Title: Black Diamond Author: Martin Walker Publisher: Vintage Publication Date: January 10, 2012 Category: Mystery; Cozy Mystery; International Mystery; French Setting
A charming French village, a beloved chief of police, and a mystery steeped in truffles and danger. Bruno’s third case is as cozy as it is compelling.
St. Denis, France, my home away from home when reading. How I love that community!
I’ve just visited Bruno again in Black Diamond, the third installment of the Bruno, Chief of Police series by Martin Walker. This episode keeps him extremely busy, investigating recent attacks on Vietnamese vendors, potential truffle smuggling, and the murder of one of his dear friends. And yet Walker makes it seem almost effortless and still manages to include all the things readers love about Bruno and St. Denis: the quaint setting, delicious food, entertaining cast of characters, and romantic entanglements. It is never boring stepping into Bruno’s life. He is a complex, well-developed character, and I’ve also been enjoying getting to know the rest of the community.
I especially enjoy the setting, a more rural area of France. The reader still gets to visit the town and enter traditional French buildings, but also wander into the trees to hunt, feed chickens, and be there when truffles are found. It’s nice to visit Paris, but I actually prefer the small-town setting we get with this series.
The story itself was fantastic. Each of the things Bruno was investigating was intriguing, and I truly wanted to know how everything would wrap up. There were a couple of places where the plot stalled a bit toward the middle of the book, but overall it moved along at a good pace. There was a lot happening, and Walker managed to get it all in skillfully, making it tricky for the reader to tie things together.
This book could be read as a standalone, but reading the two previous installments will make the experience far richer. I’d recommend it to mystery fans, especially readers of cozy mysteries who are looking to step slightly outside that comfortable circle; this is still quite a cozy read with just a little more edge.
Nerd Rating: 🤓🤓🤓🤓– A cozy mystery with a sharper bite, perfect for readers who want small-town charm served with intrigue and a whiff of truffles.
Let’s discuss:What is your favorite setting for a mystery novel?
