📚 Join us for the SMCC Book Club January discussion of Death in the Dordogne!

In a picturesque village in the Périgord region of southern France, we meet Benoît “Bruno” Courrèges, the town’s only policeman. A former soldier turned local law enforcement officer, Bruno has found his paradise in the slow-paced rhythms of rural French life. Though equipped with both a firearm and arrest powers, he prefers to resolve conflicts through understanding and diplomacy.

Bruno’s peaceful existence takes a dark turn when an elderly North African veteran of the French army is found murdered. This crime forces Bruno to set aside his cherished daily routines – tending to his cottage, browsing the local market, enjoying regional wines, and exploring the countryside – to investigate a politically sensitive case.

Partnered with an ambitious young detective from Paris, Bruno must navigate local tensions as they initially focus on anti-immigrant groups. However, as they delve deeper into the victim’s history, Bruno discovers that the truth behind the murder may be far more complicated than it first appears.