The Dark Vineyard

May 10, 2010
Age-old French traditions collide with global commerce in Walker's lyrical sequel to Bruno, Chief of Police. When vandals attack a secretive research station hidden in the hills near Saint-Denis, Bruno Courrèges, the rural village's only municipal policeman, looks into the matter. Meanwhile, winemaker François Cresseil and the young man he has just adopted, Max Vannes, both die of mysterious causes. Max's seductive Canadian girlfriend; the scion of a rich American winery looking to buy up tracts of fertile land; protesting "écolos"; representatives from a variety of government agencies; and a host of colorful locals all complicate what turns into a murder investigation, which calls on Bruno's tact as well as his shrewdness. Walker evokes his French community's celebrations of wine, food, love, and friendship with obvious affection but without sentimentality. His villagers are no more immune from modern times than the rest of us—they just drink better wine.

March 15, 2010
Eco-terrorism and big (wine) business threaten to disrupt an idyllic corner of France in a solid second mystery involving Chef de Police Bruno Courreges.

Prolific British journalist Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police, 2009, etc.) blends food, wine, community, history, tradition and general love of the Perigord region into a tidy yet thrill-free story. An act of arson ignites the plot, drawing 40-year-old ex-soldier Bruno, now municipal police officer of Saint-Denis, into the secret genetically modified crop experiments of an unauthorized research station. The local green movement attracts not only his suspicion but the attention of increasingly powerful levels of interest from Paris. Additional local upset is provoked by the arrival of American wine entrepreneur Fernando Bondino, keen to buy the land and exploit its water, grapes and potential appellation controlee status. Various attractive women snag loner Bruno's attention, including flirtatious Quebecoise wine student Jacqueline, whose boyfriend Max is Bruno's chief suspect until found drowned in a wine vat. The unraveling of the story's moderate mayhem is done with flat perspicacity, and matters conclude with a gentle au revoir as Bruno embarks on a new romance.

A Francophile's workmanlike mystery, prosaic although something of a poem to the region.

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Starred review from May 1, 2010
Romance, intrigue, and many a fine glass of wine await in Walkers charming second mystery set in idyllic Saint-Denis, in the southwest of France. As the novel opens, Chief of Police Bruno Courreges investigates a fire thats destroyed a research station for genetically modified crops. Local environmentalists top the list of possible perpetrators, but theyre only the beginning of Brunos problems. Fernando Bondino, a wily young American wine magnate, is eyeing Saint-Denis fertile vineyards. His investment would be a boon for the area, which has had its share of hard economic times. But locals (including Bruno) are dubiouswith good reason. Bondino has displayed bad behavior, including punching out Max, a likable local lad, over a woman. When Max turns up dead, Bondino is the prime suspect. Alas, Bruno is all too aware of what Bondino could do for his village (his boss, the mayor, sees much promise in the possible influx of funds), so the police chief must tread carefully. Walker serves up wry wit, suspense, and a host of captivating characters, from a comely, manipulative Quebecois to an auburn-haired Brit who captures Brunos heart. Oenophiles and armchair travelers alike will enjoy spending time in this lovely, lively part of France.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)