Where to Start Reading Bruno, Chief of Police
The best place to dive into this series is with the very first novel, Bruno, Chief of Police (published as Death in the Dordogne in the UK). Reading from the beginning allows you to watch the close-knit community of St. Denis grow, understand Bruno's mysterious past, and follow the evolving relationships of the recurring cast.
Publication Order vs. Chronological Order
Martin Walker's novels are written in a linear chronological timeline that matches their publication order. However, the author has also released several digital-first novellas and short stories that slot in between the main novels. While you can skip these shorter tales without losing track of the main mystery plots, reading them in chronological order adds delicious flavor and background depth to the village's seasonal life.
Fortunately, you don't have to track down every individual e-short; most of the novellas are conveniently collected in the print and ebook compilation Bruno's Challenge and Other Stories of the French Countryside (2022).
Complete Bruno, Chief of Police Reading Order
Here is the recommended reading path for the entire series, incorporating both the main novels and the short stories at their chronological entry points:
- 1. Bruno, Chief of Police (also published as Death in the Dordogne) (2008)
- 2. The Dark Vineyard (2009)
- 3. Black Diamond (2010)
- 4. The Crowded Grave (2011)
- 4.5. Bruno and the Carol Singers (also published as Bruno and le Pere Noel) (2012) – Novella
- 5. The Devil's Cave (2012)
- 6. The Resistance Man (2013)
- 6.5. A Market Tale (2014) – Novella
- 7. The Children Return (also published as Children of War or Death Undercover) (2014)
- 8. The Dying Season (also published as The Patriarch) (2015)
- 9. Fatal Pursuit (2016)
- 10. The Templars' Last Secret (2017)
- 10.5. The Chocolate War (2018) – Novella
- 11. A Taste for Vengeance (2018)
- 11.5. A Birthday Lunch (2019) – Novella
- 12. The Body in the Castle Well (2019)
- 12.5. Oystercatcher (2020) – Novella
- 13. The Shooting at Chateau Rock (2020)
- 14. The Coldest Case (2021)
- 14.5. Bruno's Challenge and Other Stories of the French Countryside (2022) – Short Story Collection
- 15. To Kill a Troubadour (2022)
- 16. A Chateau Under Siege (2023)
- 17. A Grave in the Woods (2024)
- 18. An Enemy in the Village (2025)
- 19. A Murder in Springtime (2026)
The Non-Fiction Companion and Cookbooks
If Bruno's mouthwatering meals leave you hungry, you can bring the tastes of St. Denis into your own home. Martin Walker co-authored Bruno's Cookbook: Recipes and Traditions from a French Country Kitchen (2023) alongside his wife, food writer Julia Watson. This companion volume serves up more than 90 recipes directly inspired by the culinary adventures in the Dordogne Mysteries, making it the perfect companion piece to the fiction series.