Why a Booktrail?
2000s: A mystery buried deep in France’s medieval past resurfaces – and brings murder with it.
The Templars’ Last Secret (Bruno 10 )
What you need to know before your trail
The beautiful Dordogne – well apart from the fact that the body of a woman has been found outside a cave beneath the ruined Templar chateau of Commarque. It’s obvious she died of a broken neck. But did she fall or was she pushed?
The victim had no ID on her and her fingerprints are not on the database so the only clue to the woman’s identity is that, judging by her perfect teeth, she might be American. However this is not an exact science of course and the hunch leads nowhere.
What’s even more intriguing about this case is the location of the body – the chateau is on of the few Templar sites in France which has always managed to stay hidden until now. For this old mystery and the one just found may merge to explode a bigger secret still
Travel Guide
Martin Walker’s guide to the Dordogne
Saint-Denis
Fictional but the Martin Walker draws inspiration for the town from the region in which he lives, such as Saint-Cyprien, Belvès, Les Eyzies, Siorac, Eymet, and Sainte-Alvère. Saint-Denis is located somwhere along the River Vézère.
Château de Commarque
The castle at the heart of this mystery and story.
“On the cliff overlooking the Beune, a certain Comarc received a tower for safekeeping. One of his descendants was later appointed Abbot of Sarlat during the third quarter of the 12th century. Furthermore, his descendants, with two other Beune families, assumed the duties of hereditary magistrates of the Abbey until circa 1300.” (Jean Lartigaut, Châteaux et Sociétés du XIVe au XVIe siècle, Pierre-Fanlac Ed.)
In the book, the chateau of Commarque, built in the 11th century, was founded by a Bishop of Sarlat and entrusted to the Knights Templar. There are caves underneath and it’s one of the few Templar sites in France that has never been associated with the fabled hidden treasure of the Templars – until now.
The Vézère valley
A sight to behold and in this case more than catches Bruno’s eye. There are more real caves to explore here:
What about the famous prehistoric cave paintings of Lascaux and the heart of the Périgord? Périgueux, its capital was a Roman town and the remains of its amphitheatre , the ‘Domus of Vesunna’ can be seen to this day. Its Tower of Vesunna is an old pagan temple, and is one of most remarkable remains of ancient Gaul.
Beynac Castle
The great castles of Castelnaud and Beynac still glower at one another across the river Dordogne, and remain in such splendid shape that the latest Joan of Arc movie was filmed at Beynac
Booktrailer Review
Susan: @thebooktrailer
I always enjoy visiting St Denis with Bruno and this was a really fascinating mystery! A hidden story within secret underground caverns, all under an old chateau, where in olden times, the Templars once ruled. When in the present day, the body of a woman is found at the bottom of the cliff, well the scene is set for all kinds of mystery and folklore where one small thing the police find often hides something much bigger.
There was something really mythical and magical about this mystery, I have to say that it was the Da Vinci Code for introducing me to the world of the Templars in the first place…but Bruno steps things up a notch or five and really gets his teeth into the culture and heritage of the Templars and more. This is such a fascinating read and I really found myself digging in there deeper and deeper – apt when the story is all about underground caves.Bruno novels are usually a feast for the taste buds – this man’s gourmand tendencies do not go away despite an historical mystery on his doorstep! I was immediately pulled back into Bruno’s world with his usual blend of charm and food loving ways but this is something else. This is a world of political and historical intrigue, links to contemporary events in France and the intricacies of the French police system. But all the while, the charm of the Perigord region, the small village of St Denis never falters, its attraction as strong as ever and the rural idyll one I love spending time in. All wrapped up with a lovely red Bruno bow.
I would definitely recommend a visit to St Denis with Martin Walker!
Booktrail Boarding Pass: The Templars’ Last Secret (Bruno 10)
Author/Guide: Martin Walker Destination: The Dordogne, St Denis (fictional) Departure Time: 2000s
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