Mystery

To Kill a Troubadour

To Kill a Troubadour

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  • Create Date：2022-07-23 08:52:00
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
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  • Author：Martin Walker
  • ISBN：1529413621
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Summary

Join Bruno， France's favourite country cop， on his latest adventure as he fights to keep St Denis safe。 Set in the beautiful Périgord region， The Dordogne Mysteries are the perfect combination of mystery and escapism。

It is summer in St Denis and Bruno is busy organising the annual village concert。 He's hired a local Périgord folk group， Les Troubadours， to perform their latest hit 'A Song for Catalonia'。 But when the song unexpectedly goes viral， the Spanish government， clamping down on the Catalonian bid for independence， bans Les Troubadours from performing it。

The timing couldn't be worse， and Bruno finds himself under yet more pressure when a specialist sniper's bullet is found in a wrecked car near Bergerac。 The car was reportedly stolen on the Spanish frontier and the Spanish government sends warning that a group of nationalist extremists may be planning an assassination in France。 Bruno immediately suspects that Les Troubadours and their audience might be in danger。

Bruno must organise security and ensure that his beloved town and its people are safe - the stakes are high for France's favourite policeman。

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Reviews

Kelly Callaghan ，

A comfort read。As well as the usual mystery， recipes and friendship we learn a lot about the Catalan culture and history。

Richard Fletcher ，

Well， I seem to be out of step， or maybe people don't bother with poor reviews。 Anyway， having （mostly） enjoyed the preceeding 14 books in the series this one just did not engage me。 Overly politicised plot， questionable motives re Florence's ex， and at 70 pages in virtually nothing except for introductions of charaters had taken place （and we'd not yet got to the General！）。 Just boring really， and tha last Walker book I'll read， I think this one was just phones in to make to deadline with no re Well， I seem to be out of step， or maybe people don't bother with poor reviews。 Anyway， having （mostly） enjoyed the preceeding 14 books in the series this one just did not engage me。 Overly politicised plot， questionable motives re Florence's ex， and at 70 pages in virtually nothing except for introductions of charaters had taken place （and we'd not yet got to the General！）。 Just boring really， and tha last Walker book I'll read， I think this one was just phones in to make to deadline with no real effort。 And frankly， I wish Bruno would shit or get off thge pot wrt the women in his life！ As shame， but another off my "must read the next one" list。 。。。more

Christiane Ambler ，

Another great readMartin Walker' s books are very entertaining， all the research done for the books is incredible。 I love Bruno and I hope you have more books about him to follow。 Perigord is a beautiful region of France and it comes alive， with its people， its food， it's wine and it's scenery。 Thank you。 Another great readMartin Walker' s books are very entertaining， all the research done for the books is incredible。 I love Bruno and I hope you have more books about him to follow。 Perigord is a beautiful region of France and it comes alive， with its people， its food， it's wine and it's scenery。 Thank you。 。。。more

Graham ，

Another good book in a fun， easy to read series。 The author has really built out the character of Bruno and each book expands your knowledge of each person you encounter。 Its a good read that will leave you wanting more

Dipra Lahiri ，

At this point of time， perhaps only long time readers will get maximum pleasure from this series， whose charms are centered around the relationships and history between the protagonist and his neighbours。 The plot is slightly hair-brained， maybe influenced by current events。 No matter， Walker's skills as a smooth story teller make this book worthwhile for a fan。 At this point of time， perhaps only long time readers will get maximum pleasure from this series， whose charms are centered around the relationships and history between the protagonist and his neighbours。 The plot is slightly hair-brained， maybe influenced by current events。 No matter， Walker's skills as a smooth story teller make this book worthwhile for a fan。 。。。more

Mike Sumner ，

I never like to finish a Bruno， Chief of Police book because I know I will then have a long wait for the next， provided that Martin Walker is actually writing it！ I hope so Martin although how you follow To Kill a Troubadour I have no idea。 I count this as number 16 as the numbers described does not include the publication of short stories under the title Bruno's Challenge。 The plot here is superbly researched as Bruno finds himself faced with a possible assassination attempt by Spanish national I never like to finish a Bruno， Chief of Police book because I know I will then have a long wait for the next， provided that Martin Walker is actually writing it！ I hope so Martin although how you follow To Kill a Troubadour I have no idea。 I count this as number 16 as the numbers described does not include the publication of short stories under the title Bruno's Challenge。 The plot here is superbly researched as Bruno finds himself faced with a possible assassination attempt by Spanish nationalist extremists incensed by the publication of the recorded 'A Song for Catalonia' by a local Périgord folk group， Les Troubadours who will be performing the song at the St Denis annual village concert。 The Spanish government has tried to have the performance banned。This is a complex plot that Walker handles with his usual eye to political detail as Bruno must organise security and ensure the safety of the people of his beloved town。。。Martin， I hope that there is another Bruno story in the making， or writing I should say！ 。。。more

