The twelfth in the Dordogne mysteries. A missing art student, a hilltop castle, political intrigue and a tragic accident.. or murder..? - Bruno, chief of police, has his work cut out whilst the village of St Denis reels in shock. Hugely enjoyable, as always, well written, atmospheric with wonderfully drawn characters in a beautiful setting - oh, and the food....! Highly recommended - together with the whole of this utterly engaging series of books.

Bruno Corrèges, now Lieutenant and the municipal policeman for St. Denis, is back for another case, together with his horse Hector still stabled with his ex-lover Pamela and his trusty basset hound Balzac. He gets a telephone call from Florence, a friend from the college informing him that a young American student, Claudia Muller, has gone missing. She has been studying in the chateau archives of eminent art historian Pierre de Bourdeille who was also a Resistance war hero and is now wheelchair bound as a result of his bravery. With Bruno's brain and Balzac's nose, the girl is soon found dead at the bottom of a well in an ancient castle's gardens where she had attended a lecture the previous evening. Her death is initially thought to be a terrible accident related to her use of strong opioid painkillers but a post-mortem makes Bruno think that things may not be that simple. So launches an investigation involving FBI man Hodge from a previous story due to the White House links of the girl's rich father and the départment's chief of police, Commissaire Jean-Jacques Jalipeau. Suspects include a recently released prisoner and those who seek to cover up doubts over the reliability of the art scholar's attributions of some valuable works of art. With this story, the reader doesn't just get a great crime mystery, but also lessons in the history of France, Algeria and the wartime Resistance movement and a number of French cookery recipes and wine recommendations too. In particular I learnt much about the life of the amazing Josephine Baker, the American jazz singer who took a French passport to work for the Resistance, assembled a large multicultural family and died bankrupt. I also improved my french vocabulaire at the same time! This is not a quick read, but more reflective of the relaxed way of life portrayed in this wonderful gastronomic region of France and some readers may be slightly dazzled by all the food and drink. I think this adds to the distinctive style of writing which really grew on me as the book progressed. A good murder mystery and a book with a lot of fantastic historical information to share.

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 is taken down a trail that leads him from the ruins of Berlin in 1945, to France's colonial war in Algeria.
If you love a really good murder mystery with graphic descriptions of the French countryside & food to make your mouth water then look no further than this enthralling engrossing series. This is the twelfth book in the series & whilst it could be read on its own I’d strongly recommend reading the whole series. Bruno is one of my favourite detectives, I also love how characters from previous books keep popping in. A thoroughly enjoyable read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for an advance copy of The Body in the Castle Well, the twelfth novel to feature Bruno Courrèges, Chief of Police of the Perigord town of Saint Denis.

Bruno is contacted early one morning by his friend Florence who wants to report another friend, American student Claudia Muller, missing. Claudia left an evening lecture early feeling ill and has not been seen since. Her body is soon found in the well of the castle where the lecture was held. Nobody can tell if it was an accident, suicide or murder and this is unacceptable to Claudia’s father, who is rich enough to have connections to the White House. Soon Bruno is not only wading through French history but trying to prevent American interference in his investigation.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Body in the Castle Well, which, as ever, is not only a good mystery but an interesting tour round local food, history and attractions. I really like how Mr Walker knits it all together seamlessly into an absorbing read.

Bruno is a very nice man, content in his apparently simple life where he is surrounded by close friends, a sympathetic boss and mouthwatering food and wine. There are many descriptions of his food preparation and the local wines he serves with it and the closeness of his group of friends. It would be idyllic if not for his lack of a partner and children and the serious crime that seems to plague the area. Bruno is a smart and, at times, crafty investigator who has connections far beyond what one would expect from a small town policeman. It might not be wholly credible but it’s certainly fun.

