Description

Fires have been breaking out all over Chief Inspector Pel's beloved province of Burgundy, from small houses to woodland. Then a local farmer's flock of sheep is poisoned, a tray of valuable rings stolen from a local jewellers, and the body of a woman is found.

Inspector Pel has his work cut out for him in this exhilarating murder mystery.

Moody, sharp-tongued and worrying constantly about his health, Inspector Pel ensures that no case goes unsolved, in these mordantly witty French mysteries.

Praise for the Inspector Pel Mystery series:

'Totally convincing.' Financial Times

'Mr Hebden has created a nice band of flics.' Oxford Times

'Pel and his procedurals are some of the best things since Maigret.' Observer

'Chief Inspector Evariste Clovis Désiré Pel, as well rounded a character as Maigret or Van der Valk.' Punch

'Impeccable French ambience, unexaggerated flics, and a well-constructed solution. Hebden proves again that few understand Gallic cops better than English writers!' The Times

'Some characters grow as their saga lengthens and Pel... is one of them. You might say he is ripening along with the grapes.' Police Review

'...written with downbeat humour and some delightful dialogue.' Financial Times

'...all is most cunningly contrived and dovetailed into a coherent plot.' Irish Times

'A thoroughly entertaining read.' Evening Standard

'The best Gallic sleuth since Maigret.' London Mystery Selection