Reading order · 19 books · 2008 to 2026 · Set in the fictional St Denis, Périgord
Bruno, Chief of Police Books in Order
Benoît Courrèges, known as Bruno, is the only policeman in the small town of St Denis in the Périgord, in south-west France. He solves murders between coaching the children’s rugby team, hunting truffles and cooking long lunches for his friends. Warm, food-filled mysteries with a darker edge of French history.
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Series facts
- Books
- 19
- Published
- 2008 to 2026
- First book
- Bruno, Chief of Police
- Latest
- A Murder in Springtime (2026)
- Setting
- Set in the fictional St Denis, Périgord
The reading order
Every Bruno, Chief of Police book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
19 books · Set in the fictional St Denis, Périgord
- 1Bruno, Chief of Police2008With Bruno CourrègesBruno, the chief of police in the Périgord town of St Denis, investigates the murder of an elderly North African veteran of the French army, found with a swastika carved into his chest.Buy on Amazon
- 2The Dark Vineyard2009With Bruno CourrègesA fire destroys an experimental crop field near St Denis, and then the rivalry between wine producers turns deadly.Buy on Amazon
- 3Black Diamond2010With Bruno CourrègesA truffle hunter is murdered, and Bruno uncovers a fraud in the truffle market.Buy on Amazon
- 4The Crowded Grave2011With Bruno CourrègesAn archaeological dig near St Denis uncovers a body that is far too recent.Buy on Amazon
- 5The Devil’s Cave2012With Bruno CourrègesThe body of a woman floats down the river in a boat, surrounded by satanic symbols.Buy on Amazon
- 6The Resistance Man2013With Bruno CourrègesThe death of a former Resistance fighter leads Bruno to a bank robbery from the Second World War.Buy on Amazon
- 7Children of War2014With Bruno CourrègesAn undercover police officer is found murdered, and a young man from St Denis returns from Afghanistan.Buy on Amazon
- 8The Dying Season2015With Bruno CourrègesA celebrated war hero celebrates his ninetieth birthday in St Denis, and soon a death follows.Buy on Amazon
- 9Fatal Pursuit2016With Bruno CourrègesThe hunt for a rare vintage racing car leads Bruno into a deadly chase.Buy on Amazon
- 10The Templars’ Last Secret2017With Bruno CourrègesThe body of a woman is found at the foot of a cliff below an old Templar fortress.Buy on Amazon
- 11A Taste for Vengeance2018With Bruno CourrègesA British woman fails to arrive at the cooking course Bruno is running, and her disappearance leads to murder.Buy on Amazon
- 12The Body in the Castle Well2019With Bruno CourrègesAn American art student is found dead in the well of a castle near St Denis.Buy on Amazon
- 13The Shooting at Chateau Rock2020With Bruno CourrègesA farmer’s death leads Bruno to a Russian oligarch and an ageing rock star’s chateau.Buy on Amazon
- 14The Coldest Case2021With Bruno CourrègesBruno uses new techniques to put a face to a skull from a decades-old murder.Buy on Amazon
- 15To Kill a Troubadour2022With Bruno CourrègesA Catalan band’s song angers the Spanish government, and Bruno must protect the musicians during a festival.Buy on Amazon
- 16A Chateau Under Siege2023With Bruno CourrègesBuy on Amazon
- 17A Grave in the Woods2024With Bruno CourrègesBruno must find out whose bones lie in three graves in the woods, and whether they date from 1944, as record river levels threaten St Denis.Buy on Amazon
- 18An Enemy in the Village2025With Bruno CourrègesWhen a businesswoman who rented chateaux to wealthy expatriates is found dead, Bruno senses something darker, even as he faces pressure to resign.Buy on Amazon
- 19A Murder in Springtime2026With Bruno CourrègesWhen his friend Pamela’s lodger is killed, Bruno must step back from the investigation, while juggling romance and a plan to revive the farmers’ market.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with Bruno, Chief of Police. Bruno’s friendships and loves develop through the series.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Bruno Courrèges | Gérard Mangin | Isabelle Perrault | Jean-Jacques Jalipeau | Fabiola | The Baron | Pamela Nesbitt | Florence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Bruno, Chief of Police | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 2 The Dark Vineyard | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | |
| 3 Black Diamond | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 4 The Crowded Grave | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 5 The Devil’s Cave | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 6 The Resistance Man | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 7 Children of War | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 8 The Dying Season | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 9 Fatal Pursuit | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 10 The Templars’ Last Secret | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 11 A Taste for Vengeance | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 12 The Body in the Castle Well | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 13 The Shooting at Chateau Rock | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 14 The Coldest Case | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 15 To Kill a Troubadour | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 16 A Chateau Under Siege | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 17 A Grave in the Woods | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 18 An Enemy in the Village | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 19 A Murder in Springtime | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
Characters in the Bruno, Chief of Police books
9 characters from Martin Walker’s chart, with the number of Bruno, Chief of Police books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Bruno CourrègesChief of police in St Denis | 19 | Bruno, Chief of Police 2008 |
| Gérard ManginMayor of St Denis and Bruno’s mentor | 19 | Bruno, Chief of Police 2008 |
| Isabelle PerraultPolice detective and Bruno’s great love | 19 | Bruno, Chief of Police 2008 |
| Jean-Jacques JalipeauChief detective of the region | 19 | Bruno, Chief of Police 2008 |
| FabiolaDoctor and Bruno’s friend | 19 | Bruno, Chief of Police 2008 |
| The BaronLocal aristocrat and Bruno’s tennis partner | 19 | Bruno, Chief of Police 2008 |
| Pamela NesbittScotswoman who runs a riding stable | 18 | The Dark Vineyard 2009 |
| FlorenceScience teacher and Bruno’s friend | 17 | Black Diamond 2010 |
| BalzacBruno’s basset hound | 13 | Children of War 2014 |