Sharon ，

To Kill a Troubadour （Bruno， Chief of Police #15） Martin WalkerI always look forward to another of Martin Walker’s books， each book is wonderful and especially I have learned a great deal about this area of France through all the this writer’s books and also the Bruno series。 History of the region in ancient times to current and indeed it’s place within Europe。 Delightful start to finish with many twists， fantastic characters recurring and always some new with the new drama happening in Bruno’s To Kill a Troubadour （Bruno， Chief of Police #15） Martin WalkerI always look forward to another of Martin Walker’s books， each book is wonderful and especially I have learned a great deal about this area of France through all the this writer’s books and also the Bruno series。 History of the region in ancient times to current and indeed it’s place within Europe。 Delightful start to finish with many twists， fantastic characters recurring and always some new with the new drama happening in Bruno’s jurisdiction and his private life of friends， colleagues and Balzac his wonderful dog too。This book really took on some rather current political matters worldwide and developed them through a local folk group Les Troubadours and A Song for Catalonia written and causing great discussion and upset between Spain and France。 The writer Joel and lead singer Flavia are under Bruno’s protection as threats on their lives are made after weapons are found in a burnt out stolen vehicle。 This storyline just expands and is totally woven around European politics and advances in weaponry to the joys of the Perigord and country life of a chief of police who jogs， plays tennis， exercises his wonderful horse， grows a great garden and cooks like a total culinary wizard for his friends。 Great food and wine coverage in these books。 Along with the thriller of whether the assassins will be stopped…there is also the threat to Bruno’s friend by her ex husband that involves various legal issues and religious and cultural discussions that are really well developed。 No one could be bored with any of the books in this amazing series。 Each and every one is a very， very good read。 5/5+ 。。。more

MaryE ，

I really like the way Martin Walker is able to weave modern day politics， French history， and village issues into a cohesive story and in this book he did it once again。 I also enjoy the recurring cast of characters from St。 Denis and how Bruno is able to use them to help with the solving of crimes。I enjoyed this a lot more than the last few he’s written but that might be because I find Florence the most interesting of his friends。I did think， though， that the ending was a little too abrupt。

Marlene ，

The town of St。Denis is gearing up for the Spring concert。 Les Troubadours， one of Bruno's favorite folk groups is scheduled to appear。 Excitement is dashed when Spain bans one of the group's songs that supports Catalonian independence。 While the song goes viral in France， Bruno fears for the group's safety when he puts together the seemingly unrelated pieces of a puzzle。 A wrecked and abandoned car raises concerns following shots heard from a sniper's gun。 Time is short and Bruno along with mul The town of St。Denis is gearing up for the Spring concert。 Les Troubadours， one of Bruno's favorite folk groups is scheduled to appear。 Excitement is dashed when Spain bans one of the group's songs that supports Catalonian independence。 While the song goes viral in France， Bruno fears for the group's safety when he puts together the seemingly unrelated pieces of a puzzle。 A wrecked and abandoned car raises concerns following shots heard from a sniper's gun。 Time is short and Bruno along with multiple law enforcement and national intelligence agencies must find the sniper quickly。At the same time a teacher at the local school has been contacted by her abusive husband after he was released from prison。 Bruno is enlisted to find a way to protect the teacher and her children。As he always does， Bruno multitasks while still managing to regularly exercise his horse， spend time with friends and cook mouthwatering meals at the drop of a hat。 Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for the opportunity to read the 15th entry in an enjoyable， fast-paced series。 。。。more

Glenn Martyn Otto ，

Superb As usual， superb，held me to the end。In fact it ended so quickly， I was starteled。 I am only sad because waiting for the next chapter is bound to be to be long time。 Terrific！

