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Kommissar Dupin #1
Death in Brittany
Commissaire Georges Dupin, a Parisian-born caffeine junkie recently relocated from the glamour of Paris to the remote (if picturesque) Breton coast, is not happy when he is dragged from his morning croissant and coffee to the scene of a curious murder. The local village of Pont-Aven-a sleepy community by the sea where everyone knows one other and nothing much seems to happen-is in shock. The legendary ninety-one-year-old hotelier Pierre-Louis Pennec, owner of the Central Hotel, has been found dead.
A picture-perfect seaside village which played host to Gaugin in the 19th century, Pont-Aven is at the height of its tourist season and is immediately thrown into uproar. Dupin and his team identify five principal suspects, including a rising political star, a longtime friend of the victim, and a wealthy art historian. An obstinate detective whose unconventional methods include good food, good wine, and taking in plenty of sea air, Dupin finds his case further complicated when ongoing incidents compound the mystery. As Dupin delves further into the lives of the victim and the suspects, he uncovers a web of secrecy and silence that belies the village's quaint image. A delectable read, Death in Brittany by Jean-Luc Bannalec transports readers to the French coast where you can practically smell the sea air and taste the perfectly cooked steak frites in an expertly crafted, page-turning mystery.
A picture-perfect seaside village which played host to Gaugin in the 19th century, Pont-Aven is at the height of its tourist season and is immediately thrown into uproar. Dupin and his team identify five principal suspects, including a rising political star, a longtime friend of the victim, and a wealthy art historian. An obstinate detective whose unconventional methods include good food, good wine, and taking in plenty of sea air, Dupin finds his case further complicated when ongoing incidents compound the mystery. As Dupin delves further into the lives of the victim and the suspects, he uncovers a web of secrecy and silence that belies the village's quaint image. A delectable read, Death in Brittany by Jean-Luc Bannalec transports readers to the French coast where you can practically smell the sea air and taste the perfectly cooked steak frites in an expertly crafted, page-turning mystery.
320 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Jean-Luc Bannalec
43 books377 followerspen name of Jörg Bong
The author divides his time between Germany and coastal Brittany, France. Death in Brittany, the first case for Commissaire Dupin, was published in German in March 2012 and sold 600,000 copies, spending many months on the bestseller list. It has been sold into 14 countries.
The author divides his time between Germany and coastal Brittany, France. Death in Brittany, the first case for Commissaire Dupin, was published in German in March 2012 and sold 600,000 copies, spending many months on the bestseller list. It has been sold into 14 countries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 615 reviews
January 2, 2023
I love mystery series that take me to different locations. So Death in Brittany was a natural for me to try. It’s a police procedural with Commissaire Georges Dupin, a former Parisienne detective who’s been sent up to Brittany after a disagreement with his bosses. And he is a prickly sort - brash, intelligent, insistent that things be done exactly his way. I didn’t warm up to him, but I was captured by the descriptions of the scenery, the art history and the twisty plot.
Bannalec totally captures the Brittany town of Port-Aven, the landscapes and citizens. The town was the home of an artist colony that included Gauguin and the history is still important to the town.
Dupin might have been there for three years, but he’s still definitely an outsider according to the locals. There’s a subtle humor to the book and this is one of the running themes.
The story starts with the murder of a 91 year old hotel/restaurant owner in the hotel bar. It’s not a fast paced story but I was engaged throughout. The plot is nuanced with multiple layers. I recommend this for fans of Martin Walker and Estelle Ryan.
I listened to this. Jean Brassard narrates and was great with a French accent that was still easy to understand.
Bannalec totally captures the Brittany town of Port-Aven, the landscapes and citizens. The town was the home of an artist colony that included Gauguin and the history is still important to the town.
Dupin might have been there for three years, but he’s still definitely an outsider according to the locals. There’s a subtle humor to the book and this is one of the running themes.
The story starts with the murder of a 91 year old hotel/restaurant owner in the hotel bar. It’s not a fast paced story but I was engaged throughout. The plot is nuanced with multiple layers. I recommend this for fans of Martin Walker and Estelle Ryan.
I listened to this. Jean Brassard narrates and was great with a French accent that was still easy to understand.
