First book in this series that I’ve read. All the descriptions of food made me hungry! A bit drawn out at times for me, but I do like that Dupin reminds me a bit of an Agatha Christie character.

Vivid writing and engaging cozy mystery! Made you hungry with each page. Love a mystery that's fun, but not overwrought in a cozy. Great job

Loved this mystery book! The plot was fun and entertaining, it had me hooked from start to end. I enjoyed that this book was on the shorter side it worked well for the plot. I loved how descriptive the setting was and the characters were easy to love and read. Overall a great mystery read that I definitely recommend checking out!

This was my first book from this author and it was so cozy! Not too hard to follow, and filled with atmosphere.

I loved all the descriptions of St. Maloand their markets and restaurants. The details of all the different types of food and wine helped me daydream that I was there as well.

This is part of a book series, but I had no trouble following the characters. Therefore, it can be read as a standalone in my opinion.

This is a nice cosy mystery. I would recommend it to anybody that wants to travel but can’t afford to and has to do it from their reading chair.

I loved the different characters and the descriptions of the area so much .

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-book

This is a delightful culinary mystery set in the charming Breton village of Kernévez. Commissaire Dupin and his faithful sidekick, Sergeant Morvan, are back, this time investigating the suspicious death of a renowned chef during a prestigious cooking competition.

Bannalec’s writing is witty and engaging, seamlessly blending the intricacies of gourmet cuisine with the suspenseful elements of a murder mystery. The descriptions of Breton delicacies and the colorful cast of characters, including the quirky villagers and the high-strung chefs, add a touch of humor and charm to the story.

The plot is well-paced, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Commissaire Dupin's methodical approach to solving the crime, combined with his dry wit and love for good food, makes for an entertaining and satisfying read.

Whether you're a fan of cozy mysteries or a foodie, Death of a Master Chef is a delectable treat that will leave you craving more.

Enjoyed this one very much, another great cozy suspense thriller from author Jean-Luc Bannalec. Never disappoints, highly recommend

Jean-Luc Bannalec's internationally bestselling series starring Commissaire Georges Dupin returns with Death Of A Master Chef.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for sending me a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I decided to DNF this book after reading 168 pages. I read the first chapter and it was really entertaining. I was laughing when I started this book because it was so funny how the phone started ringing every time Commissaire Dupin was doing something or having a conversation with someone. He would answer the phone and tell the person on the phone,”This really isn’t a good time right now.” Every time that happened, I started thinking,”Why doesn’t he just let the phone go to voicemail instead of answering it?” I liked the setting and I liked the food descriptions. Once I started the second chapter, I still found it funny how many times the phone was ringing every time Commissaire Dupin was talking to someone or doing something but when the investigation on the case started, it started feeling like the chapter was really long because the investigation was going on for a lot of pages and it didn’t seem like it was ever going to end. I spent all night reading the second chapter and I still wasn’t done reading it yet. I lost interest in the investigation after that. I don’t like long, drawn out investigations in mystery/thriller books.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
Just like the other books in this series, it is a great fun read that is like a cozy mystery. The author is great with describing the scenery and surroundings and this book definitely makes you fall into total vacation mood. I have loved all the other books in the series and I definitely loved this one as well. Often when an author keeps writing more books in a series, they often become repetitive and lack originality; not so with these books. They have all been great! Looking forward to read more hopefully soon!

When a sibling rivalry becomes deadly, Commissaire Dupin and colleagues are called upon to conduct an investigation into the crime. Through many unexpected twists and turns, the team comes together to put into practice a collaborative system. Hidden plans and plots come to light, including remnants of the corsairs and their treasures! The Brittany setting places the reader in the beautiful and intriguing center of the action. For foodies, this novel also provides delicious forays into local restaurants and specialty foods of the region.

Although part of a series of crime novels about Georges Dupin, this story can be read as a standalone. While it features crimes, the novel can be classified as a cozy mystery, lacking in overt and descriptive criminal actions. There are no instances of strong language or descriptive intimacy.
I found the many names and characters introduced at the beginning to be somewhat confusing at the outset, but they quickly sorted themselves out.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Thank you Minotaur and NetGalley for the eARC of Death of a Master Chef. All opinions in this review are my own.

I loved the setting and food in this one unfortunately, the story itself didn't work for me. I prefer shorter chapters so having two of the chapters be 20% of the story each was tough. The story was also very dialogue heavy, which resulted in most of the action happening off page and then the characters discussing it. Luckily, the final big moment is described and the method they use to catch the culprit is clever.

This is 9th in a series of delightful police procedurals that are as much celebrations of Brittany as mysteries.

Commissaire Georges Dupin, has his very own way of doing things, while enjoying the mouthwatering delicacies and breathtaking scenery of the region.

As the episode opens, Dupin heads to Saint-Malo for a police seminar aimed at stronger collaboration between all départements.

When it's interrupted by murder, Dupin and colleagues are assigned the case, a real puzzler!

