Bruno's Challenge

And Other Stories of the French Countryside

By: Martin Walker

Narrated by: Robert Ian Mackenzie

Martin Walker presents his first collection of Bruno stories featuring all the familiar characters from the novels, the glories of the Périgord, and ample helpings of food and wine.

After a prisoner breaks parole to see his son on Christmas, Bruno must track him down before he throws away his chance at eventual freedom. When a Senegalese man’s coffee sells superbly at the market, some café owners become incensed by the new competition and take matters into their own hands. As a Swiss tourist and a St. Denis native fall in love over the fruit-and-veggie stall, one of their family members takes drastic steps to break them up. A thriving tour bus business is sabotaged, leading Bruno to take a closer look at a town love triangle. Called in to investigate a case of stolen oysters, our beloved policeman reunites with an old flame to catch the shellfish thieves.

In story after story, Bruno settles town disputes, mediates family quarrels, and tracks down lawbreakers in his adored village of St. Denis and its environs. Featured meals in the collection include a fatty Christmas goose, a savory nettle soup with crème fraîche, and a fluffy quiche lorraine.

©2022 Martin Walker (P)2022 Recorded Books

Wonderful start to a ‘new’ series (for us)!

We’re so pleased to have discovered this series, and are truly looking forward to delving in! We have been thoroughly enjoying the Inspector Montelbano series by Andrea Camilleri, but are getting close to the end, and were not sure we’d be able to find another writer with a similar engaging cast of characters and entertaining story lines … but Martin Walker’s Inspector Bruno has filled the bill! Thank-you!

I love Bruno and his food!!!

I am never sure if I read these books for the story or the food. just listen or read and you are transported to a wonderful group of friends and delicious food. Some day I will get to travel to this part of France eat the food drink the wine and listen to all the books over again!all the books

As Always A Delight

A nice collection of shorter stories. Perfect for short trips. Vignettes of Bruno's life in the Périgord without the weight of a murder to solve. Bruno's humanity shines through. The great food and community spirit are a pleasure to imagine.

Characters

Sweet stories well told. The narrator is excellent. I always feel good after hearing them.

Fabulous series

Fun, interesting, Bruno is a cross between an angel and a cad. If you love France, you learn more. But you can also just love a good tale and a wonderful narrator.

Absolutely Riveting

Although I do not read short stories very often, I found these to be supremely satisfying. A marvelous way to spend more time with Bruno, Balzac and the marvelous cast of St. Denis characters. Thank you Martin for writing such wonderful stories and thank you Robert for bringing so much life to the reading!

Mr. Walker has taken Bruno back to policing and out of super hero behavior.

Wonderful stories of food, wine and the denizens of St. Denis, both two and four-legged.

didn't care for narration

not at all how i imagined Bruno's voice, also very slow, even when i speeded it up.

Outtakes and Ephemera

I love the Bruno series, but this compilation is not a book of short stories. There are, perhaps, two pieces that might qualify, and one of those (Bruno and Pere Noel) has already been released as a single on Audible. The rest is made up of outtakes and ephemera, side plots that have been excised by the editor or author, and detailed descriptions of elaborate meals. Yes, the menus do play an important part in the activities of St. Denis, and they're integral to the books. Nevertheless, they don't stand well on their own. So I feel this is just a compilation thrown together to keep fans interested while waiting for Walker's next book.