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Death in the Truffle Wood: A Mystery in Provence (Commissaire Laviolette Mystery, 1) Paperback – September 2, 2008

by Pierre Magnan (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 17 ratings
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Long a renowned crime writer in France, Pierre Magnan has won numerous prizes and has a huge popular following in his native country. Now, with this mouthwatering series debut, Magnan introduces the celebrated Commissaire Laviolette to U.S. readers.

In a small, peaceful village in Provence, the principal source of income is the cultivation and sale of truffes. When Commissaire Laviolette arrives to investigate why several of the town's citizens are missing, it isn't long before their bodies turn up. It takes all of the detective's ingenuity to unravel crimes whose origins are as old as the truffe woods.

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  1. Print length
    208 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    St. Martin's Griffin
  4. Publication date
    September 2, 2008
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.48 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0312367198
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0312367190
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Delightful . . . brings to life the quirky, earthy peasant culture of the Provence region.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“An intellectual feast . . . worthy of that other master of the French mystery, Georges Simenon. A winner.” ―Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Amusing…truly chilling…Magnan should easily find a niche with American readers who enjoy atmospheric, well-plotted mysteries. The Gallic charm doesn't hurt either.” ―Denver Post

“Delightful and unusual . . . successfully combines elements of Christie's old-fashioned gentility and Mayle's French pastoral. . . . [W]ill please both mystery readers and Provence lovers.” ―Booklist

“Whether you like truffes or pigs, it is diffcult to imagine anyone not relishing this savory dish of a book.” ―Washington Times

“Delectably venal . . . consistently excellent and exquisitely descriptive. Vive Laviolette! Vive Magnan!” ―Mystery Scene Magazine

“Deliciously rambles among quirky members of the populace and often macabre aspects of the case. . . . Smartly sublime entertainment.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“A classic murder mystery.” ―Indianapolis Star

About the Author

Pierre Magnan is an award-winning French crime writer. Death in the Truffle Wood was his first Commissaire Laviolette mystery to be published in the United States. He is also the author of The Messengers of Death and The Murdered House, published by Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Minotaur.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition (September 2, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0312367198
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312367190
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.48 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

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Pierre Magnan

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
17 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Meredith Miskowich
5.0 out of 5 stars Want more of his work!
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2014
Verified Purchase
Great "fun" and loved the glimpse into French country life of a certain time. Will search out more of his work.
2 people found this helpful
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Frances Vandervoort
4.0 out of 5 stars I purchased this book to replace a copy from the U. of Chicago library that I had lost.
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2012
Verified Purchase
I'm sure it was an excellent book and I appreciate that you were able to replace the copy I had lost. I did not read it -- I had no time to do so, but may do so in the future.

Thanks!

Frances Vandervoort
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Better than some of the reviewers seemed to think
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2010
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Unlike other readers who wrote reviews I was gripped from the start and had a hard time putting this down. Loved the characters and the atmosphere. Will look forward to reading the next one.
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars A good read, interesting characters - murder mystery set in ...
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
A good read, interesting characters - murder mystery set in a small village in Provence. Several subplots are kept floating, the ending was a surprise. Both I and my wife enjoyed the book.
2 people found this helpful
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Plato Olympus
5.0 out of 5 stars A Quip
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2008
While I agree with Harriet Klausner that "Death in the Truffle Wood" is a wonderful story (I hope all of Magnan's books will be translated to English), I have a quip with her repeatedly identifying in her review Roseline's (the pig) owner, Alyre Morelon, as a "she"; well, Alyre is a man, and husband to Francine who plays an important role in the story.

More Magnan, please!
2 people found this helpful
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Cathy G. Cole
4.0 out of 5 stars Charming mystery set in Provence
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2010
Five young people have disappeared in the vicinity of Banon in Provence. When Commissaire Laviolette comes to investigate, villager Alyre Morelon immediately demands that the police officer looks into a recent incident when someone tried to kill his Roseline, the best truffle-sniffing pig in the entire area.

Laviolette has been sent to Banon because there's nothing remarkable about his appearance and he can blend in anywhere. Well... that's what he tells people. What he's not telling anyone is that his unremarkable visage hides a very observant and intelligent man. When Laviolette obliges Morelon and looks into the incident concerning the pig, he stumbles across something that ties right into the missing persons case he is investigating.

Originally published in 1978, some of you young whippersnappers who read Death in the Truffle Wood may miss your computers and cell phones, but this old fogey found their absence refreshing. (It is nice to remember the "good old days" once in a while when detecting didn't seem to rely on gizmos.) Magnan's sense of pacing is sure, and his characterizations show flashes of brilliance. The various plot lines of injured pig, missing young people, heirs to fortunes and philandering spouses were woven together into an intriguing mystery.

As much as I enjoyed the mystery, it was Magnan's humor and his depiction of the culture of Provence and its people that really won me over. The "forensic lads from Criminal Records" who loved to race between Marseilles and Banon, the relationship between Roseline and her owner Alyre, the description of a local wedding and the behavior of the guests... these are only three instances that made me laugh and made me feel as though I was getting a feel for the real Provence.

Combine all that with a very ordinary-looking and extraordinarily observant policeman, and I find myself with a new and delightful mystery series to continue reading. C'est magnifique!
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous French police procedural
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2007
In Provence, France, Roseline the truffle-finding pig escapes from her owner, Alyre Morelon. She follows her "pet" into the nearby woods. When Alyre catches up to Roseline, she finds someone hurt her sow, but that human beast vanished even deeper into the woods.

Marseille-based Commissaire Laviolette comes to Provence to lead the investigation into the vanishing of five young people. However, Alyre, learning that a professional detective is in town, demands Laviolette work her case; identify Roseline's mugger. She insists the criminal has cost her money as Roseline's nasal inclination is how she makes a living and besides the animal was cruelly injured . Other villagers place demands on the Commissaire, who wants rapid resolution to the disappearances so he can quickly return home to the safety of Marseilles and be away from village politicians.

Although containing a humorous undercurrent mostly caused by the urban cop out of his element in the rural village filled with eccentric townsfolk, DEATH IN THE TRUFFLE WOOD is a strong police procedural with contrasting darker elements. The local "wars" are cleverly designed to provide amusement and insight as Laviolette struggles with tugs on his efforts to locate the missing people and a killer who sliced a throat and left a corpse in deep freeze. Written in the late 1970s, but just translated, Pierre Magnan provides a fabulous French police procedural that will have American readers seek other translations of his works by Patricia Clancy (see BEYOND THE GRAVE; not yet read by this reviewer).

Harriet Klausner
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Top reviews from other countries

Mr. J. K. Burrows
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 25, 2017
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Lovely story
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MR BRIAN J JONES
4.0 out of 5 stars Allez Laviolette!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 28, 2019
Verified Purchase
Good characterization and scene setting raise this book above the mass of crime novels available. Lots of good natured national stereotypes keep it light. But it’s most endearing quality is that it has a pig as a major character. Pity the publishers don’t translate all Paul Mangan’s Laviolette novels
2 people found this helpful
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S aldridge
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2014
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I love Pierre Magnan. His books are brilliant as is the translation.
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