• Black Diamond

  • A Mystery of the French Countryside
  • By: Martin Walker
  • Narrated by: Robert Ian MacKenzie
  • Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (634 ratings)

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Black Diamond  By  cover art

Black Diamond

By: Martin Walker
Narrated by: Robert Ian MacKenzie
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Publisher's summary

Best-selling author Martin Walker’s previous two novels starring Chief of Police Bruno Courrèges became hits with fans and critics around the globe. In this thrilling third mystery, Bruno has his hands full with trouble in the truffle trade in St. Denis’ marketplace. And when a friend is murdered, things really start heating up.

©2010 Walker and Watson Ltd (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Walker’s bucolic mysteries offer a gentle reminder to slow down and smell the grapes.” ( New York Times Book Review)

What listeners say about Black Diamond

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Engaging action, great characters/sense of place!

Bruno Courrèges is the Chief of Police (indeed, the only policeman) in the small, fictional town of St. Denis, located in the rural Périgord region of France. A lovely small town where everybody knows each other would seem the unlikeliest spot on earth for murderous crimes to occur. But they do, often bringing in more high intelligence concerns than might be imagined for such a quiet spot.

In this book, Bruno is faced with managing trouble between Chinese and Vietnamese gangs, with roots leading back to the time before the war. There is also something strange taking place in the lucrative truffle market, and Bruno has to handle both situations at once. As often happens in these books, the trouble is not just an upset between neighbors, but rather arises from a greater and older piece of French history.

The people are richly and beautifully drawn, and through them, we sense the character of people living a lifestyle that feels threatened by in the incursion of modern government oversight and regulations. But when the need arises, Bruno is very capable of shifting from small town policeman (think American Andy Griffith) to capably working hand in hand with the more sophisticated levels of police and intelligence communities. After which, he always comes home to his modest house, his cooking, loving, and community involvement.

This is just a wonderful series, and the narration is superb! I only wish there were more of them. It sure makes me wish I cook book a trip to southwest France to see the area from which these stories arise. I so very much recommend them to anyone intrigued with stories that evoke a brilliant sense of location and people!

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent series...one small quibble

I've thoroughly enjoyed the 3 titles in this series so far. They're well written with likeable characters, and the plots are not obvious. The reader, Robert Ian MacKenzie, is, for the most part, spot on, but I feel that his characterization of the character of Pamela, described as an elegant British horsewoman and landowner, who is one of Bruno's romantic interests, is so off-base that I find it hard to listen. MacKenzie makes her sound like one of the laughable dowagers from a "Wallace and Gromit" episode, divesting her of any of the warmth and attractiveness which supposedly draws Bruno to her. Other than that, an excellent series.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Weakest of the 3

If you’ve listened to books by Martin Walker before, how does this one compare?

My least favorite

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

Any additional comments?

The ending was like a soap opera and it felt as if the author rushed to finish/tie up all the loose ends...and the last few lines were really (I hate to say it) sappy.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great, (if unlikely) continuation of Series

Very absorbing continuation of Chief Inspector Bruno series. Love the description of the land, the people and the food.

A little stretch of the imagination as Bruno juggles women- relationships- past, present and likely future. Found myself thinking ‘Really??!’ But happy to continue with the story, male fantasy aside.

The narrator is terrific- great voice and emotional tone.

Enjoyed the historical complexity. Makes me want to research further.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story and historical research

federal-agents, local-gossip, local-law-enforcement, espionage, France, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, relationship-issues, relationships, illegal-immigrants, Vietnamese, Chinese-gangsters, rural, lies, secrets, murder, murder-investigation, torture, rivalry, due-diligence, local-politics, small-town, audiobook, international-crime-and-mystery, international-espionage, suspense, truffles, pet-dog, foodie, environmentalists, arson*****

I am now officially addicted to following the investigations of Bruno, Chief of Police.
This episode has rugby, Chinese gangsters, espionage, Vietnamese/French history, arson, relationship entanglements, a self-important local millionaire, wonderful food, and an intense murder mystery. Well worth the read!
Voice actor Robert Ian MacKenzie is excellent and is great for pronunciations I don't know.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Lovely

This is a charming and gentle mystery. A truly lovely read. Makes me look forward to hearing more.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Weak and confusing story

Tough to listen to. Wandering plot with too many characters . Not his best Bruno book

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Easy Entertainment

Although a bit predictable, these stories are entertaining and bring a smile to my heart. Living in Bordeaux and adoring excursions to the coast and the Perigord, I can see, hear and taste what the author describes. Greetings from Carcans Plage and Camping… sipping Bergerac Rosé by the ocean.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love Bruno

I love this series, and Black Diamond is one of my favorites. My big gripe with the narrator is how he says “sensual” or “sexual”. Way creepy.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book

I love all of Martin Walker’s works and I highly recommend this. It is beautifully narrated.

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