A Murder in Springtime

In the next installment of the Bruno, Chief of Police series, a newcomer to St. Denis is found dead in the home of one of Bruno’s best friends—for once, Bruno feels as though he is too close to the case to investigate, until it becomes clear that he’s the only person who can solve the crime.

When Bruno misses several phone calls from his neighbor, Pamela, he has no idea what to expect. He’s shocked to hear that she’s found her new lodger on her back patio, brutally murdered. Bruno knows that Pamela isn’t capable of killing anyone, but then who’s the culprit? And what’s the motive? The victim had only just moved to town to take a job at the local nursing home. She had no enemies in the village, and no friends, either.

Bruno realizes that he can’t be impartial when Pamela is involved, so the force assigns the case instead to their rising star rookie, Fabien. Bruno is happy for Fabien to take the lead. After all, Bruno’s been distracted: by his faltering relationship, by a meddlesome film crew that’s descended on the Dordogne, by a group of opinionated small businesses Bruno wants to help organize a logistically complicated night market. He can’t seem to catch a break.

But when Fabien realizes that the victim is connected to his own past, Bruno steps back in to help. The village has never felt more crowded, and the clock is ticking: Will Bruno and Fabien be able to catch a killer?