annieb123's Review of The Body in the Castle Well (Bruno, Chief of Police, #14) (The Dordogne Mysteries)

by Martin Walker

'WILL MAKE READERS LONG FOR LAZY DAYS IN RURAL FRANCE' Irish Independent

Millions of readers worldwide are discovering the special world of Bruno, Chief of Police, and the Dordogne Mysteries. There's murder in paradise in the twelfth case for France's favourite cop in this addition to a beloved series

A missing art student. An international investigation. A secret that will shatter Bruno's charming village of St Denis.

A rich American art student is found dead at the bottom of a well in an ancient hilltop castle. The young woman, Claudia, had been working in the archives of an eminent French art historian, a crippled Resistance war hero, at his art-filled chateau.

As Claudia's White House connections get the US Embassy and the FBI involved, Bruno traces the people and events that led to her fatal accident - or was it murder?

Bruno learns that Claudia had been trying to buy the chateau and art collection of her tutor, even while her researches led her to suspect that some of his attributions may have been forged. This takes Bruno down a trail that leads him from the ruins of Berlin in 1945, to France's colonial war in Algeria.

The long arm of French history has reached out to find a new victim, but can Bruno identify the killer - and prove his case?

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Body in the Castle Well is the 12th Bruno novel (not counting the story collections and novellas) by Martin Walker. Released 4th June 2019 by Knopf, it's 352 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.

This is a book to be savored slowly and enjoyed. It's a warm and inviting visit with an old and welcoming friend. Despite being a murder mystery, it's a very very civilized book, full of quirky affection and genuine hospitality. The motives for murder and conspiracy are complex and rarefied and somewhat academic, paralleled with modern day drugs and wealth and shadows of crimes from WW2.

This author is on my auto-read list and this particular book was lovely; both familiar and new at the same time. I love that the book is redolent with the Gallic sensibilities regarding work, food, culture, life, and love. There is a longish passage in the book describing a culinary event and awards certification for local producers of pâté and the author respectfully (albeit humorously) describes the medieval trappings, the pomp, the wine, the people surrounding the 'Brotherhood of the pâté de Périgueux' and at the same time, provides interesting character and plot development.

The denouement and resolution are satisfying and Bruno once again ties up the loose threads (except possibly of his love life), and he and Balzac and Hector can once again concentrate on the important non-violent aspects of life.

This was such a fun read and I loved it to bits. Long live Bruno!

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Body in the Castle Well (Bruno, Chief of Police, #14) (The Dordogne Mysteries)

by Martin Walker

Reviewed by annieb123 on Aug 6, 2019

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