UNICRI, Europol, suspense, thriller, international-crime-and-mystery, international-crimes, local-law-enforcement, cooperation, local-gossip, local-news, local-politics, classic-cars, foodie, France, audiobook, murder-investigation, detective, relationship-issues, relationships, relatives, family-dynamics, family-drama, bullying, bullies, secrets, ex-military, unputdownable, witty, rally-race, historical-places-events, historical-figures, historical-research, history-and-culture, lies, crime-fiction, relics*****

The car is a priceless relic or a myth perpetrated by collectors and enthusiasts alike. The old rumors come into play during the course of a Rally race which Bruno gets roped into helping with and later becomes a contact person when it is determined that having this sort of thing would be very good for the town and the region. The first death APPEARS normal but there are a lot of hinky things about it. It does, indeed turn out to be murder. Things get more and more muddled the further the investigation progresses!
There are lots of side plots and even more foodie descriptions along with complex history lessons that have been well researched. Including the fact that cyanide can be INHALED.
Another unputdownable tale centered around a highly intelligent man who is not interested in fame nor climbing the ladder of police hierarchy.
Voice actor Robert Ian MacKenzie is excellent with interpretation and character definition, and superior in the rolling tones of French pronunciations. ( )

3.5*
I liked this 9th book in the Bruno Courrèges series but it would be nice if the Brigadier and/or Isabelle were not involved in one of these books. They seem to be connected to each one of Bruno's cases! ( )

Bruno is introduced to auto rally by serving as a co-driver; not to become his favorite activity. Another lovely feminine comet also flashes into his bucolic life as well. But, a long-missing fabled Buggati is the main feature in this episode. International money laundering and two murders add spice and some mystery to this chapter of life in the Dordogne. A very good series continues nicely. ( )

This series installment finds St. Denis’s chief of police, Bruno Courrèges, once again juggling multiple responsibilities. He is called to the scene of the unattended death of a researcher. The man was a heart attack waiting to happen, and his doctor would have no problem signing a death certificate to that effect. But Bruno has doubts, and since he’s been right and the doctor wrong before, Bruno is given time to follow up on his suspicions. The participants in a local car rally include a couple of men trying to trace a nearly priceless Bugatti that disappeared during the Vichy regime, last seen in the Périgord. Bruno also steps in to help a juvenile delinquent who is being bullied by a classmate. And somehow he finds time to start a new romance.

I’m neither a racing fan nor a car enthusiast, so this novel’s setting didn’t have as much appeal for me as most of the other books in the series. Maybe that’s why I had a harder time suspending my disbelief when Bruno solved a decades-old mystery in just a few hours’ time.

Just when I thought we’d seen the last of Isabelle, she’s back heading a Eurojust operation in Bruno’s territory. Of all the women that Bruno has been involved with in the course of the series, I like her the least. With time, distance, and a new relationship, it seems like Bruno is finally seeing the flaws in her character.

Finally, a warning to readers new to the series. These novels usually include spoilers for earlier books in the series, although this one has fewer spoilers than most. ( )

When a researcher dies and his report and other things that should have been present are missing, Bruno suspects murder in what appears to be death by natural causes. The autopsy confirms his suspicion. They discover he was researching a historic automobile that disappeared just before World War II. Bruno finds a new romantic interest. Is she involved in the murder? There's some theft by adolescents. One is underage, and Bruno finds him a job with Pamela at the stables. The other is the son of a store owner and continues his bad behavior because his mother thinks he hung the moon. He finds a dose of reality when he passes his sixteenth birthday and is eligible to be tried as an adult. As always the food descriptions and countryside descriptions are wonderful! I listened to the audiobook read by Robert Ian Mackenzie who does a great job. ( )