This was the first book I've read in the Commissaire Georges Dupin series. While it was slightly difficult to get into at first due to being introduced to numerous visiting commissaires last names, the overall mystery was well-written and moved at a good pace. Commissaire Dupin witnesses a murder while attending a conference in Saint-Malo and quckly finds himself involved.

As he and the other commissaires investigate the sister of the murder victim, the reader is able to feel as though they are really in Brittany. The sights, sounds, and tastes are explained brillantly. The reader feels as though they are really there, staring out into the ocean or tasting one of the many delicious meals.

I love novels set in France so I thought I might enjoy this despite it being the 9th in a series that I have not read before and the fact that it was a police procedural (to an extent), which I am not a fan of. While I did enjoy the descriptions of the food and setting (and there was a lot of description), there was a lot of time where nothing happened and ultimately the descriptions could not overcome the incredibly slow pace of the novel. I may try again from the beginning but I suspect that there will not be enough action in the beginning of the novels to move me through to the end. Perfect for fans of police procedurals with lots of detail and dialogue.

It was really hard for me to stay interested in this one, which was a little disappointing. But I loved the setting and how well it was described in detail

Love this series set in Brittany. This entry revolves around the murder of a famous chef in the Saint-Malo area of Brittany. The protagonist, Dupin, loves his coffee and is a “foodie”. Great descriptions of food, landscape and history, as well as an interesting puzzle to solve.

DEATH OF A MASTER CHEF – A Brittany Mystery – Book Nine – 3 Stars

Written by Jean-Luc Bannalec
Translated by Jamie Lee Searle

Going into this whodunit, I had no idea this was book nine in a series, though this soon becomes apparent early on as Commissaire Georges Dupin corresponds with his team back home—not about the police team building seminar he’s attending in Saint-Malo—but about Riwal’s battle with a badger (Hahaha)—and murder.

A bit of a foodie, and fueled by the frequent consumption of café au lait, Dupin spends his days seeing the sites, trying local cuisine whilst being one of three Commissaires tasked with digging into Lucille Trouin’s motive for the murder of her sister Blanche Trouin, a grand chef of the region.

This murder mystery didn’t tick off all the boxes with me, but overall I enjoyed it and would like to delve into Book One, DEATH IN BRITTANY.

Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur Books, for providing me with an eBook of DEATH OF A MASTER CHEF at the request of an honest review.

This was not a book for me, I just couldn’t get interested. The last 1/4 of the book the pace picked up a bit, but I had a terrible time keeping the police/investigators sorted out. There was too much description of the scenery and just not a book for me. If it was a first book, I might try another in the series, but this is way down the list. I hate to not say anything positive, I really didn’t find any grammatical errors or such.
I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
This did not affect my review. Really the only reason it was not a DNF.

Commissaire Georges Dupin is certain these first beautiful summer days in June would be perfect for a fun trip to Saint-Malo. In a region known as the culinary heart of Brittany, the paradoxical city is known for being a uniquely Breton, yet un-Breton, place. Their cuisine’s moto is voyages et aventures. Travel and adventure. Dupin would love to explore the internationally renowned cuisine one bite at a time. But to his chagrin, Dupin is there instead to attend a police seminar dedicated to closer collaboration between the Breton départements. To prepare himself for what’s to come while in Saint-Malo, Dupin wanders through the halls of a local market—stopping to sample its wares as he goes—while admiring its aromatic orchestra. But Dupin’s morning is derailed when there’s a murder at a nearby stall. He quickly realizes this case is unlike any he’s worked on before. The police know the victim: Blanche Trouin, a grand chef of the region. They know the perpetrator: Lucille Trouin, Blanche’s sister and fellow successful chef in the area. The two had a well-known and public feud. After a bit of searching, Lucille is even in custody. The only thing they’re missing is the motive. And Lucille refuses to talk. Saint-Malo doesn’t want any help from the visiting commissaires. Even Dupin’s assistant, Nolwenn, is telling him to stay out of it. But Dupin, along with a few of his Breton colleagues, can’t help but begin an investigation into why a chef killed her sister in the middle of a crowded market. This is a fun series with great characters and beautiful locales. Dupin is one of my detectives and he doesn’t fail here either. Highly recommend this book and the entire series!

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Death of a Master Chef is the 9th Brittany mystery by Jean-Luc Bannalec. Released 30th April 2024 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in Feb, 2025. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

This is a very well written destination mystery, absolutely redolent of the Breton coast and full of the food and culture of the area. Commissaire Dupin is at a multi-district police conference when a brutal stabbing death throws his plans to enjoy the sunshine and local cuisine right out the window. The plotting is well controlled and the characterizations are beautifully rendered and believable. It works well enough as a standalone, but readers may struggle a bit to keep the characters straight.

There will be inevitable comparisons with Leon's Brunetti, Walker's Bruno, and Trinchieri's Tuscan mysteries. Although not at all derivative, this series is more than competently written and can stand on its own merits in that company. With 9 books extant in the series and a 10th out in 2nd quarter 2025, it would make an excellent choice for a long binge or buddy read.

Four and a half stars. Quite highly recommended, especially to fans of destination mysteries and procedurals.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.