December 30, 2017
An armchair mystery by a German author with a French pen name, possibly trying to re-create Maigret in Brittany. Pretty boring. We get a bunch of aimless interrogations/interviews, dialogues that consist of many repetitions, a lot of walking and driving around and a fairly uninspired criminal case. Around the middle the plots gets a bit more interesting, but there is a distinct lack of suspense. The solution to the mystery is just as lackluster and one of the pivotal moments towards the end plays out in the off. Not sure why this became a bestseller in Germany.
October 18, 2020
Nuestro protagonista, el comisario George Dupín, es un policía amante del buen café y la buena cocina, que ha sido desterrado de París y enviado a la costa Bretona, al pequeño pueblo de Concarneau.
Dupín, investigador tenaz e independiente, cuenta con la ayuda de los inspectores Labat y Le Ber y con su eficaz secretaria Nolwenn, capaz de realizar los trámites más enrevesados en un tiempo record.
Es una novela policíaca de corte clásico, con una trama sencilla y donde la investigación deja un pequeño hueco para el arte. Además, cuenta con unas buenas descripciones de los paisajes de la costa Bretona.
Una novela entretenida y de fácil lectura.
Dupín, investigador tenaz e independiente, cuenta con la ayuda de los inspectores Labat y Le Ber y con su eficaz secretaria Nolwenn, capaz de realizar los trámites más enrevesados en un tiempo record.
Es una novela policíaca de corte clásico, con una trama sencilla y donde la investigación deja un pequeño hueco para el arte. Además, cuenta con unas buenas descripciones de los paisajes de la costa Bretona.
Una novela entretenida y de fácil lectura.
July 20, 2022
A great beginning for a series. I really enjoy the Bruno series set in the Dordogne area by Martin Walker, so this was somewhat similar. I don't know a lot about Brittany, and the book descriptions of that the river/coastal area were so well done that I felt I had visited. The murder plot and the history of this area being an artist community was very interesting. Dupin was quite different from most Detective Inspectors I've read, he didn't communicate well at all with his superiors or his team. He reminded me of a French version of Columbo with his 'just one more little question'. I am intrigued enough to read the second book.
June 29, 2014
If you’re keen to discover some new French crime fiction, Jean-Luc Bannalec is a real find. Death In Pont-Aven introduces us to Commissaire Dupin, a cantankerous Parisian caffeine junkie, who polices the small Breton village of Pont-Aven, a sleepy community near the sea. Everyone knows everyone else and nothing much seems to happen. However, one morning he is dragged from his coffee and croissant to the scene of a murder at the local Central Hotel. The housekeeper has discovered the 91-year-old manager and owner Pierre-Louis Pennec dead on the restaurant floor.
The very occurrence of such a murder in such a place sends both Dupin and the local community into a state of shock and surprise. However, soon Dupin and his team come up with five viable suspects, including a rising political star, a wealthy art historian, and a long-time friend of the dead man. A mysterious break-in and then another suspicious death only deepen the mystery and as Dupin delves deeper into the lives of the victims and the suspects, he uncovers a web of secrecy, greed and silence at odds with the idyllic surrounds of Pont-Aven.
Bannalec has produced an incredibly character-driven piece, in common with his fellow French and Italian contemporaries. The curmudgeonly and self-deprecating Dupin is the real driving force throughout the book with his idiosyncratic nature, that are endlessly entertaining to the reader, and a source of deep frustration to his more straight-laced and by-the-book colleagues. Everyone knows the tropes of fictional police detectives, and Dupin wryly bemoans the absence of drug dependency, depression, neuroses and broken marriages in his own life. However, with his sharp tongue, cynical nature and a surprising fondness for penguins – yes, penguins! – he proves himself a colourful and interesting character throughout.
Obviously with the stark contrast between Dupin sophisticated backround in Paris, and the very unique and fiercely independent spirit of the Bretons, there is ample opportunity for some earthy humour. Likewise, Bannalec captures perfectly the claustrophobic feel of this small town, but also paints a majestic picture of the overlapping communities both rural and shore-dwelling, and the contrasting lives and mind-sets of the two communities within Brittany.
