A Murder in Springtime A Bruno, Chief of Police Novel

By: Martin Walker

Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2026-05-05

In this latest installment of the Bruno, Chief of Police series, a newcomer to St. Denis is killed in the home of one of Bruno’s best friends—for once, Bruno feels as though he is too close to the case to properly investigate, until it becomes clear that he’s the only person who can solve the crime

When Bruno gets a frantic phone call from Pamela, he’s afraid that something has happened to his beloved horse he keeps at her riding school. But her reason for calling is entirely unexpected: Pamela’s new lodger, whom Bruno recently met over a sumptuous dinner with excellent wine, has been murdered. Bruno knows that Pamela isn’t capable of killing anyone, but then who’s the culprit? And what’s the motive? The dead woman had only just moved to town from the Cote D’Azur to take a job at the local retirement home—she had no enemies in the village, and no friends, either.

As Bruno wrestles with these complications, the force realizes that Bruno can’t be impartial when Pamela is involved, and assigns it instead to their rising star rookie, Fabien. Bruno is happy for Fabien to take the lead. After all, Bruno’s been distracted—by his foundering relationship, by a documentary crew determined to transform sleepy St Denis into a tourist hotspot, by a group of opinionated small businesses suddenly organizing a logistically complicated night market. He can’t seem to catch a break.

But after Fabien realizes that the victim is someone from his past, Bruno has to step back in to help. The village has never felt more crowded, and the clock is ticking: Will Bruno and Fabien be able to catch a killer?