Monsieur Pamplemousse, inspector of food and detective extraordinaire, is delighted to have the chance to dine once more at the famed La Langoustine, a restaurant nestling in the hills of Provence. Life as an undercover researcher for a top-class culinary guide can be lonely, and Monsieur Pamplemousse is ever grateful for the companionship of his friend and helper, Pommes Frites, a bloodhound with a finely-tuned nose.

Will La Langoustine win the longed-for jewel in the chef's crown, a third Red Stockpot? The signs are promising as Monsieur Pamplemousse and Pommes Frites await the delicacy of the house, chicken wrapped in a pig's bladder and stuffed with truffles and foie gras, and the room is filled with a mouth-watering aroma of herbs, wine and spices. As Monsieur Pamplemousse stands to make his first cut with a characteristically deft movement, the outer casing collapses to reveal not the expected treat but a dish of far more grisly proportions. Clearly someone wants Monsieur Pamplemousse out of the way, but nothing delights the detective more than the chance to practise the skills he learnt in his sleuthing days at the Sûreté...

Michael Bond was born in Newbury in 1926. In 1958, his first children's book, A Bear Called Paddington was published. In 1983 he started writing adult fiction, with his first tale featuring Monsieur Pamplemousse and his faithful bloodhound, Pommes Frites. He sadly passed away in June 2017.