Fuelled by murder, art forgeries, family resentments and scheming neighbours, the plot is engaging from the start. Injected with Bannalec’s research into the links between the region and some France’s greatest painters, the initial murder mystery is fleshed out and strengthened not only by the careful disguising of the real murderer by a series of red herrings, but by the carefully placed re-imagining of this former community of artists. Along with Dupin, I was completely wrong-footed throughout as potential suspects came to the fore, all with strong motives for their possible involvement in murder and theft.
Death in Pont-Aven is a smart and utterly entertaining read. It its centre is a wonderfully empathetic and engaging detective whose wry humour, fixed ways and generally grumpy demeanour, drive the action and interest. His seemingly haphazard form of detection – constantly interrupted by coffee breaks – frustrate and bemuse both colleagues and potential suspects alike. Compounded by an intriguing and interesting murder plot that really brings the most pernicious aspects of this small community to the fore, it’s a highly satisfying read.
The very occurrence of such a murder in such a place sends both Dupin and the local community into a state of shock and surprise. However, soon Dupin and his team come up with five viable suspects, including a rising political star, a wealthy art historian, and a long-time friend of the dead man. A mysterious break-in and then another suspicious death only deepen the mystery and as Dupin delves deeper into the lives of the victims and the suspects, he uncovers a web of secrecy, greed and silence at odds with the idyllic surrounds of Pont-Aven.
Bannalec has produced an incredibly character-driven piece, in common with his fellow French and Italian contemporaries. The curmudgeonly and self-deprecating Dupin is the real driving force throughout the book with his idiosyncratic nature, that are endlessly entertaining to the reader, and a source of deep frustration to his more straight-laced and by-the-book colleagues. Everyone knows the tropes of fictional police detectives, and Dupin wryly bemoans the absence of drug dependency, depression, neuroses and broken marriages in his own life. However, with his sharp tongue, cynical nature and a surprising fondness for penguins – yes, penguins! – he proves himself a colourful and interesting character throughout.
Obviously with the stark contrast between Dupin sophisticated backround in Paris, and the very unique and fiercely independent spirit of the Bretons, there is ample opportunity for some earthy humour. Likewise, Bannalec captures perfectly the claustrophobic feel of this small town, but also paints a majestic picture of the overlapping communities both rural and shore-dwelling, and the contrasting lives and mind-sets of the two communities within Brittany.
Fuelled by murder, art forgeries, family resentments and scheming neighbours, the plot is engaging from the start. Injected with Bannalec’s research into the links between the region and some France’s greatest painters, the initial murder mystery is fleshed out and strengthened not only by the careful disguising of the real murderer by a series of red herrings, but by the carefully placed re-imagining of this former community of artists. Along with Dupin, I was completely wrong-footed throughout as potential suspects came to the fore, all with strong motives for their possible involvement in murder and theft.
Death in Pont-Aven is a smart and utterly entertaining read. It its centre is a wonderfully empathetic and engaging detective whose wry humour, fixed ways and generally grumpy demeanour, drive the action and interest. His seemingly haphazard form of detection – constantly interrupted by coffee breaks – frustrate and bemuse both colleagues and potential suspects alike. Compounded by an intriguing and interesting murder plot that really brings the most pernicious aspects of this small community to the fore, it’s a highly satisfying read.
April 3, 2023
4,5/5
¡Qué sorpresa más agradable! Tengo muy claro que pienso seguir esta serie: me ha encantado el comisario Dupin.
Lo primero de todo es remarcar la buena ambientación de los lugares donde se desarrolla el caso; no solo de forma descriptiva, sino su historia sin que se haga pesado. Me encantan estos tipos de escenarios: un pequeño pueblo junto al mar, pintoresco y rodeado de vegetación. En mi opinión, ha sido una de las mejores cosas del libro.
Lo segundo mejor ha sido, sin duda, Dupin: el comisario gruñón y solitario. Cada protesta, cada queja, cada vez que abandonaba una habitación o terminaba una llamada para no decir lo que pensaba... me ha sacado más de una sonrisa. Sinceramente es lo que me ha conquistado.
El caso, en cambio, no ha sido lo más de lo más. Un caso sencillo, sin pretensiones, pero muy, muy bien llevado. El hilo no se pierde en ningún momento y el ritmo de la trama es muy bueno.
