Monsieur Pamplemousse on the spot

As a reward for services beyond the call of duty, Monsieur Pamplemousse, Sûreté sleuth turned food inspector, finds himself ensconced at Les Cinq Parfaits, the world-renowned hotel-restaurant on the shores of Lac Leman.

Sadly, his ever-faithful hound, Pommes Frites, is denied access to the dining room, but nothing daunted, he sniffs his way to his own gastronomic nirvana - with dire consequences for all concerned.However, Pommes Frites' problem is soon overshadowed by the disappearance of Jean-Claude, the Parfait brother responsible for the establishment's justly famous Soufflé Surprise.

The outlook is grave: the country's oil supply depends on the goodwill of another guest, an Arab whose anger at being deprived of his favourite dessert bodes ill for the motorists of France.

Once, again, the indefatigable Monsieur Pamplemousse comes to the rescue and in no time at all is up to his eyeballs in trouble - especially when he encounters Fräulein Brünnhilde, gym-mistress at a nearby girls' finishing school, and proud possessor of two magnificently large and undeniably desirable balcons.