Commissaire Dupin, our favorite caffeine-addicted adopted son of Brittany, is back in “An Island of Suspects”, the tenth mystery in the series from Jean-Luc Bannalec, another interesting foray into the culture (and food!) of this independent-minded region of France.

An August heatwave is gripping Brittany, and Commissaire Dupin finds that a quick swim in the morning is both refreshing and cooling, preparing him for the day ahead. However, one morning his swim is interrupted by the discovery of a dead body near his beach. The corpse shows signs of foul play, and Dupin is quick to discover that this was no accident, but murder.

The victim is Patric Provost, a rich man from the nearby island of Belle-Île, another interesting corner of Brittany. Belle-Île is know for its sheep, a protected delicacy known throughout France. Dupin and his team head on out to Belle-Île, where they soon discover that the victim was the most hated man on the island, someone who went out of his way to thwart the hopes and dreams of everyone he met, just because he could. From a wife who he wouldn’t divorce to tenants who couldn’t expand their distillery to his second-in-command who wanted to leave to a local who wanted to establish a museum, and others as well, Provost fought them all. Not lacking motives, Dupin has to look for opportunity, yet this insular community seems to alibi each other, leaving the police baffled. And what happened to Provost’s dog?

Dupin finds himself going round and round, trying to determine what actually happened. When a suspect is kidnapped, the stakes seem to have gotten higher as Dupin tries to catch a killer before he can strike again.

Another fine mystery and love letter to a new corner of Brittany for us to explore.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

An Island of Suspects is the 10th in the Commissaire Dupin series. And it was just as enjoyable as the prior nine. Dupin has grown on me, he’s less prickly than he was in earlier books. His love of life, of food and drink, of the Breton lifestyle, all speak to me and make me want to visit Brittany. And after this book, specifically the Belle-Ile en Mer.
The story starts when Dupin’s morning ocean swim is interrupted when a body is found caught in buoy lines in the harbor. The dead man, a wealthy sheep farmer from the island of Belle-Ile, has obviously been murdered. As the team learns about the man, it turns out that he was universally despised. “But here, everyone had a motive. And no one was concealing it, Patric provost seemed to have sabotaged the fulfillment of everyone’s plans and dreams.” The story kept me engaged throughout and I had no clue as to who was behind the crimes.
I adore Bannalec’s writing - he literally plops you right down in the beauty of the region and also provides a dose of the area’s history and folklore.
Despite being the tenth in the series, the book would work as a stand-alone. I hold recommend this to fans of Martin Walker’s Bruno series.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Commissaire Georges Dupin is out for his morning swim, his attention taken by the harbor seal who has been shadowing him every day lately. But today is different – there’s someone on the shore shouting for him. A body has been found in the water just a short distance away. As Dupin investigates the murder, he must travel to a small island off the Breton coast where every resident had a reason to kill the man. Will Dupin uncover the truth or will this one remain a mystery?

Best-selling author Jean-Luc Bannalec is back with the tenth installment in the Commissaire Dupin series – An Island of Suspects. This series has been published in over 14 countries and spent multiple weeks at the top of the best-seller lists worldwide. In this edition, everyone’s favorite detective is celebrating a milestone work anniversary, but must first uncover the truth behind this mysterious murder. Beyond just mystery, this novel delivers witty banter and history of the Breton area, along with a love of coffee!

I give An Island of Suspects 4 out of 5 stars. Knowling little about Breton, I appreciate the history and descriptions Bannalec included about the landscape and customs. As a coffee aficionado myself, I appreciate Dupin’s love for coffee and the inclusion of an old coffee custom as well. This was a great cozy mystery novel, but I felt like I was missing something – perhaps reading earlier novels in this series would have helped with that.

If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie’s Inspector Poirot series, you will love this novel. With light references to violence and murder, this would be best directed to more mature audiences over 13. However, this would make a great book club selection with so many interesting story lines and characters to review. Keep in mind that this novel has already been released in several other languages and is available for holiday gifting for loved ones overseas!

I was excited to see An Island of Suspects available on NetGalley earlier this month. I love the cover image and this is a series I have heard about frequently! The English translation of this novel will hit shelves on February 25th. You can preorder your copy in our Bookshop.org store today!