En resumen, una novela ágil con personajes pintorescos y una trama atractiva.
¡Qué sorpresa más agradable! Tengo muy claro que pienso seguir esta serie: me ha encantado el comisario Dupin.
Lo primero de todo es remarcar la buena ambientación de los lugares donde se desarrolla el caso; no solo de forma descriptiva, sino su historia sin que se haga pesado. Me encantan estos tipos de escenarios: un pequeño pueblo junto al mar, pintoresco y rodeado de vegetación. En mi opinión, ha sido una de las mejores cosas del libro.
Lo segundo mejor ha sido, sin duda, Dupin: el comisario gruñón y solitario. Cada protesta, cada queja, cada vez que abandonaba una habitación o terminaba una llamada para no decir lo que pensaba... me ha sacado más de una sonrisa. Sinceramente es lo que me ha conquistado.
El caso, en cambio, no ha sido lo más de lo más. Un caso sencillo, sin pretensiones, pero muy, muy bien llevado. El hilo no se pierde en ningún momento y el ritmo de la trama es muy bueno.
En resumen, una novela ágil con personajes pintorescos y una trama atractiva.
September 15, 2020
I was looking for some light traditional police procedural mystery set in an atmospheric location, in the tradition of Donna Leon’s Comissario Brunetti series, and I found it in Jean Luc Bannalec’s Commissaire Dupin series.
Although a bit eccentric and grumpy I found Dupin quite likable (yes, I know, he could treat his coworkers a little bit better 😂) and it’s much appreciated he’s not dragging along some big trauma from his past.
The murder mystery is pretty straight forward and I found the art world context so interesting. I didn’t know much about Gauguin and the École de Pont Aven, so it’s always nice to learn some historic facts while reading for fun.
The setting was quite idyllic and I couldn’t help to google all the picturesque villages that were mentioned. Now I need to visit Brittany ASAP!!
Charming mystery that makes a good starting point for this series.
Although a bit eccentric and grumpy I found Dupin quite likable (yes, I know, he could treat his coworkers a little bit better 😂) and it’s much appreciated he’s not dragging along some big trauma from his past.
The murder mystery is pretty straight forward and I found the art world context so interesting. I didn’t know much about Gauguin and the École de Pont Aven, so it’s always nice to learn some historic facts while reading for fun.
The setting was quite idyllic and I couldn’t help to google all the picturesque villages that were mentioned. Now I need to visit Brittany ASAP!!
Charming mystery that makes a good starting point for this series.
August 21, 2015
i guess like all bestsellers, inherently? they appeal to low level reading, and this being an international bestseller, it is universally poor plot, characters, sense of place? anyway, a police procedural set in small towns on coast of nw france...our detective is a renegade but gets down to business in his own way.
for better atmospherics, local scenes, and deeper thinkers in detection i like camilleri's books set in sicily Game of Mirrors ; dibdin's in naples Game of Mirrors ; mcilvanney in glasgow Game of Mirrors
life's too short to be reading bestsellers?
for better atmospherics, local scenes, and deeper thinkers in detection i like camilleri's books set in sicily Game of Mirrors ; dibdin's in naples Game of Mirrors ; mcilvanney in glasgow Game of Mirrors
life's too short to be reading bestsellers?
June 22, 2022
Smrt u Pont Avenu je jedan od osam kriminalističkih romana o slučajevima komesara Dipena. Autor je Nemac i živi u južnom Finisteru, a piše pod pseudonimom. Pred nama je ubistvo pod vrlo čudnim okolnostima. Vlasnik hotela ubijen je u 91. godini života. Komesar Dipen je zadužen za ovaj čudan slučaj. U toku radnje nailazimo na dosta zapleta, ćorsokaka, novih saznanja koja u početku ne vode nigde, ali se kasnije konačno sklapaju kockice. Ukratko, imamo sve ono što čini jedan roman ovog tipa.
Deskripcija u romanu je odlična. Autor nam dočarava prelepe predele Bretanje. Celokupan predeo i atmosfera su sjajni za čitanje na letovanju, kada želite da se opustite i uživate uz lakšu literaturu.
