic men， women and children which inspired him to initiate the reconstruction of the skull which was found in the local woods 30 years ago。 The mystery then unravels into an interesting case， cleverly weaved through Bruno’s every day full life in the splendid Perigord。Great plot， glorious setting， believable characters and interesting facts all amalgamating together to create an enjoyable read， I look forward to reading more from Martin Walker。Big thanks to Martin Walker， Quercus Books and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review。 。。。more
Annarella
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I'm a huge fan of this series and it's always a pleasure to travel to Dordogne and catch up with Bruno and his friends。This is an excellent series that mixes historical facts， mysteries and mouthwatering descriptions of food。 If you are on a diet it's a sort of lovely torture as the descriptions are so detailed and well written that you can savour and smell the foodThis is an excellent addition to this series， one of the most complex story I read in this series and I thoroughly enjoyed it。The ti I'm a huge fan of this series and it's always a pleasure to travel to Dordogne and catch up with Bruno and his friends。This is an excellent series that mixes historical facts， mysteries and mouthwatering descriptions of food。 If you are on a diet it's a sort of lovely torture as the descriptions are so detailed and well written that you can savour and smell the foodThis is an excellent addition to this series， one of the most complex story I read in this series and I thoroughly enjoyed it。The title refers to a cold case， something that happened more than 30 years ago。 We don't know anything about the victim and the slow burning plot is both about discovering who the victim was and the culprit。It's not a fast paced and action packed story， the pace is gentle and there are a couple of subplots regarding a possible fire and what some pups （I loved the part about the pups）。I thoroughly enjoyed this story and was fascinated by the historical background that made me discover some new historical facts。The plot is well developed and well written， the character development is excellent and this is an engrossing and highly entertaining story。Even if it could be read as a stand alone I think it's better read the previous books。It's strongly recommended。Many thanks to Quercus and Netgalley for this ARC， all opinions are mine 。。。more
Heather Love
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Perfect。 I’m taking part in the book tour and reviewing on its publication day The Coldest Case by Martin Walker。I first came across Martin Walker and the Dordogne Mysteries when I received a copy of the Shooting At Château Rock， via NetGalley， which was superb。Now I’ve had the opportunity to read The Coldest Case， number 14， in this outstanding series， for which I thank Quercus Books and NetGalley wholeheartedly for including me in this book tour。As this was the 14th mystery in this well-loved Perfect。 I’m taking part in the book tour and reviewing on its publication day The Coldest Case by Martin Walker。I first came across Martin Walker and the Dordogne Mysteries when I received a copy of the Shooting At Château Rock， via NetGalley， which was superb。Now I’ve had the opportunity to read The Coldest Case， number 14， in this outstanding series， for which I thank Quercus Books and NetGalley wholeheartedly for including me in this book tour。As this was the 14th mystery in this well-loved series I was， again， a little concerned that I would be out of my depth with regard to what was going on and who was who， however I needn’t have worried。。。。 it stands alone perfectly， just like number 13。 I now need to read the previous 12 when I can get my hands on them。I fell in love with Bruno， the Chief of Police again， what a gentleman。 Charming。 The way in which this book was written， the quality of the writing is excellent。 I was transported to the Dordogne， I love France and now want to go to the Perigord region。 However， Walker takes you to the Dordogne with him。 You can smell and taste the mouth watering food that Bruno cooks and find yourself imagining how easy it would be to immerse yourself into the community， to become a friend and join in the tradition of meeting to eat and drink fine red wine， with good friends。 Walker includes French history， it’s culture， architecture， international intrigue， espionage， the Cold War and more importantly， wine and food！ The culinary descriptions are enticing， so much that I have cooked roast lamb， vichyssoise and omelettes as soon as I read about these delicious dishes。Bruno gets involved in a 30 year old mystery， when a body was found and never identified。 This was the Chief of Detectives， Jean-Jacques （J-J） Jalipeau’s first case， a murder that he never managed to solve， which Bruno knew still haunted him。After visiting an exhibition with reconstructed heads， bringing people back to life， Bruno suggests using the same method to reconstruct the head of the deceased to see if at last someone could identify him。 An expert is hired and the search begins， which opens up a huge can of worms。 You need to buy the book and read it to find out what they discover and how this unfolds into a twist in the tale。。。。This is a light and very entertaining mystery thriller， a great page turner， and an enjoyable read。 I loved the characters， the warmth， sense of community， local activity， romance， the mystery and the international connection。 And there’s a gorgeous dog， Balzac a Bassett Hound， Bruno’s companion， who is taken on an interesting journey of his own and becomes a father。I learnt quite a lot from this story too。 In particular， Walker touches the history of the Cold War， the Rosenholz Dossier， the master list of all Stasi Intelligence agents， espionage and politics。 “Every one of us here is a child of the Cold War Bruno。 It’s shaped us， defined our politics and reshaped our economies and our systems of government。 Not just the Russians and Americans but we Europeans in our own way also became national security states。 The past always lives on in profound ways， particularly in our security agencies， arms industries and defence bureaucracies。”Would most definitely recommend。Thank you so very much Quercus Books， Martin Walker and NetGalley for this ARC provided in exchange for my unbiased review。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Coldest Case
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Coldest Case&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Coldest Case&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0