Commissaire Dupin is out for his morning swim when his colleague Riwal shows up. A body has been found in the nearby harbor caught on a buoy. The man had been strangled, thankfully the Harbor Master could identify him. He was a sheep farmer from a nearby island that Acadian families settled on, Belle Isle, named Patric Provost. Provost was a very difficult man that took pleasure in thwarting the plans of others. He used his money and influence to buy up island properties, he stopped plans to expand the local whisky distillery and museum, and refused to give his wife a divorce even after being separated for almost twenty years. He was a Scrooge so list of possible murderers is long.

Dupin interviews the island residents and checking alibis when another local is kidnapped. Clues point to the kidnapping and murder being linked but it seems no one person could have done it. Can the Parisian Inspector solve this case in time to make it to his ten year anniversary party! But of course, he is Dupin of course.

I love this series so much that I sought out the European television series to watch it. Visiting Brittany is on my Bucket List because of this series.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

WOW!!! What a great book!! This one had me hooked from page 1! This was a first for me from this author and I will not be my last! This one was a win for me!

Jean-Luc Bannelec is one of those authors whi can draw you in from the first words. His books are always well written, complex, and intricate. This one, An Island of Suspects, is the tenth in the Commissaire Dupin series, and another caffeine-fueled winner, for the most part.

When the most hated and wealthiest inhabitant of Belle-Île, Patric Provost, is murdered, found entangled in buoy nets, there is a little sorrow from the islands’s residents who have been pretty much owned by him their entire lives. Commissaire Dupin is called to solve the mystery, battling the heat and mal de mer in the process.

For the most part, I liked this book. As with all of Bannelec books, it is atmospheric, entertaining, and informative — I always learn something new about some of the most obscure areas of France — and it was good to be back with the Concarneau gang, all of whom have become very familiar to me, each character unique in his or her own way. But while the book starts off strong, it waivers a little bit midway, and I found myself setting it aside, something I would never have considered with Bannalec’s previous books that are so engaging I end up reading in one sitting because I cannot not put them down.

Happily the ending is satisfying, and it’s a nice addition to this series, although certainly not the best. It does work as a standalone, but I would suggest a reader unfamiliar with this author would be better served starting with a book other than this one.

Today's entry into the WE LOVE BRITTANY campaign is the island of Belle-Île where Inspector Dupin is called to solve the murder of a most unpleasant man. It's an especially good one because we are actually given a clue, that, if we are clever enough (I wasn't) would have given an idea of the murder's identity, sort-of.

As always the descriptions of the scenery and food will make you want to go there immediately, and the description of the August heat wave that Inspector Dupin is suffering through will cloud your mind from the generally wretched Brittany weather. I loved it.

In the midst of an August heat wave, Commissaire Georges Dupin is called to the scene when a body is found tangled in buoy nets. Someone strangled Patric Provost, and hoped the tide would take the body to sea. Dupin and his team follow Provost's life to Belle-Ile, the largest Breton island. In the little village there, Provost was the largest land owner, disliked by everyone. It's a very insular community, and no one is willing to reveal much unless the team pushes for answers. While Agnes Griffon, the island's electrical technician, lives on the island, no one tells Dupin that she's Provost's ex-wife. In fact, it turns out she's still married to the victim, just separated. Notes show up indicating Provost was blackmailed, and his dog is missing. Then, another islander is kidnapped with a ransom demand left behind. All of the small group of suspects seem to have alibis. Is it the August heat, or the mysticism and legends of the island that leave Dupin dizzy and confused in this bewildering investigation?

A few too many characters, and Dupin drifts off into dizziness too many times making this mystery hard to follow at times.

Interesting and strong start, the most detested person of the island appeared murdered (won't be the only one) and everyone on the island is very open to say they hated him, but everything the clues point towards one suspect sometimes they become the next victim. It's a mild one, good for when I am tired and want to read a mystery but not have to be overwhelmed by it. Good for Poirot fans.

What a cute mystery! Definitely want to read more from this author. Was a quick and easy read and definitely gave me Nancy Drew and Sherlock vibes!