Knjiga mi je odavala sličan utisak koji imam kada čitam knjige Agate Kristi. Tu ušuškanu, mirnu atmosferu, uprkos strašnom zločinu u pozadini svega. Takva atmosfera vlada i ovde. Likovi su uglavnom zanimljivi i skoro svako od njih je sumnjiv. Glavni lik je interesantan i najviše mi se dopao. Nije jedan od iritantnih likova koje obično nadjemo u ovakvim knjigama, što mi je bilo važno. Upravo suprotno, on je sasvim normalan tip i nema "poroka" koje obično imaju inspektori u kriminalističkim serijalima.
Svi likovi su mi bili sumnjivi kako je radnja odmicala, ali sam pravog krivca saznao tek na kraju. Ovde nećete naći nikakve šokantne delove, ni neke *WOW* momente, ali je priča sasvim zadovoljavajuća i bez toga. Autor je na vrlo pametan i interesantan način osmislio pozadinu svega, a ujedno i razvoj dogadjaja. Neki delovi su bili malo naivni, ali to nije uticalo na celokupni utisak. Pošto je ovo deo serijala, nadam se da se Laguna neće zaustaviti na ovoj knjizi. Voleo bih da pročitam ostale avanture komesara Dipena. Vama ostavljam preporuku da je pročitate ovog leta.
Deskripcija u romanu je odlična. Autor nam dočarava prelepe predele Bretanje. Celokupan predeo i atmosfera su sjajni za čitanje na letovanju, kada želite da se opustite i uživate uz lakšu literaturu.
Knjiga mi je odavala sličan utisak koji imam kada čitam knjige Agate Kristi. Tu ušuškanu, mirnu atmosferu, uprkos strašnom zločinu u pozadini svega. Takva atmosfera vlada i ovde. Likovi su uglavnom zanimljivi i skoro svako od njih je sumnjiv. Glavni lik je interesantan i najviše mi se dopao. Nije jedan od iritantnih likova koje obično nadjemo u ovakvim knjigama, što mi je bilo važno. Upravo suprotno, on je sasvim normalan tip i nema "poroka" koje obično imaju inspektori u kriminalističkim serijalima.
Svi likovi su mi bili sumnjivi kako je radnja odmicala, ali sam pravog krivca saznao tek na kraju. Ovde nećete naći nikakve šokantne delove, ni neke *WOW* momente, ali je priča sasvim zadovoljavajuća i bez toga. Autor je na vrlo pametan i interesantan način osmislio pozadinu svega, a ujedno i razvoj dogadjaja. Neki delovi su bili malo naivni, ali to nije uticalo na celokupni utisak. Pošto je ovo deo serijala, nadam se da se Laguna neće zaustaviti na ovoj knjizi. Voleo bih da pročitam ostale avanture komesara Dipena. Vama ostavljam preporuku da je pročitate ovog leta.
September 20, 2022
Mažame Bretanės miestelyje, Pont-Avene nužudomas senyvas viešbučio savininkas. Viešbutis ne tai, kad iš labai klestinčių, bet su istorija – savo laiku jame gyveno ir kūrė nemažai dailininkų, tarp kurių ir pats Polis Gogenas.
Tyrimas neblizga kažkokiu ypatingu detektyviniu išradingumu, o galiausiai išvis – vieną pagrindinių žingsnių mįslės įminimui komisaras Diupenas žengia vedamas... intuicijos. Tad jei ši knyga kuo ir žavi, tai neabejotinai – ne detektyvine intriga.
O štai Pont-Avenas, mažas kurortinis miestelis Atlanto pakrantėje – nupieštas taip šiltai, kad nejučia užsimanai prasieiti jo gatvelėmis, prisėsti kavinėje su vaizdu į upę ir užsisakyti puodelį juodos kavos ir kruasaną. Ką jau ten – prisipažinsiu, kad net goglinau tą Pont-Aveną. O taip nutinka retai.
Bet atmosfera neatperka iki galo silpnoko tyrimo. Tad vargu ar įdėmiai seksiu šią seriją.
Trys iš penkių, tarkim.
Tyrimas neblizga kažkokiu ypatingu detektyviniu išradingumu, o galiausiai išvis – vieną pagrindinių žingsnių mįslės įminimui komisaras Diupenas žengia vedamas... intuicijos. Tad jei ši knyga kuo ir žavi, tai neabejotinai – ne detektyvine intriga.
