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. ( )

#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. ( )

THE FLEUR de SEL MURDERS by Jean-Luc Bannalec is the second book I’ve read from this author. This the third outing for his Commissaire Dupin among the wilds of Brittany, France. Dupin has been given a tip from a journalist friend of his, a puzzling hint about “Blue Barrels” out among the salt marshes. Hardly a crime and without further information something he normally wouldn’t look into, but she is a friend of his and a trusted writer of all things in the North West of France, so he goes.
Once upon the salt marshes, where the ocean has been harvested for it’s precious treasure for centuries, Dupin is shot at, wounded, and trapped in a small hut overnight.
As a victim of a crime, and way out of his jurisdiction, Dupin is not part of the investigation, but his boss soon settles the situation and Dupin finds himself in the awkward situation of being on almost an equal footing as Commissaire Rose, but it is her territory and so he, and his investigators, answer to her.
Dupin would find this a troubling situation except Commissaire Rose is like a female image of him, doing what he would do, asking the same questions, as kurt and dynamic as he. You can almost feel a love thing growing, but Dupin has that aspect covered, unless he doesn’t come through for his beloved Claire on her birthday.
There is a mystery on the salt flats, several parties with almost apparently nothing to gain by any of the happenings, yet people keep dying. This is a neat little view into a part of the world few travelers venture to, and it courses around an industry that is both ancient, yet necessary. You learn a great deal about the harvesting of ocean salt and the future of the industry.
And there is a pretty good mystery here also. ( )