Wulf Krueger ，

I’ve been a Bruno fan since the first book in the series and really enjoyed Martin Walker's congenial blend of mystery， world politics， joie de vivre and common-sense policing in a rural French environment。 At times， especially in books 12 and 13， Walker overdid certain of those aspects: Were it cooking or politics， those books were annoying to read。Now， with To Kill a Troubadour we’re at book 15 and Walker has fully regained his literary balance: Bruno is investigating a case of looming terrori I’ve been a Bruno fan since the first book in the series and really enjoyed Martin Walker's congenial blend of mystery， world politics， joie de vivre and common-sense policing in a rural French environment。 At times， especially in books 12 and 13， Walker overdid certain of those aspects: Were it cooking or politics， those books were annoying to read。Now， with To Kill a Troubadour we’re at book 15 and Walker has fully regained his literary balance: Bruno is investigating a case of looming terrorism with a connection to the very real struggle of Catalonia （a region in Spain with minor partls in France） for independence。Then there’s Florence’s （a series regular） ex-husband out on parole and other minor issues Bruno has to take care of。 All our literary friends are with us again as well: The Baron， Isabelle， Gilles， Pamela， Bruno’s mayor and so on。In this newest instalment - written in 2021， please keep that in mind！ -， though， Walker has obviously gained an uncanny prophetic ability…»Bruno stood in his garden beneath the stars， Balzac patiently sitting beside him， and watched the big car leave， thinking about the difference between him and his friend。 Bruno had been through the military and J-J had not， and in that way he resembled most of the new generations of French people who were younger than Bruno。 That was fine， and Bruno understood the idealism that lay behind the idea that the new Europe had grown beyond war。 But the bright and peaceful new world that had followed the Cold War had changed， become darker， and brought back some of the old fears。 It was not simply the new challenges of terrorism but the old and traditional forces of national ambition。 As the new Russia flexed its military muscle and used new technologies to interfere in Western elections and to poison its social media， and used nerve agents to kill defectors in England， could Europe still hope to continue in its placid， pacifist ways？«I was intellectually part of this bright， peaceful new world。 I believed in change through trade。 As we all know， taught by aggressive imperialist， fascist Russia， this was not to be…Don’t be discouraged to read this book right now - this wouldn’t be a proper Bruno if there wasn’t a lot of bright light and fun:»Was it not Charles de Gaulle who observed that England was an old Norman colony which had not turned out well？’ Bruno asked。‘No， it was Georges Clemenceau，’ the Mayor replied firmly， looking at Bruno with a touch of suspicion。 ‘You’re not trying to tease me， are you？’‘Heaven forbid， Monsieur le Maire，’ Bruno replied， grinning。 ‘I’m simply reminding you what an industrious pupil you have。«Speaking of one major evil playing a role in this book， I must not neglect to mention the second one， hardly less corrupt and evil， namely， the churches。 When asked for help in a very serious matter， the local priest replies very realistically:»‘Of course I’m on her side， Bruno， as far as I can be given my duty to the teachings of the Church。 On that there can be no compromise。’«The eloquent metaphorical narration style is engaging and stylistically appropriate:»Inevitably， it was Pamela who won the final point to clinch the match， leaping like a panther to jump on a scooped return that bounced high。 She smashed it down so hard that the ball rose like a rocket and soared high over the netting at the far end of the court。«Walker also expertly but unobtrusively spins real historical figures into this fascinating tale。 It’s never overbearing， though， but fits perfectly into the setting。 Thus， basically everything is fine in Bruno’s and Walker’s Périgord。The slight downside of this book is the ending which is a bit abrupt。 An additional final chapter to wrap things up would have been highly appreciated。If you like Bruno， though， read this！»Our European history and culture have long been more closely entwined than we tend to think。«Vive L’Europe！Four out of five stars。Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam 。。。more

Patricia Moren ，

Another thoroughly absorbing story 0f Bruno and St Denis。 A very tense one this time with a great cast of characters who are beginning to feel like friends。 A fast paced story with a dramatic conclusion。 These stories are also vey informative so a great read and an increase in knowledge。 Win Win！

Kath ，

Wowsers。。。 book 15 and just as fresh as the start of the series！ Usual series rules apply， especially as there are quite a few characters that make up the wonderful place of St Denis and the surrounding area， and it would be helpful to know their backstories。 And， if nothing else， it's a cracker of a series so。。。 why not！？ Also， make sure you've eaten before starting as， as usual， there are quite a few "foodie" moments which will make your gastric juices flow。。。！So。。。 it's coming up to the annua Wowsers。。。 book 15 and just as fresh as the start of the series！ Usual series rules apply， especially as there are quite a few characters that make up the wonderful place of St Denis and the surrounding area， and it would be helpful to know their backstories。 And， if nothing else， it's a cracker of a series so。。。 why not！？ Also， make sure you've eaten before starting as， as usual， there are quite a few "foodie" moments which will make your gastric juices flow。。。！So。。。 it's coming up to the annual village concert and Bruno is busy organising， as usual。 Problem is， the main act he has booked， the one which usually plays， is currently caught up in a bit of controversy。 Their latest hit， A Song For Catalonia， has ruffled a few feathers within the Spanish Government （understatement） and earned them a ban in that country。 Not one to be phased by this， Bruno refuses to change his lineup。 Even when a sniper bullet is found in a wrecked car nearby。 Are the two connected， Are Les Troubadours on someone's hit list， or is there another target。。。？I love this series。 It's always nice， as a reader， to reconnect with well loved characters。 Old friends if you like。 That's the main reason that series books are so popular。 You really get to know the characters and the place in which they live。 And the characters and the Perigord are wonderful。 Step into their world once again and share their lives。 Add into the mix a very well plotted and executed crime to be solved and you have the perfect storm。。。 And Bruno himself， well， he's just as popular with me as he is with his friends。 His adopted family。 And he loves his job， it's a vocation。 And his food too！ Lots of yummy descriptions as always。 And， if that wasn't enough， there's always some history of the region to be found。 Always interesting and always well researched。 In fact， the only bad thing is， once again having to say goodbye to these people at the end of the book。 Something I hate approaching as I read towards the end of the book。 I want to see how it ends but I hate leaving the people and St Denis。 Hopefully we'll meet again same time next year。。。My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book。 。。。more

