Police Inspector Evariste Clovis Désiré Pel is a small, dark, sharp eyed man with thinning hair. To the viewer he is not imposing or threatening as policemen are expected to be. It is his intense manner and stick-to-it-ness that enables him to solve various crimes.

This time, he is more concerned about his romance with MadameFaivre-Perret and the possibility of it becoming permanent, rather than any crime. Each time he tries to spend time with her, he is pulled away by duty. This time is no different.

Stolen detonators from a quarry. A woman on her way home hit by a stray bullet. Explosives stolen from another location. A boy found dead in the woods. All within the same time frame. Related incidents or random?

The thought of terrorists means that there must be a quick solution, as the President is due for a visit to the Burgundy area in less than two weeks.

Hebden takes these threads and weaves a complex plot, with twists and turns and false starts. Pel is thorough in his investigation and in following the various leads, in order to match up the threads and form a complete picture of who, what, where when and why. Meanwhile, Pel is also wondering if his courtship of Madame Faivre-Perret will ever have a smooth and romantic period.

I enjoyed the characters and the plot. Something I took my time reading and savouring. ( )