O štai Pont-Avenas, mažas kurortinis miestelis Atlanto pakrantėje – nupieštas taip šiltai, kad nejučia užsimanai prasieiti jo gatvelėmis, prisėsti kavinėje su vaizdu į upę ir užsisakyti puodelį juodos kavos ir kruasaną. Ką jau ten – prisipažinsiu, kad net goglinau tą Pont-Aveną. O taip nutinka retai.
Bet atmosfera neatperka iki galo silpnoko tyrimo. Tad vargu ar įdėmiai seksiu šią seriją.
Trys iš penkių, tarkim.
July 19, 2018
Un libro de suspense entretenido y fácil de leer, con un protagonista, el comisario Dupin, carismático y algo gruñón. La trama no es muy rebuscada, y en ocasiones queda eclipsada por las descripciones de la región, la Bretaña, en donde sucede la historia.
July 2, 2015
Bannalec has written a mystery with a marvelous sense of place, complete with some of its fascinating historical background. His descriptions are so vivid it was easy for me to picture the beautiful setting. The mystery is also a good one, with tie-ins to local history and to Paul Gauguin.
What is lacking in Death in Brittany is characterization. It's all about the investigation here. None of the characters come to life. Dupin's two inspectors become mere minions after very brief introductions. Dupin is constantly saying, "We need to talk," but readers are never allowed to hear what they talk about. Part of the fun of reading mysteries is being allowed to be the proverbial fly on the wall. There's none of that here, and it's missed-- as are more fully fleshed characters.
What is lacking in Death in Brittany is characterization. It's all about the investigation here. None of the characters come to life. Dupin's two inspectors become mere minions after very brief introductions. Dupin is constantly saying, "We need to talk," but readers are never allowed to hear what they talk about. Part of the fun of reading mysteries is being allowed to be the proverbial fly on the wall. There's none of that here, and it's missed-- as are more fully fleshed characters.
February 24, 2018
da un certo punto in poi si dà per scontato che un certo quadro sia stato rubato, senza avere mai parlato di un furto fino a quel momento (c'era stato un dubbio, molte pagine prima), e non è un dettaglio, perché da lì viene tutta la storia. Sono cose che danno sui nervi: ci vuol tanto a rileggersi, o a farsi rileggere da un editor? A parte questo è un giallo onesto, che si legge volentieri anche se molte pagine sembrano più una guida turistica del Finistère che un libro
December 28, 2022
First in a series that holds promise and I had already acquired #2, so that purchase isn't a waste. Maybe the biggest downside is that I'm sure I butchered what little I remember of my 60-years-ago high school French in trying to pronounce a few of the names and places. The setting feels real and it appears Brittany is a place Bannalec knows and loves.
We know about the murder early. A 91-year old hotelier was found first thing in the morning, apparently having been stabbed to death. Who has done the deed is not apparent. To be honest, I didn't think there were any good suspects. (We know I never would have made a good homicide cop!) It was some time before even a motive began to surface.
This, for me, is the best kind of murder plot and it kept me reading. I had nothing to complain about the writing style. It isn't what I'd rave about (ala Benjamin Black/John Banville), but neither is it bumbling and amateurish. I might have wanted more in the area of characterization, but there is enough of Georges Dupin to think I'll get to know him better as the series progresses.
I very much liked the time I spent with this, so I'm filling in a 4th star, but I might be exaggerating slightly.
We know about the murder early. A 91-year old hotelier was found first thing in the morning, apparently having been stabbed to death. Who has done the deed is not apparent. To be honest, I didn't think there were any good suspects. (We know I never would have made a good homicide cop!) It was some time before even a motive began to surface.
This, for me, is the best kind of murder plot and it kept me reading. I had nothing to complain about the writing style. It isn't what I'd rave about (ala Benjamin Black/John Banville), but neither is it bumbling and amateurish. I might have wanted more in the area of characterization, but there is enough of Georges Dupin to think I'll get to know him better as the series progresses.
I very much liked the time I spent with this, so I'm filling in a 4th star, but I might be exaggerating slightly.