miss。mesmerized mesmerized ，

Summer could be enjoyable and light hearted but then， the cosy Périgord region is caught in Spain’s trouble with Catalonia’s independence movement。 “Les Troubadours”， a local folk group， have published a song supporting autonomy for the region that shares their cultural heritage。 The song goes viral and soon not only the Spanish government but also shady groups become aware of the poet and the band。 When the police find a sniper’s bullet and a stolen car in the woods， the know that the situation Summer could be enjoyable and light hearted but then， the cosy Périgord region is caught in Spain’s trouble with Catalonia’s independence movement。 “Les Troubadours”， a local folk group， have published a song supporting autonomy for the region that shares their cultural heritage。 The song goes viral and soon not only the Spanish government but also shady groups become aware of the poet and the band。 When the police find a sniper’s bullet and a stolen car in the woods， the know that the situation is much more serious than they thought and that people are in real danger as the Troubadours are about to perform a large concert。Martin Walker continues his series around the French countryside chief of police Bruno Courrèges。 Even though also the 15th Dordogne mystery offers a lot to recognise from the former novels， “To Kill a Troubadour” is much more political and takes up a current real life topic。 Apart from this， you’ll get exactly what you’d expect from the series: a lot of food to indulge in， history of the region and the French countryside where everybody seems to be friends with everybody。One would expect the life of a countryside policeman to be rather unspectacular and slow， however， this could not be farer away from Bruno’s reality。 Not only do big conflicts come to his cosy province， but also a case of domestic violence demands his full attention。 What I appreciated most， like in other instalments of the series before， was how the cultural heritage was integrated into the plot and teaches about the history you along the way in a perfectly dosed manner。 Full of suspense while offering the well-known French countryside charm， a wonderful read to look forward to summer holidays in France。 。。。more

Janet ，

It is summer in St Denis and Bruno is busy organising the annual village concert。 He's hired a local Périgord folk group， Les Troubadours， to perform their latest hit 'A Song for Catalonia'。 But when the song unexpectedly goes viral， the Spanish government， clamping down on the Catalonian bid for independence， bans Les Troubadours from performing it。 The timing couldn't be worse， and Bruno finds himself under yet more pressure when a specialist sniper's bullet is found in a wrecked car near Berg It is summer in St Denis and Bruno is busy organising the annual village concert。 He's hired a local Périgord folk group， Les Troubadours， to perform their latest hit 'A Song for Catalonia'。 But when the song unexpectedly goes viral， the Spanish government， clamping down on the Catalonian bid for independence， bans Les Troubadours from performing it。 The timing couldn't be worse， and Bruno finds himself under yet more pressure when a specialist sniper's bullet is found in a wrecked car near Bergerac。 The car was reportedly stolen on the Spanish frontier and the Spanish government sends warning that a group of nationalist extremists may be planning an assassination in France。 Bruno immediately suspects that Les Troubadours and their audience might be in danger。 Plus Florence’s ex husband has been released from prison。This is the fifteenth book in this wonderful series， whilst the book could easily be read on its own I love how the characters have developed & old friends pop up。 Once again Bruno works hard not only to protect Florence & to protect Les Troubadours。 The descriptions of the countryside made me feel that I was there & the food & drink！！ Another absolutely riveting read & I hope Bruno has many more cases to solve。My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read 。。。more

Joanne Hurley ，

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "To Kill A Troubadour"， the latest in the "Bruno， Chief Of Police" mysteries。 Cannot believe that this is the 15th， full length book in the series （there are also a number of short stories which can be read separately or in anthologies）。This time， there are two stories to follow: the potential for a politically-motivated assassination at an upcoming concert by "Les Troubadours"， who have just released a song for Cata Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "To Kill A Troubadour"， the latest in the "Bruno， Chief Of Police" mysteries。 Cannot believe that this is the 15th， full length book in the series （there are also a number of short stories which can be read separately or in anthologies）。This time， there are two stories to follow: the potential for a politically-motivated assassination at an upcoming concert by "Les Troubadours"， who have just released a song for Catalonia which has caused all kinds of uproar including a ban by the Spanish government; and the release of Florence's abusive husband from prison and the angst that that causes in the small town of St Denis。As always， interspersed with the plots are some pretty spectacular meals， prepared not only by Bruno， but by other members of the community。 I swear， I would weigh 300 pounds if I lived there。It all begins when Bruno is apprised of the possibility of a political assassination of the songwriter， Joel Martin， who wrote "Song For Catalonia" and is a supporter of Catalan independence and historian of the Occitan。 We get quite the history lesson in this book， and it's not wasted as it become part of the main plot。Along the way， Martin Walker touches on events of the present day including election interference and 'fake news'。Bruno works hard both in front of and behind the scenes to make sure that Florence and her twins are protected from her abusive ex-husband who has been released from prison on parole （even though by anyone's reasoning this should never have happened）。 And with spectacular results！Everything comes to a head around the concert day， and fans of Bruno are not disappointed。Of course， along the way we meet again many of the characters who have been introduced to us in the course of 15 novels， and we see how they have progressed in their careers - while Bruno is quite happy just being Chief of Police。The only thing I fine saddening about finishing a new Bruno gook is knowing that I will have to wait a while for another。 Highly recommended - but please try and read the series， it's worth the time。 。。。more

