A Grave in the Woods by Martin Walker

A GRAVE IN THE WOODS by Martin Walker is the latest Bruno, Chief of Police mystery story set in the Dordogne, in the southwest of France.  And this novel contains familiar elements from the series: close-knit characters, emphasis on good food and the French countryside. In addition, it focuses on historical WWII events because the bodies involved in this mystery are an Italian naval officer and two young female soldiers, all apparently killed by the Resistance. A theme is certainly the horrors and inhumanity of war, especially as the women of Saint-Denis react to the deaths. Bruno calls upon a variety of contacts to smooth relations for a diplomatic ceremony and to help with a hacking campaign against the police network. A GRAVE IN THE WOODS received a starred review from Booklist, saying, “Bruno’s expansive character (he’s an archeology, cooking, and sports enthusiast) adds spice to this series.”