'THE MAIGRET OF THE DORDOGNE' ANTONY BEEVOR

Bruno has been promoted, but his new responsibilities aren't what's making him nervous. That would be the promise he made to his friend Pamela to teach some classes at her new cookery school. Cooking the delicious traditional Perigord dishes he loves is one thing, but presenting to a class of people at the same time? In English? Even brave Bruno is quaking in his boots.

The disappearance of one of the cookery school clients almost comes as a welcome relief. At first Bruno is unconcerned, but the discovery of the woman's body in one half of a double homicide soon proves how wrong this feeling was. The other murder victim is more mysterious - a man, covered in combat scars and with a false passport. Investigations reveal him to be an ex-soldier of fortune, with a list of enemies as long as Bruno's arm. Any one of them would have had good reason to kill him - but which group managed it? And how did they find him?

As more of their mystery man's previous life is revealed, Bruno realizes that he and Pamela's cookery student may not have been the only intended victims in the vicinity. Now he must conduct the biggest manhunt in St Denis history to find the killers before they strike again.