Abibliofob ，

I have loved this series since I first found it a few years ago。 To Kill a Troubadour by Martin Walker is the latest adventure with Bruno Courreges， chief of police in St。 Denis and the surrounding area in Perigord France。 This book revolves around some trouble between Spain and France regarding the region of Catalonia and food。 But is it that simple？ Is some other country behind the troubles？ Well buy the book and read， enjoy and find out。 Although I am a little picky when it comes to food i al I have loved this series since I first found it a few years ago。 To Kill a Troubadour by Martin Walker is the latest adventure with Bruno Courreges， chief of police in St。 Denis and the surrounding area in Perigord France。 This book revolves around some trouble between Spain and France regarding the region of Catalonia and food。 But is it that simple？ Is some other country behind the troubles？ Well buy the book and read， enjoy and find out。 Although I am a little picky when it comes to food i always gets hungry when i read these books。 I also love the fact that the stories always is filled with historical facts about the region， which I hope someday to visit。 I can strongly recommend that you try this series and enjoy the masterful writings of Walker。 I must thank Penguin Random house， Knopf， Edelweiss， Quercus and Netgalley for supplying me with this advance copy。 。。。more

Michelle Ogden ，

Take a trip to the Perigord region of France with the series Bruno Chief of Police by Martin Walker。 Bruno is the Chief of Police in St。 Denis and he is a former soldier and winner of the Croix de Guerre。 Bruno is a gourmand and excellent cook。 He has friends over for regular dinners to enjoy food straight from his garden。 To Kill a Troubadour has Bruno putting together a concert featuring a band， Les Troubadours， whose members are his friends。 One of the songs the band plays is called A Song fo Take a trip to the Perigord region of France with the series Bruno Chief of Police by Martin Walker。 Bruno is the Chief of Police in St。 Denis and he is a former soldier and winner of the Croix de Guerre。 Bruno is a gourmand and excellent cook。 He has friends over for regular dinners to enjoy food straight from his garden。 To Kill a Troubadour has Bruno putting together a concert featuring a band， Les Troubadours， whose members are his friends。 One of the songs the band plays is called A Song for Catalonia。 This song becomes banned by the Spanish government for being inflammatory politically。 Once the song is banned of course it goes viral and the band and its songwriter begin receiving death threats。 When the band recording studio is burned down the threats are taken seriously。 Can Bruno keep the band safe without damaging relations between Spain and France？ When two extremist Spanish military veterans go rogue in the Perigord region， Bruno suspects they are planning to assassinate the songwriter。 Can he stop the disaster unfolding？ While there is plenty of action in the Bruno mysteries there is also wonderful scenes of daily life in the small towns and villages of the Perigord region。 One of my favorite series for this very reason， I always feel like I have had a vacation after reading one。 。。。more

Sheri Metzger Karmiol ，

The Périgord countryside in France is the setting for all of the Chief Bruno novels， which are written by Martin Walker。 To Kill a Troubadour is the 15th novel in this series。 Like all of the Chief Bruno books， this most recent novel has a number of strengths that should be enjoyed。 The descriptions of the countryside and the food are wonderful。 Bruno's recipes are to be savored。 The history of the Périgord region is captivating and should be enjoyed by any reader or historian。 Reading these Wal The Périgord countryside in France is the setting for all of the Chief Bruno novels， which are written by Martin Walker。 To Kill a Troubadour is the 15th novel in this series。 Like all of the Chief Bruno books， this most recent novel has a number of strengths that should be enjoyed。 The descriptions of the countryside and the food are wonderful。 Bruno's recipes are to be savored。 The history of the Périgord region is captivating and should be enjoyed by any reader or historian。 Reading these Walker books are a welcome diversion for his many fans。Several years ago I caught an interview with Walker on CBS Sunday Morning。 I immediately began reading the Chief Bruno books。 Most of the books have been entertaining and engrossing。 However， I have become aware over the last 3-4 novels， that while there is much to be admired in these novels， I do not enjoy the Chief Bruno novels as much as I previously had done。 In reading To Kill a Troubadour I was struck at how stagnant the hero and protagonist has become。 He cooks for his friends， rides his horse， plays with his hound， and worships the woman who dumped him for her career。 There was slightly less worshiping of Isabelle in this 15th book， for which I was grateful， but that was the only real positive change in Bruno's life。 He continues to solve crimes and save lives， which is exactly what the readers and fans hope to see。 But Bruno， himself， is stagnant。 There is so little personal growth that it is a disappointment。 It would be a welcome change if Bruno could fall in love with a woman， who actually loves him。 He could still be happily married and have children and still be a great village policeman， while married。 I want to thank Walker and his publisher， Knopf Doubleday， for providing me with this ARC to read and review。 The above comments are my own opinion。 Thank you also to NetGalley for providing access to so many wonderful books and authors， many of whom are new to me。 。。。more

