A former soldier who's embraced the slowed-down pace of life in the French village of St. Denis, Chief of Police Benoît Courrèges, known as Bruno, finds his idyllic routines interrupted when an elderly veteran is murdered. The victim is a North African who fought in the French army, and the national police are called in to aid in the investigation, suspecting an anti-immigrant perpetrator. As Bruno and his partner get closer to the truth, they find the actual motive for the murder is much more complex, and tied to France's involvement in World War II. Despite the gritty crime at the center of this introduction to the Bruno, Chief of Police series, the novel is rich with descriptions of the charms and pleasures of the French countryside. Grab a croissant, open a good bottle of wine, and delve into this masterful and atmospheric mystery.