Bruno’s current investigation has its roots deep in the past with Vichy France and the Algerian conflict playing their part. Mr Walker is comprehensive in his coverage but it’s all done naturally without the appearance of lecturing. I also enjoyed the role of the Americans who have their own agenda and are not to be trusted. It’s good to see the wily Bruno running rings round them. Claudia’s death is an unusual situation as no one is quite sure how she died but given the interest in it Bruno takes a belt and braces approach which results in some amusing touches.

The Body in the Castle Well is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

I enjoyed every minute of this book. It was such an entertaining mystery, set in an enchanting location, Dordogne of France.
Claudia is a rich American art student, doing her PHD in art history. She arrives in France, and shortly after, her body is found at the bottom of a well. Is it an accident or murder? She was researching about a local art dealer, and a Resistance war hero. Detective Bruno is sent to investigate the case.

It's a very good and clever plot. The descriptions and characters are a delight to read about. I really really loved it. If you like cozy mysteries, this is perfect!
It's 12th in the series, but I don't think it's a problem, you'll enjoy if even it's the first you read.

Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read and enjoyed all the books in this series starring Bruno, chief of Police. I think the reason I enjoy them so much is that they all follow a similar pattern and characters once met in previous books pop up again and it's always lovely to reconnect with "old friends". I also love the descriptions of the area in which the books are set and, of course, the rich history that often goes hand in hand with the cases Bruno gets to investigate. And then there's the food... Reading these books always make me hungry! Bruno himself is a wonderful character. He's a great friend and always willing to help a neighbour in times of strife. He enjoys the simple things in life and appears happy with his lot. In this book he is called in when an American art student fails to return to her boarding house after a lecture held at a local castle. With scant information, Bruno calls upon his faithful hound Balzac to track her. Drawn to the castle well, he is shocked to find her dead. A kitten clinging to her in the water. It's obvious that the men working in the castle grounds hadn't secured the well properly but, what Bruno has to figure out, is was it an accident and she fell trying, or did someone help her down the well?
As well as trying to satisfy the French authorities, Bruno has to also interact with the American side of things. He does this wonderfully in his own inimitable way and calls upon old friends to assist him along the way. Friends who are more than happy to help given that they will probably eventually get fed with some of the most delicious sounding food, washed down with wines of the region.
The plot that weaves itself around all the rest of Bruno's shenanigans is a little complex along the way but it all comes together nicely at the end. There's quite a bit of history to be found alongside but nothing too heavy. There's quite a lot going on at times which causes Bruno a lot of hassle but he plods on and takes his time and eventually, with a bit of help from his friends, gets to the crux of the matter.
All in all, not the strongest book in this series as I sometimes felt that the actual mystery took too much of a back seat occasionally, but definitely a worthy inclusion. Looking forward to seeing what life throws up for Bruno in his next outing. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Crime and food in rural France with a host of interesting characters and the only fictional character I've ever wanted to marry ( he's kind, thoughtful and can cook!) who would not want Bruno. From the first page you are drawn into this novel. It's sheer joy.

A well written mystery set in the Dordogne region of France. Claudia, a wealthy American art student from Yale is working on her Phd in art history. Shortly after her arrival in France, her body is found at the bottom of a well. She had been researching the collection of Monsieur de Bourdeille, a local art dealer and Resistance war hero. Bruno Courreges, chief of police is called in to investigate, is it murder, or a tragic accident?
A strong sense of place with a clever plot make this quite a pleasure to read. Although it is 12th in the series, it works very well as a stand alone.
Many thanks to netgalley and Quercus for an electronic arc.

I love this series and was happy to back to France and meet again the cast of characters.
I think that this is a charming series and you cannot help craving the amazing food and wishing you could spend some time in Perigord with Bruno Courrèges and his friend.
Part of the charm is the description of the French lifestyle and part are the well written mysteries.
This book was no exception: I read it in one setting and the solution came as a surprise.
I loved the well researched historical background that plays an important role in this book.
The characters are lovely and well written, I love Bruno and Balzac his dog.
I am still wondering how they can eat so much food and not being obese or having some serious issues with their cholesterol but I assume it's part of the suspension of belief.
i look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.