February 10, 2021
Neko nevaru darīt, patīk franču krimiķi:) un ja vēl gleznotāji, fantastiski Bretaņas apraksti un dīvains izmeklētājs (reālajā dzīvē kaitinātu ļoti), mmmmm! Tāpēc būšu neobjektīva..
Cerams, būs arī pārējās sērijas grāmatas.
Cerams, būs arī pārējās sērijas grāmatas.
August 11, 2017
This wasnt what I was expecting at all. When I briefly scanned a review or comment about this book I got totally the wrong idea. I was expecting an ordinary french village policemen similar to Chief Inspector Bruno , the only policeman in St Denis in the Dordogne in the novels by Martin Walker. Instead I got a sharp Police Commissaire from Brittany who, although a little unorthadox, was a quick witted murder detective. However, the current fashion in the modern police (and other) work to keep everyone up to date with regular 'Team' meetings seem to have passed him by. He is very much a loner and keeps his ideas and discoveries very much to himself. He must be terrible to work for and your heart goes out to his Inspectors.
The book itself took some tracking down and none of my usual sources nor any of the three County Libraries that I use had anything by this author. Reading through some of the reviews on 'Goodreads', I see that some have been lucky enough to received their book in a 'Giveaway' and if anyone knows of any copies going of any other translated later books in the series, I would be very pleased to hear from them.
And so , at last, to the book and a most enjoyable read . It is very obvious from the adjectives that the author uses , that he loves the area as much as I do. We were lucky enough to spend some time in the area in 2015 and were entranced by beauty of this picturesque village in particular. I would love to return again now, not to view the scene of the crime so much as the bars and the restaurants that Dupin has found in his 3 years there.
Possibly, because of my visit but also, because of the authors abilities, I had no trouble picturing all of the locations in my minds eye and the characters were all made real by his penwork.
It took much of the book before the reason for the murder of the much liked 91 year old hotelier/restauranteur was discovered by the Commissaire but the clues were there for the reader to spot.
Did I? Of course not and neither did I identify the killer. Perhaps I was too busy reliving the sights , sounds and food of this beautiful corner of France.
Certainly a 4* and so very nearly a 5 of which I have high hopes if/when I manage to get hold of subsequent books of the series.
The book itself took some tracking down and none of my usual sources nor any of the three County Libraries that I use had anything by this author. Reading through some of the reviews on 'Goodreads', I see that some have been lucky enough to received their book in a 'Giveaway' and if anyone knows of any copies going of any other translated later books in the series, I would be very pleased to hear from them.
And so , at last, to the book and a most enjoyable read . It is very obvious from the adjectives that the author uses , that he loves the area as much as I do. We were lucky enough to spend some time in the area in 2015 and were entranced by beauty of this picturesque village in particular. I would love to return again now, not to view the scene of the crime so much as the bars and the restaurants that Dupin has found in his 3 years there.
Possibly, because of my visit but also, because of the authors abilities, I had no trouble picturing all of the locations in my minds eye and the characters were all made real by his penwork.
It took much of the book before the reason for the murder of the much liked 91 year old hotelier/restauranteur was discovered by the Commissaire but the clues were there for the reader to spot.
Did I? Of course not and neither did I identify the killer. Perhaps I was too busy reliving the sights , sounds and food of this beautiful corner of France.
Certainly a 4* and so very nearly a 5 of which I have high hopes if/when I manage to get hold of subsequent books of the series.
October 2, 2017
"Бретонски афери" на Жан-Люк Баналек е приятно и непретенциозно крими-четиво, носещо атмосферата на Бретан, Понт-Авен и пост-импресионизма и очевидно стремящо се да наподоби духа на разследванията на Мегре. Първоначалната ми изненада, че толкова френско звучаща книга е преведена от немски, отмина, след като разбрах, че авторът е бретонец по баща и германец по майка - това обясни и някои особености на стила, които ми бяха леко дразнещи.
Сюжетът се развива в идиличното градче Понт-Авен (който се интересува от изобразително изкуство, знае, че то е тясно свързано с биографията на Гоген и "независимите" художници). Собственикът на най-известния местен хотел, 91-годишен старец, е намерен убит. Разследването е поверено на комисар Жорж Дюпен - парижанин, изпратен в Бретан заради непочтително отношение към началниците си - и се върти около историята на града и връзката му с художниците.
