An entertaining riviera mystery, ideal for the poolside. I'm looking forward to more from Martin Walker.

Having holidayed regularly near this chateau i was keen to read Martin Walker’s latest edition of the Bruno stories.
A very interesting read based on the music industry and financial irregularities in the care home sector. Several twists involving regular characters over the series make this an enjoyable read and I look forward to many more editions of the Bruno stories.

This book had a real feel of France. The main character was likeable and you were drawn into the story from the beginning.

Bruno at his best. When an aging rock star decides to sell up a chain of events lead to Bruno linking up with his old colleagues. Very descriptive so much so you feel you are there.

I really enjoyed this story. It is the first one of this series I have read and will look out for other titles. It reminded me of Donna Leon’s Brunetti series, which is a good thing. The descriptions of The Dordogne and life there seemed genuine and the plot was well constructed. Recommended.

The 13th instalment in the Bruno series is a mediocre mystery. It is all too obvious from the beginning how the old farmer died. Also, how many international criminals and terrorists can possibly show up in a small town as St Denis? All just so that Bruno can meet his ex Isabelle again. I‘m also getting tired of Bruno‘s cooking which I found very charming and mouthwatering in the first few books. I‘m also wondering how much free time he actually has, going on a morning run, then horseback riding, having breakfast at home and then at a Café, cooking for all his close friends (who seem to get more with each book), and teaching various sports to numerous children, all along with a fulltime job.

If you want to know how to build a hen house, mate basset hounds and cook all manner of food – and blimey, Bruno cooks veggie for the first time, so it must be the end of days – then Martin Walker’s your man. And you’ll be glad to hear that there’s also a decent crime fiction plot the centre of A Shooting at Chateau Rock.

Ignore the fact that the title sounds like something out of a cheesy cowboy movie … This is one of the few series that still engages me. Walker is 13 books in and shows little sign of flagging.

The books are deceptively bucolic – they’re not just about a small-town French policeman, his mates and their culinary delights. There’s always a spine of steel running through the plots, provided by French history or international current affairs. This time it’s the tentacles of Russia and the Ukraine.

As usual, the plot is rooted firmly in the Dordogne. A local farmer is found dead, and his son alerts Bruno to the fact his father had signed over his property to an insurance company in return for a place at a luxurious retirement home. Bruno starts sniffing around and discovers links to a Russian oligarch. And an aging British rock star is about to sell his home – the titular chateau – as his much-younger wife wants a divorce so that she can return to the UK. The couple’s son returns for the summer – with a Russian girlfriend in tow.

If you’re a regular with this series, you know what you’ll get for your money with A Shooting at Chateau Rock. It’s brim-full of local atmosphere but this adventure is very slow, as Bruno meanders around markets, builds a hen house for tiresome love interest Pamela, wonders what might have been when high-flying former lover Isabelle arrives from Paris to help the investigation, and conjures up sumptuous meals for his friends. There are also the requisite political machinations, not least from the mayor – who I don’t think Walker has ever named despite his importance to the series. Things perk up towards the end, although there are no real surprises. It’s comfort reading at its snuggliest.

And if you’re wondering what mating basset hounds has to do with the price of oeufs, it’s because Bruno’s loyal pooch Balzac is now old enough to breed from, so he is introduced to the wonderfully-named Diane de Poitiers (she’s the bitch and not the owner, in case you’re wondering!) Tune in next time to find out whether there will be lots of little Balzacs …

Very different from the usual thrillers it starts with the Dordogne area of France, and Bruno the local policeman where everybody knows everybody, so he talks to the son of a local farmer that suddenly died and was put down to a heart attack and all the inheritance has gone to a retirement home that his father was going to go to but passed before he even set foot thru the door... Then Bruno said he would look into it as it seems to pat, and at the same time, an aging rock star is selling his chateau, most probably to Russian Oligarchs. I found the title a bit confusing because you are waiting for the shooting which occurs towards the end of the story. The author has described the area brilliantly and the story was taken up with what they ate who cooked it and the full recipe, also there is a lot of French legal information whether ii's correct or not I could not say but it has been well documented, so, all in all, it seems to take away the thrill of the story. I soon got a bit bored with it and I've read a lot of scandi novels so being French was not the issue. A lot of work and description have gone into this but unfortunately not for me.

