It was a police seminar about working as a team. It should have been uneventful but it wasn't. While strolling through the marketplace Commissaire George Dupin stumles across a murder which leads to another murder and another murder. Too many murders and too many characters for my liking, this was just an OK cozy mystery. It did provide you with lovely descriptions of the St Malo area which definitely took me away from cold winter days.
Thanks to #NetGalley#DeathOfAMasterChef#MinotaurBooks

I recently had the opportunity to read an absolutely delightful book, Death of a Master Chef by Jean-Luc Bannalec. I was surprised to learn that this book was ninth in the series of the “Brittany Mysteries,” as this was my first experience with this author. It’s rare that I pick up a book, sit down to read, and don’t get up again until the book is finished. That’s what happened to me with this one, much to the annoyance of Stanley the cat, who was quite miffed at not getting his usual snuggles. (I will admit to having 2 double espressos during the process, because I absolutely could not stand to allow Dupin to drink alone.)

The book features Commissaire George Dupin, “a cantankerous Parisian-born caffeine junkie,” who recently relocated from Paris to the sleepy little town of Concarneau on the Breton coast where he continually feeds “…his extreme almost medically, indicated caffeine consumption.” There’s no question that Dupin is the star of the show here, but there are a lot of other wonderful characters in this novel that bring it to life, the least of which end up being victims in what proves to be a puzzling series of murders. That, coupled with the wonderful descriptions of the scenery, not to mention the toothsome sounding food, had me both salivating and ready to book a trip to France at the same time.

The mystery is a good one. We learn, in the first couple of pages, that the first victim is Blanche Trouin, the Michelin starred chef of the region, who is stabbed to death by her own sister, competing restaurateur, Lucille. The stabbing was done publicly, so there’s no question as to the perpetrator, the big question is why she refuses to talk or provide any reasoning behind what seems like an unwarranted attack, despite their ongoing feud. Dupin, visiting the food stalls near where she was stabbed, appeasing himself due to the fact that he is reluctantly in the area to attend École du Police, finds himself one of three commissaires working to solve this complex case.

The descriptive writing here is beautiful. You will feel as though you are walking right alongside Dupin working to solve this baffling mystery. You will commiserate with him over his lost bag of gourmet cheeses, you will join him as he imbibes one café after another, and sample the complex taste of Rhum J.M. I had a great interest in knowing where all the action was taking place, so found myself referring quite often to a detailed map of France, feeling as though I had learned so much about this particular region.

I did not at all feel at a loss due to the fact that I had not read any other books in this series. Clearly this, and presumably the others, can be read as a standalone. Slated for publication April 30, 2024, I encourage you to pre-order this book, and then place an order for the other eight in the series. It is exceptionally good, you will fall in love with Dupin, and be booking tickets to Brittany, France. So, put your feet up and Taol da bouez’ ta*.

*Cast off your worries.

Disclaimer: I would like to thank both NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this wonderful book, in exchange for an honest review.

"Jean-Luc Bannalec's internationally bestselling series starring Commissaire Georges Dupin returns with Death of a Master Chef.

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."

Ah but do you need motive where there is animosity?

3.5 stars, rounded up
With the ninth in the Commissaire Dupin series, Bannalec takes the action to Saint-Malo. Dupin is there for a police seminar. But before it even begins, he is visiting the local market when a woman stabs another. He gives chase, but loses the woman. It doesn’t matter, others know who she is - the sister of the murder victim. They have been involved in a well known feud for years. Each was a famous chef in the region. Dupin and the two other commissaires at the seminar are tasked with running the investigation and additional deaths follow. But everyone is at a loss for why the murders are occurring and who is now doing them. Bannalec does an excellent job at giving the reader a sense of the total frustration Dupin and the team are feeling.
As always, the book spends a lot of time on the food and wine of the region. I’m always surprised how Dupin has no problem taking time out of the investigation to eat or drink (especially if it involves coffee). Bannalec also makes sure to provide loads of descriptions of the scenery. The reader is definitely given a strong sense of place.
I’ve never quite warmed up to Dupin as a character, unlike some other foreign police detectives (Bruno or Brunetti) but I enjoy this series nonetheless.
The book would work fine as a stand-alone. I did miss the typical interaction with his normal team, who appear only in a very tangential way.

Dupin goes to St. Malo for a police conference. He is staying at a hotel he picked for himself instead of with the conference. He goes to the market to get some cheese when he hears shrill screaming toward the spice stall and then he sees a woman laying on her side with chest high knife in her heart.
He was told the woman who killed ran to her car. Dupin commandeers a car and goes after the murderer. It turns out that the killer, Lucille, is the younger sister of the murdered woman, Blanch. They are both chefs in the area, but the Blanch had 1 Michelin star.

The local Commissaire, Hupport, is assigned the case, and the prefect decides that Dupin and Nedllec, another Commissaire at the meeting, should help her. The case becomes very complicated as there are more deaths and although everyone knew the sisters were not friends, it a awhile before they finally find the motive and who has done the additional murders. I love this series!

I thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC to read before publication.

A beautiful French town in Brittany, great food, summer vibes ... what could go wrong? In this latest Commissaire Georges Dupin mystery, a chef is murdered at a market food stall. Famous chef Blanche is murdered by her sister, Lucille, also a local chef. Why? And is this as it seemed?

Dupin and his colleagues work to unravel the mystery even as they explore the food, scenery, and, of course, secrets in this lovely part of France. This is book 9 in the series, but don't let that deter you. Whatever nuance might be missed is more than made up for in the descriptions of the cheese, charcuterie, spices, and countryside.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

I Adore this series and I think that this one is the best yet! I was Entertained and transported to Brittany. I absolutely adored this mystery. It was fast paced and I loved the twist to the mystery as well. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!!
I just reviewed Death of a Master Chef by Jean-Luc Bannalec. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

I rate this book 4 stars. It is an entertaining cerebral mystery, with Commissaire Dupin and a team of other Commissaires solving a series of murders. There are no graphic violence or sex scenes in this book or the series. It is book 9 in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone. I have read the previous 8 books in the series.
This book like the others, describes the delicious food that Dupin eats in variuos restaurants. Dupin is in Saint-Malo for a police training conference. He is at a local market, buying cheese when he witnesses a murder. He gives chase to the killer only to lose her because her car is faster than the one that he commandeered. The police do apprehend the killer, but more murders take place. Dupin puts together the various pieces to solve the case.
One quote, describing the coast: "...there was a good reason for the poetic name of the shoreline between Cap Frehel and Cancale--'the Emerald Coast'--but he could have never imagined such a dramatic match. The sea was genuinely emerald green, secretive and intense."
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

Just as Commissaire Dupin is he takes him an argument between two sisters. When one of those sisters turns up dead, the other is arrested for the murder. Well, it doesn’t appear that one sister killed the other, she will not point the finger at anyone and remains in custody. Murders continue, Commissaire Dupin Find that he is no longer on a work retreat, but pursuing a case in a jurisdiction, where his help is not wanted.

The first in a new, to me, series, and I am totally enraptured with it. I loved everything about this book. From the mystery, to the protagonist, to the setting, to the writing. I cannot wait to check out other books in this series.

diabolical-villain, Brittany, law-enforcement, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, working-partners, workaholic, series, teamwork, secrets, lies, relationships, relatives, sabotage, procedural, coffee-addict, witty, situational-humor, resentment, multiple-murder, investigations, rivalry, riveting, gastrohistory, relentless, suspense, fast-pace*****

This is not an unbiased review. I love all of the foodie stuff and this one is filled with histories about the treasures of the corsairs, spices and rum that are not to be missed by those of us who are also history geeks. The procedural mysteries centered on Commissaire Georges Dupin are always twisty and well populated by quirky characters and full of red herrings. This time he is in St Malo at a seminar on building cooperation with other departments when he finds himself witnessing a murder. Of course he gets involved, is resented, and phones his own team for assistance when the case turns out to be sequential interrelated murders! Spectacular!
Translated from the original German.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Pub Date 30 Apr 2024

Beautiful Brittany, great food and murder. The fantastic trio of detectives have head-scratching mysteries to solve.

I didn’t know what to expect in this book. A new author and new series for me. I did a bit of research and found that this is a translation from a German book/series.

Commissaire Georges Dupin gives nod to Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot and TV’s Columbo.

Because I am coming into the series midway, I don’t know the backstory for Dupin and his team. At times I felt a little like I was missing something, but it quickly passed.

From the summary the reader is told of a murder at a local market, a sister killing a sister, with Dupin nearby enjoying the market’s delights.
Dupin is in the area for a police seminar and while there he is indulging his foodie side explore the exquisite foods, dishes, etc. hence why he happens to be in the market.

Throughout the story there are vivid descriptions of the villages, historical places and food/food venues as Dupin and his colleagues try to solve the tragic death.

This slow-burning and baffling mystery kept me guessing until the very end.

Thank you Minotaur for inviting me to read this story.
Happy Reading!

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

This time Dupin is called away to Saint-Malo, a place where they consider themselves apart from Brittany, which actually is a very Breton attitude to have. He is there to attend a police seminar to foster closer collaboration between the Breton départements, not very exciting, other than providing the opportunity to experience the gastronomic delights that Saint-Malo is known for. Oh well, one needs to take the good with the bad.

As Dupin is wandering the local market, trying to decide among the many cheeses on offer, he stumbles into a murder that takes place at a neighboring stall. Quickly he chases after the murderer, only to lose them in the chase. It turns out that the victim, Blanche Trouin, was a well-known master chef, and that the murderer was also well-known: Lucille Trouin, a chef in her own right and Blanche’s sister. They’ve been involved in a very public feud since the death of their father (also a chef), and there is no doubt about what happened. Lucille is quickly captured but refuses to say anything about the crime. In the spirit of increased cooperation, Dupin and the other commissaires are drawn into the investigation, police teamwork in action.