Kid Ferrous ，

Martin Walker’s books are always a sumptuous mix of “A Year In Provence” and “Midsomer Murders”， and “To Kill A Troubadour”， the 15th novel in his Dordogne series featuring the indomitable Detective Bruno Courrèges， is no exception。 Although this time around， the stakes are much higher than normal， the lush Dordogne landscape and gastronomic adventures are just as important as solving crimes。 If you come to the Dordogne stories expecting hard-hitting crime then you’ll be disappointed， even thoug Martin Walker’s books are always a sumptuous mix of “A Year In Provence” and “Midsomer Murders”， and “To Kill A Troubadour”， the 15th novel in his Dordogne series featuring the indomitable Detective Bruno Courrèges， is no exception。 Although this time around， the stakes are much higher than normal， the lush Dordogne landscape and gastronomic adventures are just as important as solving crimes。 If you come to the Dordogne stories expecting hard-hitting crime then you’ll be disappointed， even though this novel is much more politically charged and topical than usual。 If you like cosy crime and long descriptions of French food and locales and are a fan of the lovable Bruno， then this book will be a real treat。 。。。more

Joyce ，

320 pages4 starsThis book is Martin Walker’s latest contribution to the Bruno series。 The reader gets to traverse the hills and countryside of the beautiful Perigord region of France once more。 All the usual “suspects” are present， Bruno， JJ， Isabelle， Yveline， the Mayor and of course the endearing Bassett Hound Balzac。 Isabelle’s abusive ex-husband has been paroled from prison and she is frightened out of her wits for herself and the children。 Bruno， the Chief of Police， helps her。 There is a h 320 pages4 starsThis book is Martin Walker’s latest contribution to the Bruno series。 The reader gets to traverse the hills and countryside of the beautiful Perigord region of France once more。 All the usual “suspects” are present， Bruno， JJ， Isabelle， Yveline， the Mayor and of course the endearing Bassett Hound Balzac。 Isabelle’s abusive ex-husband has been paroled from prison and she is frightened out of her wits for herself and the children。 Bruno， the Chief of Police， helps her。 There is a hotly contested tennis tournament going on and the highlight of the season is a concert put on by a group called Les Troubadours。 Their new song， in praise of Catalonian independence， has become a huge hit。 But it has been banned in Spain。 They claim it would incite violence among the divided Catalonian population。 The French government doesn’t take it lightly that they are being told what they can listen to。 When an auto accident is staged and a high powered rifle shell is found in the car， suspicions are raised。 Bruno and his compatriots fear that someone may try to assassinate the writer of the song who is a member of Les Troubadours。 The Spanish and French governments join together to try to catch the assassin before s/he can strike。 I gave this book four stars because politics just isn’t my thing。 I enjoy the usual Bruno stories in which Bruno solves a mystery or puzzling case。 I love the descriptions， however， of the Perigord。 The lifestyle sounds so healthy and relaxed。 （In spite of any assassins that may be running around…） If you haven’t read any of the other Bruno stories， you may read this as a stand alone book。 Some of the background will be missing， but it is still a wonderful read。 I want to thank NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group/Knopf for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read， enjoy and review。 The opinions expressed here are solely my own。 。。。more

Mary ，

If you like Martin Walker's Bruno books， then "To Kill a Troubadour" will be a satisfying read--it ticks all those boxes that fans of the series look for。 Scenes of cozy village life in the Périgord region of France？ Check: St。 Denis is hosting its annual tennis tournament and all the series regulars are involved in the community event。 Descriptions of delicious food and wine？ Check: Bruno and his friends host a series of meals in picturesque settings with detailed menu and preparation notes。 Sh If you like Martin Walker's Bruno books， then "To Kill a Troubadour" will be a satisfying read--it ticks all those boxes that fans of the series look for。 Scenes of cozy village life in the Périgord region of France？ Check: St。 Denis is hosting its annual tennis tournament and all the series regulars are involved in the community event。 Descriptions of delicious food and wine？ Check: Bruno and his friends host a series of meals in picturesque settings with detailed menu and preparation notes。 Shout outs to Bruno's dog Balzac？ His pawprints are all over this book， along with those of his adorable young offspring Robert the Bruce， known as "the Bruce" to his friends。 The police cases themselves--this time involving a performance by the musical group Les Troubadours that is attracting sinister attention from Spanish snipers and Russian bots， as well as an additional storyline about a menacing ex-husband--always seem less important in the Bruno books than the charming setting， but are still competently handled and interesting。 I've dipped in and out of the Bruno series over the years and am always entertained; you certainly don't need to have read any of the previous entries to enjoy this one， but if you have， reading "To Kill a Troubadour" will be like settling in for a glass of wine with an old friend。Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more

