Title – The Templar’s Last Secret
Author – Martin Walker
Published – June 2017
Genre – Crime fiction
This is the tenth in the ‘Bruno, Chief of Police’ series of books and although I haven’t read all of the series it certainly seems to be the case that Walker isn’t losing his way as time moves on.
For me these books are a sort of ‘aspirational crime fiction’. Who wouldn’t want to be living in the countryside of the Périgord, riding horses, meeting up and cooking with friends – all accompanied by Balzac the basset hound. Despite the setting the situations do manage to echo the darkness of the ‘outside world’ which keeps the books topical but with the execution still keeping to the cosier side of crime fiction. All done without the getting the feeling that the circumstances are stretching credibility.
This latest title in the series is a great combination of the old and the new. The book opens with the discovery of the body of a woman outside a cave beneath the ruined Templar chateau of Commarque. The woman’s death re-opens debate over a centuries-old mystery concerning hidden treasure. This, as well as the forthcoming marriage of Bruno’s friends, two professional archaeologists, allows Walker to explore the history of the area and the Templars. (I have to confess that some of the background did feel a bit unnecessary.)
During the course of the investigation Bruno has a Ministry of Justice bureaucrat foisted on him who intends to carry out a time and motion study to better understand how he works with the locals and the gendarmes. The situation isn’t as bad as it may seem as Amélie has an exotic background, a dress style not often seen in the area and a singing voice that gains her more than a few admirers. Her character acts as a bit of a sidekick to Bruno and she becomes involved in his investigations, with the important task of demonstrating the power of social media.
Bruno’s investigations do, however, lead to a very modern problem. This involves a more traditional investigation which is eventually headed up by the mysterious Brigadier from Paris as well as a face from Bruno’s past.
Another enjoyable read in the series with the mix of domestic tranquility, police investigations, a race against time situation, historical background and very topical issues. And I can’t be the only person who has gone on to google the region to find out more about it after reading one of Walker’s books!
Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
