Aug 2026: Bruno, Chief of Police: A Novel of the French Countryside

This month we will be reading and discussing Bruno, Chief of Police: A Novel of the French Countryside by Martin Walker

Meet Benoît Courrèges, aka Bruno, a policeman in a small village in the South of France. He’s a former soldier who has embraced the pleasures and slow rhythms of country life. He has a gun but never wears it; he has the power to arrest but never uses it. But then the murder of an elderly North African who fought in the French army changes all that. Now Bruno must balance his beloved routines—living in his restored shepherd’s cottage, shopping at the local market, drinking wine, strolling the countryside—with a politically delicate investigation. He’s paired with a young policewoman from Paris and the two suspect anti-immigrant militants. As they learn more about the dead man’s past, Bruno’s suspicions turn toward a more complex motive.

DETAILS ABOUT OUR MEETING: We are starting at 6:00 PM for a general greetings and a potluck supper. The book discussion will begin at about 6:45 PM. At the conclusion of the discussion, we will elect the next Fiction book to discuss at the October 2026 meetup. The candidate books will be:

1. Atmosphere: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid
2. The Great Divide: A Historical Novel of the Panama Canal by Cristina Henriquez
3. The Measure: A Novel About Hope, Destiny, and Living Life to the Fullest by Nikki Erlick

Hope to see you there!