Janette ，

I can’t believe that this is the fifteenth book in this series featuring Bruno， Chief of Police set in St Denis in the Perigord area of France。 Having followed his adventures since the very first book， a new instalment is always welcome。 This book follows the pattern of the previous books with Bruno’s daily life: policing， cooking and his sporting pursuits， set against the current mystery。 This time the mystery brings us almost right up to date with Catalan separatists causing tensions between F I can’t believe that this is the fifteenth book in this series featuring Bruno， Chief of Police set in St Denis in the Perigord area of France。 Having followed his adventures since the very first book， a new instalment is always welcome。 This book follows the pattern of the previous books with Bruno’s daily life: policing， cooking and his sporting pursuits， set against the current mystery。 This time the mystery brings us almost right up to date with Catalan separatists causing tensions between France and Spain and Russia stirring the pot to create maximum suspicion and disruption。 The cast of characters is brilliant and we also have the addition of a beguiling puppy into the mix。 The principal plot line is really a political thriller rather than a police crime story and involves a lot of different officials and political discussions but we also get an absorbing sub-plot involving the Science teacher Florence and her abusive ex-husband。 I did feel that at times the story dragged a bit but it was a hugely enjoyable read nonetheless。 One day I will visit that part of France and sample the cuisine and wine that Martin Walker describes so vividly。 Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers， Quercus Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more

Steve Streeter ，

This the fifteenth in the Bruno- chief of the Police - and if you’ve read any of the previous stories then you’ll know the form。 This is a two part tale ; a focus on Catalan separatism and the implications of a husband released from prison on one of the town’s residents 。In amongst the stories we have the expected serving of Bruno’s culinary diversions and sporting pursuits 。This is a series which fluctuates between fast paced and gripping and sometimes a little bit heavy going with two many obv This the fifteenth in the Bruno- chief of the Police - and if you’ve read any of the previous stories then you’ll know the form。 This is a two part tale ; a focus on Catalan separatism and the implications of a husband released from prison on one of the town’s residents 。In amongst the stories we have the expected serving of Bruno’s culinary diversions and sporting pursuits 。This is a series which fluctuates between fast paced and gripping and sometimes a little bit heavy going with two many obvious pieces of historical or cultural info being woven into the plot。 You have to suspend reality as the activities that Bruno often encounters are a tad far- fetched。 This story didn’t grab me as much as some of the previous stories - a little too obvious in the plotting and shoe horning in of facts … at times - feels like a bit of a lecture …。 Nevertheless， if you like a police based tale set in a semi rural France then put your feet up in the sun and escape to France 。。。more

Julia ，

I received a DRC of this book。This is the 15th installment of the Bruno， Chief of Police series and I swear， everyone is better than the last。 That’s a tall order。 When I pick up a new Bruno book the first thing I ask myself is “ooh， what history am I going to learn today”？ I consider myself to be well-educated and well-read and I always walk away from these books a little bit smarter with research topics in hand and a deep desire to visit the Perigord。 In To Kill a Troubadour Martin Walker lead I received a DRC of this book。This is the 15th installment of the Bruno， Chief of Police series and I swear， everyone is better than the last。 That’s a tall order。 When I pick up a new Bruno book the first thing I ask myself is “ooh， what history am I going to learn today”？ I consider myself to be well-educated and well-read and I always walk away from these books a little bit smarter with research topics in hand and a deep desire to visit the Perigord。 In To Kill a Troubadour Martin Walker leads us on a trip down History lane to learn about the Catalan Independence Movement and the Catalonian region of Spain。 He also brings in the Russians and their not-so-secret attempts to disrupt European and American political and social stability。 All of our favorite characters are back， growing and developing with each new chapter。 。。。more

Linden ，

Bruno， Chief of police in St。 Denis， has another strange case。 A popular local folk singer has written a song praising Catalonian separatists， and the song has gone viral， despite its banning by Madrid。 Someone has targeted this troubadour， Joel， and Bruno and others in law enforcement are trying to decide if their open air concert should be allowed to proceed。 There is apparently a Russian connection as well。 Another thread involves Florence's violent ex being released from prison and demanding Bruno， Chief of police in St。 Denis， has another strange case。 A popular local folk singer has written a song praising Catalonian separatists， and the song has gone viral， despite its banning by Madrid。 Someone has targeted this troubadour， Joel， and Bruno and others in law enforcement are trying to decide if their open air concert should be allowed to proceed。 There is apparently a Russian connection as well。 Another thread involves Florence's violent ex being released from prison and demanding to see the children。 It's great to be able to revisit these characters and this region of France again。 As usual， there is lots of good food， wine， and camaraderie。 Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC。 。。。more

