Fatal Pursuit

February 29, 2016
Walker’s engaging ninth mystery featuring police chief Bruno Courrèges (after 2015’s The Patriarch) finds the residents of St. Denis, France, commemorating their relationship with their Alsatian twin town of Marckolsheim. The festivities, which include a classic car parade and a rally car race, have attracted many tourists, including two men hunting for a priceless Bugatti that vanished during WWII. Bruno is preoccupied with his role as a rally car navigator, until a local historian hired to research the Bugatti is murdered. Mediation of a family feud and surveillance of suspected money launderers compound Bruno’s work load, but he still finds time to ride horses, woo attractive women, and consume copious amounts of good food and fine wine. Bruno’s day-to-day business occasionally eclipses the plot, but that’s hardly cause for complaint given the idyllic picture Walker paints of life in the Périgord region. History buffs, racing fans, and automobile aficionados will find plenty to love, and the mystery is intriguing even if it doesn’t fully satisfy. Agent: Stephanie Cabot, Felicity Bryan Associates.