While most of France watched their beloved rugby XV being beaten in a memorable World Cup final, the Burgundy Butcher watched his victim die before cutting the corpse into more manageable pieces and disposing of them in the swollen river Saone. When the torso is discovered, Commissaire Pel is faced with an exceptionally gruesome murder - and has no clue to the victim's identity. Under constant pressure from the new Chief of Police and handicapped by two replacement team members - Pel methodically applies himself to unravelling the puzzle. Then when a second mutilated body is discovered, he has to accept the possibility of a serial killer operating on his patch; something he has always dreaded. From his love of foul-smelling cigarettes, his hatred for his witchlike housekeeper and his gruff but obvious affection for his devoted team, Pel is a wonderful creation.