Elaine Tomasso ，

I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for an advance copy of To Kill a Troubadour， the fifteenth novel to feature Bruno Courreges， Chief of Police in the Dordogne town of St Denis。Bruno has booked a local folk group， Les Troubadours， for one of the town’s summer concerts， but his organisational problems grow when their latest song， A Song for Catalonia， goes viral after being banned by the Spanish government。 To add to his problems a sniper bullet is found in a crashed car that was s I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for an advance copy of To Kill a Troubadour， the fifteenth novel to feature Bruno Courreges， Chief of Police in the Dordogne town of St Denis。Bruno has booked a local folk group， Les Troubadours， for one of the town’s summer concerts， but his organisational problems grow when their latest song， A Song for Catalonia， goes viral after being banned by the Spanish government。 To add to his problems a sniper bullet is found in a crashed car that was stolen in Spain， lending credence to a Spanish warning that right wing nationalists are planning an assassination。 Bruno has a feeling they may be coming for the band。I thoroughly enjoyed To Kill a Troubadour， which is the usual mix of rural life and broader concepts， in this case international intrigue。 I like the way the author effortlessly mixes the two and manages to be informative on a variety of subjects， like the Catalan independence fight and the Arabic influence on mediaeval culture。 It’s fascinating for an information junkie like myself。 The recipes are mouthwatering too as Bruno cooks his way through the novel。I couldn’t put the book down and I can’t really say why。 The plot widens into National Security issues， so there’s all sorts of soldiers and security experts involved and it’s eye opening to see what they and their technology can do， but it’s the technically challenged Bruno who saves the day。 Quite right too， I feel in safe hands with the smart， strategic and practical Bruno。 I guess I just like the way that Bruno still finds time to cook， ride his horse and play tennis in between all the drama and panic。 It’s charming。To kill a Troubadour is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending。 。。。more

Annarella ，

4。5* upped to 5I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it's an interesting and gripping story with a strong reference to what is happening now。I was happy to catch up with Bruno and his friends， spent a lot of time wishing I could have a Bruce dog and loving the mouthwatering descriptions of food。This is more a political thriller that the other novels and I appreciated what I learned and the descriptions of the actions。The Occitane part left me wondering as it's more complex， a true Occitan would sup 4。5* upped to 5I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it's an interesting and gripping story with a strong reference to what is happening now。I was happy to catch up with Bruno and his friends， spent a lot of time wishing I could have a Bruce dog and loving the mouthwatering descriptions of food。This is more a political thriller that the other novels and I appreciated what I learned and the descriptions of the actions。The Occitane part left me wondering as it's more complex， a true Occitan would support the Catalonia independence but there they would also talk about Ousitania Libra plus there's also a strong Occitan community in Italy， my mother was born in that area。Even if I found this part a bit fictional I thoroughly enjoyed the story and loved the tense final。Can't wait to read the next Bruno's story。Highly recommended。Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC， all opinions are mine 。。。more

BooksnFreshair （Poornima Apte） ，

https://booksnfreshair。blogspot。com/2。。。 https://booksnfreshair。blogspot。com/2。。。 。。。more

Thomas ，

A delightful and enjoyable 15th installment of the Bruno series by Martin Walker。 If you’re a veteran of the series you will know what to expect and this book follows the usual Bruno experience， interesting local history of the Perigord mixed in with an exciting case to solve along with a superb cast of characters that really bring both the story and setting to life。 Without mentioning some delicious meals along the way， and a new lovable canine character in The Bruce。 This book features a spat A delightful and enjoyable 15th installment of the Bruno series by Martin Walker。 If you’re a veteran of the series you will know what to expect and this book follows the usual Bruno experience， interesting local history of the Perigord mixed in with an exciting case to solve along with a superb cast of characters that really bring both the story and setting to life。 Without mentioning some delicious meals along the way， and a new lovable canine character in The Bruce。 This book features a spat regarding Catalan nationalism on the backdrop of a Far Right Spanish plot taking place on French soil。 Along with a more local issue of a convict father rocking up on probation and domestic issues that stem from it。 A very entertaining book and unlike some books of the past the action in this one was realistic and lots of mention of Russia and their ways， given current news and events very timely！ What I enjoy with these books is the place and life of a fictional town set in a real province is brought to life by the author， whether it be the historical caves or local vineyards。 This time it is the Occitan culture of the region and their song and language。 Certainly a welcome addition to the series and hopefully an end is a long way off。My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=To Kill a Troubadour

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=To Kill a Troubadour&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,To Kill a Troubadour&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0