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Thriller set in the Dordogne

18th September 2017

The Templars’ Last Secret by Martin Walker – thriller set in the Dordogne.

The Templars’ Last Secret is the 10th book in Martin Walker’s Bruno, Chief of Police, series. It is also the first that I have read.

What are my impressions? No doubt at all that this book does a  brilliant job in encouraging visitors to the Dordogne. In this aspect the book is a real treat for TripFiction readers. The countryside and life in small town France really come to life. And the recipes (spelled out in some detail) that Bruno and his friends enjoy are truly mouthwatering. It is an idyllic setting. It would be a quite delightful read without the ‘thriller’ part. I found, though, that for me the ‘thriller’ part jarred a little with the rest of the book. The two struggled a bit to sit side by side…

Bruno is preparing to be best man at the wedding of two archeological friends – Clothilde and Horst – who are working at the nearby Château Commarque. The Château used to be a stronghold of the Templar Knights, and there are believed to be hidden caverns buried in the ruins. Who knows what treasures they might yield? Advanced equipment is brought in to help the search. Another story develops in parallel at the Château… A young woman who was trying one night to climb the walls to paint a slogan falls to her death. But did she fall or was she pushed? Bruno leads the investigation. He is aided by a very tech savvy young black magistrate from Paris who has been sent to fictional St Denis in the Dordogne to understand the detailed way in which a local policeman works. They make an excellent team. The investigation continues – through the eating of many delicious croissants, the enjoyment of many a dinner party, and the consumption of several glasses of excellent local wine.

It turns out that the deceased was an Israeli citizen engaged to a Palestinian. And the whole story takes on the flavour of Middle East intrigue. ISIS terrorists are in the area, but why on earth would they target a sleepy French provincial town? We are sadly used to their activities in major cities like Barcelona, Paris, or Berlin – but what could possibly bring them to the Dordogne? The story, I guess, is plausible – but for me there is an uncomfortable clash between the idyllic setting and the unfolding of the plot. It somehow just doesn’t quite fit. Such excitement is not meant to happen in rural France.

Tina for the TripFiction Team

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Fancy more books set in the Dordogne? Then do drop by our database

Find out more about Bruno, Chief of Police, what he likes to eat, peak at his wine cellar and more….

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