As this was the 13th mystery in this series I was a little concerned that I would be out of my depth with regard to what was going on and who was who, however I needn’t have worried.... it stands alone perfectly. However, now I want to read the other 12 🤦‍♀️ I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I fell in love with Bruno, the Chief of Police, what a gentleman. Charming. The way in which this book was written I was transported to the Dordogne, I love France and now want to go to the Perigord region.

Walker takes you to the Dordogne with him. You can smell and taste the mouth watering food that Bruno cooks and find yourself imagining how easy it would be to immerse yourself into the community, to become a friend and join in the tradition of meeting to eat and drink fine red wine, with good friends.

This is a light and very entertaining mystery thriller, a great page turner, and an enjoyable read.

A local farmer, Driant, dies of a heart attack or so it seemed and his heirs were confused as to why they had been disinherited. It appears that Driant had sold the farm to an insurance company as collateral to stay in a luxury retirement home, but he died unexpectedly before taking up residence. Did he die of a heart attack or was it murder? This is what Bruno set about to find out.

The death of Driant has nothing to do, necessarily, with the shooting at Chateau Rock which isn’t until towards the end of the book, however Walker creates a realistic connection. You learn quite a lot about Driant and what he’s been up to that may have got him killed. And this takes Bruno on a journey of intrigue to find out exactly what happened to this acquaintance who he historically played tennis with.

I loved the characters, the warmth, sense of community, local activity, romance, the mystery and the Russian connection. And there’s a gorgeous dog, Balzac a Bassett Hound, Bruno’s companion, who is taken on an interesting journey of his own.

I learnt quite a lot from this story too. In particular, Walker touches the history of the Ukraine and what happened there, the Maidan protest movement, a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest resulted in a number of deaths and this has an impact on the party at Chateau Rock.

Would most definitely recommend.

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Quercus Books for this eARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.

A Catalogue Of Criminality....
The 13th in the Dordogne Mysteries and Bruno is faced with a veritable catalogue of criminality. Coupled with the glorious setting and the delicious dishes this is a book worth savoring. As ever, a very worthy addition to this wonderful series. A joy.

A Shooting at Chateau Rock is the thirteenth instalment to feature Bruno Courrèges, Chief of Police in the Dordgne town of St Denis and although preferable to have read the previous novels it isn't a necessity as they can each be picked up and enjoyed as standalones without issue. This is a real treat to read and exceptionally thought out. Shortly after local famer Driant’s untimely demise, seemingly from a heart attack, his son Gaston contacts Bruno Courrèges in an angry and confused state. He has discovered that his father had signed over his farm to pay for his fee to stay in a luxury retirement home owned by a Russian oligarch. The money was paid to an insurance company who was to secure his place at the retirement home near Sarlat. It all seems very fishy to Bruno and Driant’s family. Elsewhere infamous rocker Rod Macrae and his wife Meghan are due to divorce and sell chateau rock to split the proceeds. When their children come to visit for the last time Jamie brings with him his Russian girlfriend who turns out to be the daughter of the oligarch who owns the retirement home...

This is a cosy mystery-thriller with an edgier side to it and with the scenes from Midsomer Murders replaced by the sun and serenity of South West France. It is delightful and charming, moves at a swift pace and beautifully written. Escaping to Perigord in your mind is easy as Walker describes the region in rich, vivid detail and the inclusion of so much food makes your mouth water. It's an entertaining and light crime novel with a wonderful atmosphere and superbly crafted plot that deals with corruption, shady insurance scams and Russian oligarchs who appear to act with impunity. Being reacquainted with Bruno is like meeting up with an old friend and it's great to catch up with what is happening in his life too. The countryside and setting was described beautifully with a spot on depiction of small-town life where everyone thinks they know everyone. It addresses the topical issues of bureaucracy/red tape, insurance scams, dirty dealings, Russian oligarchs, climate change and Bruno's basset hound Balzac begins mating. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC.