And off we go. Working with a team of equals is something new for Dupin, something that he’s not very fond of, preferring to go off on his own and waiting for flashes of inspiration. When the victim’s husband is found murdered, followed by her friend, the urgency is taken to a higher level as the police try to determine what’s behind this spree before the second killer strikes again.

Unlike the other books in this series, this one has an element of running against the clock, as the seminar length and multiple murders put the pressure on to get this solved quickly. Dupin is a bit out of his element, not having Nolwenn and the rest of his team there to support him (other than occasional phone calls and humorous updates on Riwal’s battles with a badger who’s been enjoying his garden). There’s also no Claire, off on a seminar in the US and worryingly for Dupin (and us) he is never able to connect with her. I hope all is well with their relationship when we come back for episode ten!

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

Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

A summer outing for the Commissionaire turns into murder. While exploring the quaint town roaming through the markets of aromatic smells, he’ll stumble across a murder. It seems that even when not working he is thrown to investigate even though he knows he should stay out of it.

Soon he will discover the reason why a chef killed his sister or did he? It’s one culinary cozy you will want to devour.

First book in the series for me and I can’t wait to read the rest.A series that keeps me turning the pages and hungry for delicious food perfect for me.Intense entertaining really enjoyed.#netgalley #minator

This definitely made me hungry! I have read none of the previous books but intend to go back and remedy that situation.

Our gourmand Commissaire Dupin has a mystery to solve that happens on the second page, practically right in front of his face. Two sisters, both involved in the food scene in the small town in Brittany where Dupin is part of a work retreat, have an altercation at the market where Dupin is buying cheese and one sister ends up dead. The twist is that everyone knows who did it, but no one knows why and the surviving, apprehended sister is not talking. To make matters worse, more deaths occur while this sister is in custody and these deaths also appear to relate to the first murder.

For me, though, the true star of the book was the Breton countryside scenery and the food. Dupin and his co-workers are treated to dinners in some fabulous restaurants and it made me wish I was in France. I don't know the details of French geography well, but the author seems to have a deep affection for the small regions in France which star in his books and this book at least worked as armchair travel as well as a mystery. The mystery was also interesting. In another twist, Dupin must work together with two other officers from different towns who have been attending the training in order to "foster cooperation between units". I look forward to reading more of this series.

Jean-Luc Bannalec brings mystery on the Brittany coast this fall in the newest Commissair Dupin novel. Dupin’s girlfriend is out of town at a surgeon’s conference in Boston. Dupin is a bit bored, his days are spent listening to Riwal recount his nightly battles with a badger in the garden. The Prefect, Dupin’s boss, calls with “wonderful news”. He and Dupin are going to a three day police workshop in Saint Malo together.
Dupin is not thrilled. He plans to avoid his boss as much as he can so he finds a beautiful bed and breakfast to stay at. While on break during the first day, Dupin visits the farmer’s market to pick up some local cheeses. A scream interrupts his trip. A famous local chef was stabbed to death at her spice booth. Many people saw the woman who stabbed her and Dupin gave chase. The suspect is quickly identified as the sister of the chef. The two sisters had an intense rivalry that was well known. While the suspect is in custody another murder takes place.
Could the two murders be related? Do the police have the wrong person or is there another murderer? So many questions, the police workshop is put on hold while the different departments work together to solve the case. This could be Dupin’s most complicated case and the highest body count.
Introducing charming new characters and a lovely new locale in Brittany, Death of a Master Chef is a wonderful new entry into the series. You will be checking out travel guides for Brittany while reading.

Inspector Dupin witnesses a brutal murder at a market, then there is another murder, and another . . . and he is left to figure out the motive working alongside new colleagues. The mystery had several clever twists and interesting suspects, none of whom seemed trustworthy. Dupin solves the mystery with his usual flashes of intuition, dogged questioning, and colleagues helping him with research. There were several very long passages about Breton food, scenery, and history, easily skipped if they don't grab the reader's attention (I did a lot of skimming in those parts). Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for the ARC.

While attending a seminar on cooperation between police departments in Brittany, Dupin is witness to a brutal murder in a market during his lunch break. He's asked to cooperate with two other commisaires on the investigation. Although the original murderer is known additional murders of the victim's friends complicate things. With an exciting climax, this is one of the best titles in the series.

A cozy mystery -my first time reading the series. I found it a bit confusing initially with all the different characters-characters left behind who I imagine showed up in other books and didn’t add much to this story. Perhaps the intention was to create a bridge
From an earlier title and I still am not sure why a girlfriend who was away seemed to portend an issue in the main character’s love life well the issue was hinted at throughout the book but never resolved. . A little too heavy on the description for my preference. It needed some editing or perhaps a different translator

This is the fourth book I've read in this series, and I have enjoyed them all. The author takes the reader on a virtual vacation to Brittany in every book, and the descriptions of the scenery and the food make up a big part of the enjoyment for me. The mystery in this volume revolves around chefs, corsairs and hints of treasure, and the cast of characters/suspects were interesting.
I recommend this series to readers who enjoy whodunits in a beautiful, romantic setting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!