If Bannalec hadn't been able to hack it as a mystery author, he'd have had a great career in tourism; he sells me on Brittany every time I read one of his books. Brittany springs to life off the page.

This can also be a hinderance; too much of it bogs the story down and there are spots of too much in this book. The start, where he's setting the scene in the salt gardens, almost killed the story's momentum before it could ever get started. I mean, yeah, it was beautiful and descriptive, but it dragged. I deducted 1/2 star for the moments like this that happened throughout the book.

Once the story got going though, and the bodies started dropping, the pace picked up dramatically, so that by the end it was as edge-of-your-seat as traditional mysteries get. I like Dupin, too, although he comes across a bit off-foot in this one, as I think he's meant to, as he has to work with a female detective that's as take charge as he is.

There are at least 5 more books in this series to look forward to, and it's a series I think I'd eventually like to own. They're not the binging kind, but quite enjoyable once or twice a year - especially if you're in the mood for a mental holiday-on-the-page. ( )

My favorite contemprary mystery series. Inspector Dupin is out of his official territory when he investigates some strange blue barrels at the behest of a friend. Then he himself is shot at and wounded and his friend is murdered. Partnered with the local Commisionare Rose, this complex case runs him ragged. I though the science of the crime was a bit thin, but the story is good. ( )

thriller, suspense, murder, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, procedural, friction, friendship, colleagues, saltmarsh, Brittany, food, coastal, sly-humor, attempted-murder, journalist*****

This one literally starts out with a bang. While snooping around a salt marsh on the advice of a journalist he trusts, Dupin gets seriously shot at in an area of no cell service. He is out of his jurisdiction but isn't going to tolerate getting bumped off the case by the appropriate commissaire. So they form a fractious alliance amid lying suspects, a couple of murders, and... a kangaroo? Great police work in an inhospitable area despite a shoulder wound and personal issues. Now I want lamb terrine!
I really enjoyed the book, I have no idea whether the translation was good or bad, and this is the audio (which saved me from feeble pronunciations). Translation copyright 2017 by Sorcha McDonagh. This is the best I can do to recognize the gift of translation to this English only speaker.
On the other hand, while voice actor Graham Halstead is great at differing personalities (and probably decent French), it seems just too weird having a clearly American accent for all of these French Bretons. ( )

In diesem atmosphärischen Rätsel des internationalen Bestsellerautors Jean-Luc Bannalec geht Kommissar Dupin erneut auf den Fall ein.

Die alten Salzbauern haben immer gesagt, dass der Veilchenduft des Fleur de Sel zur Erntezeit in den Salzsümpfen der Halbinsel Guérande Halluzinationen hervorruft. Auch Kommissar Dupin fängt an, dies zu glauben, als er aus heiterem Himmel in den Salinen angegriffen wird.

Er hatte sich eigentlich darauf gefreut, seinem endlosen Papierkram zu entfliehen und eine Reise in das "weiße Land" zwischen dem tosenden Atlantik und idyllischen Flüssen zu unternehmen. Doch als er im Auftrag von Lilou Breval, einer befreundeten Journalistin, in mysteriösen Fässern herumschnüffelt, wird er unerwartet angegriffen. Der Täter bleibt ein Rätsel, und kurze Zeit später verschwindet Breval spurlos. Seiner Sekretärin Nolwenn und dem Ehrgeiz des Präfekten ist es zu verdanken, dass Dupin mit dem Fall betraut wird. Aber er wird nicht allein arbeiten, denn Sylvaine Rose ist die verantwortliche Ermittlerin der Abteilung - und sie macht ihrem Namen alle Ehre...

Was geht in den Salinen vor? Dupin und Rose suchen fieberhaft nach Hinweisen und stolpern über falsche Alibis, massive Interessenkonflikte, persönliche Fehden - und alte bretonische Legenden.

#123

Commissaire Georges Dupin has recently heard from a friend & investigative reporter, Lilou Breval, that there is something strange going on in the White Land of Le Sel (the natural salt harvesting pools) and it has to do w/ mysterious blue barrels that should not be in the salt marshes...

While investigating, le Commissaire is shot and then locked into a tin hut at the marshes... causing an uncomfortable interaction w/ Sylvaine Rose, the inspector whose territory the Breton Salt Pools are in. Georges is paired w/ Sylvaine against both of their wishes as part of an ongoing rivalry between their bosses.

At low tide the body of Lilou is discovered, she had been murdered and her laptop stolen... Lilou had been interviewing several main players in the Salt business; independent paludiers (salt marsh workers), co-op paludiers, and the new high-profile salt conglomerate; all with much to lose should their salt be found to be contaminated.

This was a very interesting subject and story, but it was boring in many places which of course caused me to skip paragraphs at a time... so I had to knock off 1 Star

I do believe, I'll go back and read others in the series. ( )