The Patriarch {US} / The Dying Season {UK}

I've been passionate about Martin Walker's Bruno Chief of Police series since its inception. Each new book has been eagerly awaited and lovingly read. Walker is a master of portraying the history, culture, and food of the Dordogne in France. When I finish reading each book, it's a miracle that I don't speak with a French accent. I. Love. This. Series.

If you felt that the above paragraph was leading toward a "but," you would be correct. I've been noticing a trend in the last two or three books. A waning of authorial interest perhaps? For me The Patriarch felt rather lackluster.

Walker usually enlightens readers about a little known segment of French World War II history that I normally find fascinating, but this time the plot thread show more involving a French flying ace in Russia and another character's Cold War spy shenanigans seemed hurriedly resolved and just didn't drum up much interest in me. The subplot with the animal rights activist and the hunters wasn't really resolved at all, although Walker did illuminate the entire situation and its repercussions well.

Bruno has to face disillusionment on more than one front in this book. Once again he's at a romantic crossroads, but this time he didn't seem very interested in his own love life. Even the scenes filled with wine and food seemed perfunctory.

Don't get me wrong. I haven't gone off this series by any means. What I perceive to be Walker's "lackluster" novel is still much better than many other writers' "very good" ones. If anything, it's a reminder of how difficult it must be for writers to maintain not only interest but quality in a long-running series. But when I pick up the next Bruno book, there will be a hesitation and a bit of skepticism that wasn't there before. show less

St. Denis town policeman Bruno Courrèges is thrilled with an opportunity to meet his childhood hero, a World War II pilot known as “The Patriarch”. The Red Countess has asked him to be her escort for The Patriarch’s party, probably because he’ll look good while handling her wheelchair. When one of the guests is found dead the next morning, Bruno is called in to take part in a cursory investigation. A doctor quickly rules the death as due to natural causes, but Bruno has a kernel of doubt that keeps growing as the story progresses. Meanwhile, an eccentric local with too many deer on her property finds herself in trouble after one of her deer causes a tragic accident. Per usual for the series, cases that seem completely unrelated show more share common actors.

I’ve come to enjoy this series as a pleasant diversion from day-to-day life, with its idyllic setting and Bruno’s close-knit circle of friends. I try to overlook most of the flaws, but I found it hard to swallow that, after more than a decade as the town policeman, Bruno had not met any of The Patriarch’s family previously. There was a point in the book when I was searching for something, anything, to throw at Bruno. Despite his suspicion of The Patriarch’s daughter-in-law, Madeleine, he didn’t put up any resistance to her seduction, even though it was obvious she was playing him. And Pamela voiced what all readers have been thinking when she observed that, although he says he wants a wife and children, he is attracted to women who don’t want that.

Readers new to the series should be aware that this book contains lengthy spoilers for earlier books in the series. The spoilers and Bruno’s constantly evolving love life are reasons to start this series from the beginning and read it in order. show less

When Bruno is invited to the birthday party of a much admired wartime hero known as the Patriarch he is surprised and thrilled. Unfortunately a long time friend of the Patriarch dies during the celebration. It is assumed many years of excessive drinking has caused the untimely death. Everyone that knew Gilbert thinks that, but Bruno didn't know him and has niggling doubts. Doubts that will almost lead to his death.

I always enjoy the books in this series and I think the mysteries have gotten much better over time. As usual there are recurring characters but new characters as well, friends we know gathering around a table of good food and the lovely French countryside.

This was also published under the title [The Dying Season] and I show more don't find a touchstone for [The Patriarch]. show less

Another 5 star review and ‘thumbs up’ to Martin Walker for his latest book, THE PATRIARCH: A BRUNO, CHIEF OF POLICE NOVEL.
The series weaves together historical figures, places and events of Walker’s beloved Dordogne region of France, the fictional town of St. Denis, Bruno, interesting characters, culture, regional foods, wines and social niceties with quite good mysteries.
I am a big fan. I like the personal aspects of the characters - What drives them? Why do they ‘do’ the things they do? Feel the way they do? The characters are quite real to me and I enjoy Bruno’s musings about his fellow man (or woman).
As always, I learn a bit (a lot) sometimes about French culture, food and wine. But I particularly like the show more ‘regionalness’ (if that is a word) of the mysteries. Walker presents a beautiful picture of the Dordogne. He should get a commission or citation from the local tourist board!
I highly recommend this series and this particular title. show less

The Patriarch - Walker
4 stars

I think Bruno was in over his head with this one. It begins with a murder following a birthday celebration for a WW2 flying ace. As the murder is on Bruno’s home ground he is once again entangled with international intrigue and politics. Somehow the murder victim was involved with complicated, clandestine, Cold War manipulation in Russian politics. I kinda lost the plot there.
I did follow Bruno’s continuing clueless relationships with the women in his life. In Bruno’s case, love (or lust) really is blind. As usual with books in this series, it made me want a fresh croissant with my coffee.

Bruno Courreges is a municipal police officer in an idyllic part of the Dordogne region of France, happy with his dog, his horse and his some-time lover. At a party held to honour a local with an international reputation a man dies, Bruno thinks something is wrong but the man is cremated quickly. Bruno's investigation leads him into local politics and a potential scandal involving France and the Cold War.

This is the eighth book in the series but is the first I have read and it is a really enjoyable, untaxing read. The setting is wonderful and the peppering of the story with comments about food and wine show a lovely twist that makes this book distinctive to many others in the 'comfortable procedural' genre. It all felt a bit 'Midsomer show more Murders'/'Bergerac' in the fact that this sleepy little french backwater is the site of so many murders - the murder rate must be up with the worst in the world - but it doesn't detract from what is actually a well-crafted story. show less

Bruno gets involved with the family of a WWII fighter ace who fought with Russians on the eastern front, as he is invited to the ace's 90th birdtday party at the latter's fabulous chateau. Complications ensue when one of the guests gets suddenly drunk and is found dead the next day. Accident? Well, it is a mystery story.

If I had read it in print, I might have skipped all the food descriptions, but listening to it was very pleasant, and might even convince me to boil some eggs.