It's always great to meet again Bruno and his gang of friend and travel to Dordogne.
Mr Walker is great at writing these story that are always a mix of cozy mystery, police procedural and references to the current political situation.
At the same time he's also great at writing books that talk about mouthwatering food and idyllic settings.
This one was a bit slower than other but it was also a gripping and entertaining read that kept hooked till the end.
There's a local mystery in this story but there are also Russian oligarch, international politics and fiscal paradises.
And there are some lovely moments of the life the village and a new beginning for Balzac, Bruno's dog.
The plot is well crafted, engrossing and entertaining with a change of plot in the last part when it becomes fast paced and action packed.
The characters are well thought as usual and the politica background is well researched and interesting.
I loved the mix of elements and I enjoyed my travel and the big and small events in this books.
I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Wowsers, we're on book 13 of this series already and with absolutely no signs of flagging. Obviously I would recommend starting from book one and reading in order which will give you a much better feeling of the setting and the people who inhabit this wonderful part of the world. This is especially important as there is quite a cast of characters to contend with, most with quite a rich history. Throw in quite a lot of wonderful food as the cast meet regularly to break bread (I believe there's a cookbook that accompanies this series) and you really get immersed in all things Dordogne as you read on...
So, in this book Bruno is approached by the heir to one of the local sheep farmers who has sadly died, and who was shocked to find that he had been disinherited. It appears that the farm had been sold and that the return for that was an insurance policy for a posh retirement home. Originally ruled a natural death, at the time obvious given the farmer's health issues, Bruno starts to wonder if indeed this was the case and starts his investigations in earnest. Beginning with the retirement home. This leads him into international waters which allows certain of his old friends to reconnect and assist with his endeavours. Meanwhile we have the chateau owning, aged rockstar who is having a gathering prior to maybe selling up. When these world collide Bruno has his work cut out for him getting to the truth.
I love this series. I got into it late and spent a while playing catch up, something I have already recommended not just for backstory and character development but also cos they are all really rather good. Starting a new book in this series just feels so comfortable and cosy, reconnecting with old friends - exactly what we all need in the troubled times we all find ourselves in these days. A few hours of distraction, swept away to the Dordogne, that wonderful special place that the author really does bring to life within the pages of his books. Couple that with the gastronomic delights that are served up throughout and throw in a rather intriguing plot which kept me on my toes throughout and this book is the complete package.
In fact, the only bad (and sad) thing about this book happened as I was approaching the end. I was desperate to get to the end to finish the story but, at the same time, wanting to cherish every last moment I would have with the characters that I have grown to love. Not wanting the book to end, not wanting to say goodbye. And that, my friends, is the sign of a great series. The anticipation for the next book is nearly overwhelming.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

It's summer in the Dordogne. The heirs of a Périgordian sheep farmer learn that they have been disinherited, and their father's estate sold to an insurance company in return for a policy that will place him in a five-star retirement home for the rest of his life. But the farmer never gets his life of luxury--he dies before moving in. Bruno begins the investigation that leads him to several shadowy insurance companies owned by a Russian oligarch with a Cypriot passport. The companies are based in Cyprus, Malta, and Luxembourg, but Bruno finds a weak spot in France: the Russian's France-based notaire and insurance agent.
This is the thirteenth book in this engrossing series. Once again we are taken on a lovely trip to the French countryside as well as a mystery we have Bruno’s culinary skills & of course his faithful dog Balzac. I love this series & would highly recommend it however at the present time with lockdowns & no travel it was a delight to escape to sunny France for a few hours. Whilst not my favourite in the series & thoroughly enjoyed it & can’t wait for more
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

A Shooting at Chateau Rock is the 13th in Martin Walker’s Bruno Courreges series and it does not disappoint.

The Bruno series are well paced, elegantly written and charming, there are usually 3 threads to the plot, the main mystery, a sub-plot and a beautiful description of the French village life within the Perigord region. Add in Walker’s obvious love for French regional cuisine and wines, the simple recipes that magically appear and you will feel as if you are sitting around the table with him for a Sunday lunch in the French countryside.

This isn’t all food and countryside, Bruno is a tough, likeable character who fans of the series have followed through scrapes and romances (still unresolved). A Shooting at Chateau Rock delves into the way in which wealthy Russians have been purchasing EU citizenship and the crime that follows them. It’s a great page turner for a sunny afternoon, perhaps with a glass of chilled white at your side.

