The Patriarch

Bruno, Chief of Police

By: Martin Walker

Narrated by: Robert Ian Mackenzie

A beloved village, a renowned family, a suspicious death - it's the latest adventure in the Dordogne for police chief Bruno. When Bruno is invited to the lavish birthday celebration of World War II flying ace and national icon Marco "the Patriarch" Desaix, it's the fulfillment of a boyhood dream. But when the party ends in the death of Gilbert, Marco's longtime friend, it's another day on the job for the chef de police. All signs point to a tragic accident, but Bruno isn't so sure. There is more to the Desaix family's lives and loyalties than meets the eye.

There is Victor, the patriarch's son, Gilbert's old comrade-in-arms and sometime rival; Victor's seductive wife, Madeleine, whose roving eye intrigues Bruno even more than her fierce political ambitions; Yevgeny, another son, an artist whose paintings seem to hold keys to the past; and the patriarch himself, whose postwar Soviet ties may have intersected all too closely with Gilbert's career in Cold War intelligence. Bruno is diverted by a dangerous conflict between a local animal rights activist and outraged hunters - as well as meals to cook, wine to share, and an ever more complicated romantic situation. But as his entanglement with the Desaix family grows and his suspicions heighten, Bruno's inquiries into Gilbert's life become a deadly threat to his own.

©2015 Walker and Watson, Ltd. (P)2015 Recorded Books

Not the best Bruno story.

I thoroughly enjoy this series, but felt Bruno acted out if character in this one.

Enjoyable, but...

If I reach the eighth entry in a series, I like the books a lot. That said, this one contained far too much rhapsodizing on Bruno's response to women for my liking. The endless descriptions of women's shining, curling loose hair, the breasts, the legs, the scents, the color, texture and feel of their skin, blah, blah, blah. It's starting to feel a bit sexist, and like I'm a voyeur into what should be Mr. Walker's private fantasies. I hope Bruno gets his act together with a partner in the next book so we can get on with the investigation, and not have to reclassify these books into the romance category.

The narration has always seemed to me to fit the mood of the books, but the Russian accent here was completely over the top and sounds like a Transylvanian vampire from a B movie.

I enjoyed this one, but I've enjoyed the others more.

The characters were believable and I think the dog is even more human than the humans.

I have listened to other stories with this character but for some reason this one really held my attention better than the others did.

Very good

Love the writing and performance. Not My favorite of his books but still very good

one of his best.

great story, weaving in unique WWII material with Cold War espionage, and good ole skeletons in the family closet.