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The Crowded Grave: A Mystery of the French Countryside Audiobook
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(3.04) - 344 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Another delectable serving of mystery and the pleasures of the Dordogne from the newest master of suspense, Martin Walker. It' s spring in the idyllic village of St. Denis, and for Chief of Police Bruno CourrEges that means lamb stews, bottles of his beloved Pomerol, morning walks with his hound, Gigi-- and a new string of regional crimes and international capers. When a local archaeological team looking for Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal remains turns up a corpse with a watch on its wrist and a bullet in its head, it' s up to Bruno to solve the case. But the task will not be easy, not with a meddlesome new magistrate eager to make a strong impression, an ongoing series of attacks by animal rights activists on local foie gras producers, and a nearby summit between France and Spain approaching-- not to mention two beautiful, brilliant women vying for Bruno' s affections. Complicating events even further, the professor in charge of the dig is soon reported missing, leading Bruno to suspect that the past and the present are bound up in dangerous ways. As summer approaches, the wine growing cooler and the fruit sweeter, Bruno's investigations take him indelibly deeper into contemporary Europe' s dark history of terrorist and counterterrorist tactics-- and toward a dramatic finale. As savory as foie gras, as piquant as vin de noix, and as richly complex as the region' s truffles, The Crowded Grave is a feast for mystery lovers and Francophiles alike.
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"Does the job of enticing the reader through to the end. The abrasive relations, and misdirected priorities, between local and national political and law enforcement bureacracies is depicted well, and humorously. A potboiler can't get much better. The value of art, grace, and good cooking in anyone's life is promoted well in this mystery... something we can all use more of, in what we read, and in our own lives!"
— Dennis (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Walker hits the sweet spot of balancing humor and drama, and his food descriptions will leave readers fantasizing about dining in the Périgord.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“A lighthearted celebration of the Périgord region of France…A pleasure for Francophiles, oenophiles, and the palate.”
— Booklist -
“Another delicious romp through a French menu garnished with politics.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Awards
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Winner of anAudioFile Earphones Award
The Crowded Grave Listener Reviews
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" I thoroughly enjoyed this story until the last 30 or so pages. Don't want to spoil it for someone who does want to read this story, but imo the ending needs to be redone. Walker ought not to have killed off the character he did. I was just beginning to like the series. Now I don't want to read any others, nor would I want to see the movie. "
— Ann, 2/18/2014 -
" This book was good. My wife would hate it because of the ending. 4 books to come to this ending. His next book should take care of that. I won't spoil the book with what happened but it's a good read. A glass of wine and a book. What could be better. "
— Kenneth, 2/9/2014 -
" I should probably give this more than three stars, but to me it pales in comparison with the first two Bruno outings. I love the setting and the characters, but I'm afraid that a mystery fan who hadn't read the previous books might have a hard time getting engaged with this one. The complex plot takes a long time to develop. That said, I definitely find this author worth reading, and I look forward to more adventures in the Dordogne. "
— Kay, 2/8/2014 -
" This is my favorite series of books since Inspector Morse died. In this story, Bruno's love life gets more complicated, and the ending had me in tears. "
— Gary, 2/3/2014 -
" This is a great series of books. Bruno is the chief of police in a small town, almost a village, in the Dordogne. "
— Janet, 1/25/2014 -
" A new mystery (series) for me. Fun because it's set in the Dordogne, just below us and we're familiar with the area. A good mystery; some interesting recipes included. "
— Kaye, 1/21/2014 -
" More wonderful Bruno. And they just get better and better. Walker is amazing. "
— Lisa, 1/20/2014 -
" Nice change of setting for me. Very enjoyable. "
— Teryl, 1/12/2014 -
" Fluffy, but the food descriptions are amazing. This book makes we want to visit the Dordogne. "
— Carolyn, 1/11/2014 -
" I feel like this was an improvement on previous books in the series. Still not something I can see myself re-reading, though. It makes me sad that the US publisher is putting these out a year after the UK editions. "
— Snail, 12/20/2013 -
" Enjoyable easy holiday read. The descriptions of French cuisine and wine had me salivating... "
— Sam, 12/14/2013 -
" A loaf of bread, a jug of wine...no, that would be a baguette, a bottle of Bergerac and Bruno. This book was a delight as are all of the Bruno mysteries. "
— Karen, 12/9/2013 -
" Quiet French village delivers a good murder mystery. The fabulous food and wine always make my mouth water. "
— Barbara, 11/19/2013 -
" I love this series set in France. Besides a good mystery, Walker offers French history, culture and culinary treats! "
— Sofia, 9/27/2013 -
" A nice addition to a strong traditional mystery series. A good bet for Louise Penny fans. "
— Ann, 5/13/2013 -
" The best "Bruno" novel yet. Archaeology and ETA terrorism make for an irrestible read with a heartbreaking finale! "
— Olaf, 4/27/2013 -
" This is the best of the Bruno books so far. The series just gets better and better. "
— Annette, 4/13/2013 -
" My least favorite of this series. "
— Terri, 4/1/2013 -
" Even though the ending was a bit over the top and one of my favorite characters met an untimely end, I enjoyed the fourth book in the series immensely. "
— Sharon, 12/10/2012 -
" Is it a mystery? Is it a bit of history? Is it a recipe book? This story was all of them. I know I anticipate the various dinners and parties in which Bruno contributes his delicious sounding dishes and I was not disappointed by this book. "
— Helaine, 8/25/2012
About Martin Walker
Martin Walker, after a long career of working in international journalism and for think tanks, now writes a series of novels featuring Bruno, Chief of Police, which are best sellers in Europe and have been translated into more than fifteen languages.
About Robert Ian Mackenzie
Robert Ian Mackenzie, Earphones Award–winning narrator, became an actor after holding a wide variety of other jobs, including everything from London policeman to water ski instructor in Greece. Since then, his acting career has encompassed straight theater, musicals, opera, films, television, voice-overs, commercials, and recorded books.