Benoît "Bruno" Courrèges is the sole municipal police chief of St. Denis and a former soldier who served in Bosnia. He prefers community-based policing over strict law enforcement, often protecting locals from distant European Union bureaucracies. Deeply embedded in the culture of Périgord, he acts as a youth sports coach, makes his own walnut wine, and functions as the guardian of the town's traditions. His peaceful routine is disrupted when he must assist national authorities in a sensitive local murder case.

Hamid is a reclusive, elderly veteran living quietly in a remote cottage near St. Denis. Known locally as a Harki—a North African who fought for the French army—he is considered a decorated war hero who proudly displays his Croix de Guerre medal. His brutal murder, marked by a swastika carved into his chest, serves as the primary mystery of the story and draws national political attention to the quiet rural town.

An inspector with the Police Nationale from Périgueux, Isabelle is assigned to assist with a politically sensitive local murder case. She is a highly capable, modern detective trained in martial arts and deeply familiar with formal police procedure. Initially reliant on urban, by-the-book policing methods, she gradually learns to respect the value of localized, rural intelligence.

The gendarmerie captain newly assigned to the region. Originally from Normandy, he relies heavily on formal procedures and rigid legal hierarchies. His inflexible methods frequently clash with the established, relationship-based practices of the rural town, making him an ineffective figure during localized crises.

The pragmatic and politically savvy mayor of St. Denis. A former political operative with connections in Paris, he functions as a mentor to the local police chief and acts as a fierce protector of the town's traditions, economy, and public image. He expertly deflects unwanted attention from state authorities to keep St. Denis autonomous.

A respected mathematics teacher in St. Denis and the son of an elderly veteran. He is well-integrated into the local community but struggles with the historical trauma of being an immigrant in France. The sudden, violent death of his father throws his life into turmoil and raises old fears regarding racial hatred in the country.

A local rugby star and the owner of the Café des Sports. A popular, athletic figure in the village, he experiences deep grief and shock when he discovers his grandfather's brutally murdered body. The trauma of the event, coupled with subsequent legal troubles during a protest, threatens his livelihood and tobacco license.

An elderly bicycle shop owner and veteran of the French Resistance. He harbors a decades-long animosity toward a fellow veteran from a rival faction, maintaining a stubborn silence that is a well-known fixture of the local community.

An elderly shoemaker in St. Denis who fought for a rival faction of the French Resistance during World War II. Like his counterpart, he remains stubbornly entrenched in old grudges, refusing to speak to his former comrade since the end of the war.

The privileged but disaffected teenage son of a prominent local doctor. He associates with the local chapter of the Front National, drawing heavy police scrutiny when authorities suspect a brutal crime is politically motivated by extreme right-wing ideology.

A local teenager who runs in the same circles as right-wing political activists. Her attendance at illicit parties and weak alibis make her a primary person of interest when national police forces crack down on suspected extremists in the area.

An English expatriate who runs a guesthouse out of her beautifully restored farmhouse near the woods in St. Denis. She represents a newer wave of foreign residents in the Dordogne region and occasionally provides the local police with observational insights regarding activities near her property.

A history professor and friend of the local English expatriates. Her academic expertise in the Vichy regime and French wartime history becomes a valuable resource for local law enforcement when historical context is needed to understand specific records and team rosters.

The chief detective of the Police Nationale from Périgueux. He leads the official state investigation into the town's brutal crime, coordinating specialized raids while relying heavily on municipal officers for their regional intelligence and personal connections.

An ambitious young magistrate from Paris dispatched to St. Denis to oversee a politically sensitive case. He embodies the distant, agenda-driven priorities of the central government, often dismissing localized evidence in favor of narratives that suit national political goals.

A respected physician in St. Denis. He firmly defends his teenage son from police suspicion and attempts to maintain his family's respectable standing amidst a growing political controversy and a highly publicized legal crackdown.

The largest landowner in the village and a key member of the local social hierarchy. A veteran of the Algerian War, he plays tennis with the municipal authorities and offers historical perspectives on France's complex colonial conflicts.