I've always wanted to read Walker's books - his settings and framework really appeal to me, but I never just went about it - and, well, yes, I've missed something really entertaining and satisfying in its skillful way with a story, and presentation of a small community - the detective is delightful in the face of real corruption from an old people's home (now under scrutiny in real life too) - the death of a local popular elderly man on eve of his entering a residential home. the will was changed! and the insurance, the notary and the residential home stand to benefit mightily - I won't say more. But I love the atmosphere and characters in what is a light crime novel - just perfect for these days. I will seek out other Martin Walker novels for sure.

A cosy crime set in Dordogne SW France. I think you probably need to read the previous books in this series to enjoyed this book to it's full benefit.

My first Bruno and while on one hand it's a cosy comfort read, on the other there's a complicated plot of dodgy insurance scams and Russian oligarchs. With plenty of scenery, French cooking and a soupcon of romance, this is undemanding without becoming silly.

It was a couple of days after old Driant's funeral that Bruno Courrèges got an angry phone call from his son. Gaston's father had sold the family farm in order to buy an insurance policy which he had used to secure a life of luxury at an expensive retirement home near Sarlat, owned by a Russian oligarch. Before he even got to go there he died, apparently of a heart attack, and the retirement home collected the proceeds of the policy and Gaston and Claudette Driant were left with just the contents of the farmhouse. The family hadn't exactly fallen out, but Gaston lived some way away and Claudette had fallen out of favour when she announced that she was gay, but they weren't expecting to be almost completely disinherited.

On the face of it, the transactions seemed to be above board but to Bruno, the sums didn't add up. The idea was that when the policyholder died the proceeds would be used to pay for the costs of his care, but Driant might have lived for another five to ten years and the debt accrued wouldn't be covered by the policy. On the other hand, if death occurred fairly quickly the residential home would be quids in. The death certificate stated that Driant had died of a heart attack, but heart failure could have been brought on if Driant had been given viagra and cocaine - and Bruno found evidence that this had happened.

Meanwhile, at another chateau, legendary rocker Rod Macrae and his young wife Meghan are going to divorce and Chateau Rock will be sold to fund new properties and lives for them both. It's not going to happen until the autumn, though and their children, Kirsty and Jamie are returning for one last summer at the chateau. Jamie's brought his Russian girlfriend with him and everything gets more complicated when Bruno realises that her father is the oligarch who owns the retirement home near Sarlat.

The story is raised above the level of cosy crime by a strong, but sensitively-handled storyline about the neglect of farm animals and some interesting thoughts on how climate change is affecting wines and viniculture. I came away feeling that I'd been educated but that it had been done with a very light touch. It's all done in the context of a well-constructed plot.

I want Bruno to settle down and have the family he so longs for, but his heart is still in thrall to Isabelle the security chief who lives and works in Paris. He wants a strong, ambitious woman - but they don't want to settle down in Perigord. And if he lived ion a flat in Paris, how would Balzac, his dog manage? What about Hector, his horse? And the chickens? Bruno's a countryman and he's not going to move. Besides, Balzac is about to become a father...

Regular readers of the series will know many of the characters who appear in the book. You could read A Shooting at Chateau Rock as a standalone, but you would get more out of it if you'd read at least one or two of the earlier books in the series and it's really no hardship Every one is a culinary adventure through Perigord and your mouth will water, I promise you. I'd like to thank the publishers for allowing Bookbag to have a review copy.

A Bruno novel is like a big hug - and certainly much needed at this time. You know what you are going to get, and as ever Martin Walker delivers. This time it's a shady story of insurance scams and Russian oligarchs, as Bruno investigates the death of a local farmer whose will disinherits his children because he has signed away his farm for a place in a local luxury retirement home. As Bruno digs deeper, a local ageing rock star and his family seem also to be involved, leading to the climax of the book at the eponymous Chateau Rock.

However, as much as it's a mystery series, it's the 'everything else' in the book that fans come back for: the lavishly described meals, the exercising of the horses, the on-off romance with Isabelle, the wonderful scenery. And this time Balzac, the basset hound, gets his jiggy on, and Bruno faces one of the toughest challenges of his career so far: making a meatless spaghetti sauce. How will he manage....? And will Balzac hear the patter of tiny paws...?

Comforting and wonderfully indulgent, this series is always a treat.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)