Книгата е първа от поредица случаи на комисар Дюпен, но засега не съм убедена, че бих прочела следващ. Не знам дали заради превода или автора, и комисарят, и неговите сътрудници са твърде досадни, мудни и клиширани, за да си ги причиня пак. Дюпен постоянно или "умира от глад", или излиза на въздух да поеме дълбоко дъх, или се назлъндисва да разкаже на някого как върви разследването. Двамата му сътрудници пък са повече схематичен пълнеж, отколкото участници в действието и основната им роля е да досаждат на главния герой.
Това, което прави книгата приятна за четене, е изградената от автора картина на Бретан, която определено възбужда желание да хванеш следващия самолет и да я видиш на живо, да седнеш в някое от многобройните описани от Баналек ресторантчета и да се насладиш на храната и гледките. Всъщност, спокойно можех да мина и без криминалната линия.
Сюжетът се развива в идиличното градче Понт-Авен (който се интересува от изобразително изкуство, знае, че то е тясно свързано с биографията на Гоген и "независимите" художници). Собственикът на най-известния местен хотел, 91-годишен старец, е намерен убит. Разследването е поверено на комисар Жорж Дюпен - парижанин, изпратен в Бретан заради непочтително отношение към началниците си - и се върти около историята на града и връзката му с художниците.
Книгата е първа от поредица случаи на комисар Дюпен, но засега не съм убедена, че бих прочела следващ. Не знам дали заради превода или автора, и комисарят, и неговите сътрудници са твърде досадни, мудни и клиширани, за да си ги причиня пак. Дюпен постоянно или "умира от глад", или излиза на въздух да поеме дълбоко дъх, или се назлъндисва да разкаже на някого как върви разследването. Двамата му сътрудници пък са повече схематичен пълнеж, отколкото участници в действието и основната им роля е да досаждат на главния герой.
Това, което прави книгата приятна за четене, е изградената от автора картина на Бретан, която определено възбужда желание да хванеш следващия самолет и да я видиш на живо, да седнеш в някое от многобройните описани от Баналек ресторантчета и да се насладиш на храната и гледките. Всъщност, спокойно можех да мина и без криминалната линия.
November 1, 2018
Hacía tiempo que me habían recomendado a este autor, honestamente me quede muy gratamente sorprendida.
Bannalec, tiene una narrativa tan rica que se antoja estar en los lugares que nos describe, la comida, las casas, el mar, en fin que dan ganas de irse a vivir ahí.
Una novela policíaca, de esas de antes, donde nos metemos en la investigación de la manera antigua, muy al estilo de los clásicos.
Hay quien puede creer que la novela policíaca tiene que ser necesariamente novela negra, yo no pienso así, para mi, las novelas policíacas, deben ser ligeras, donde sabemos poco del investigador, pero lo suficiente para admirarlo por su sagacidad, por su personalidad.
Mientras avanzaba en la lectura, mas me recordaba a esos de la antigua escuela, donde tenemos una investigación policial con un poco de suspenso, lo suficiente para estar intrigados, pero no excesivo, nada que nos haga saltar de la silla o nos tenga en un profundo vilo, creo que eso fue lo que mas me gusto, la ligereza de la narrativa sin dejar de ser interesante.
Muy recomendable, este es el primero de varios libros que por supuesto seguiré leyendo, porque me gusto muchísimo y me dejó muy buen sabor de boca
Un asesinato, un robo, una familia conocida en la localidad, un comisario singular, un lugar de ensueño ¿que mas podemos pedir?
Que me dieron ganas de irme a vivir a la Bretaña Francesa!
Bannalec, tiene una narrativa tan rica que se antoja estar en los lugares que nos describe, la comida, las casas, el mar, en fin que dan ganas de irse a vivir ahí.
Una novela policíaca, de esas de antes, donde nos metemos en la investigación de la manera antigua, muy al estilo de los clásicos.
Hay quien puede creer que la novela policíaca tiene que ser necesariamente novela negra, yo no pienso así, para mi, las novelas policíacas, deben ser ligeras, donde sabemos poco del investigador, pero lo suficiente para admirarlo por su sagacidad, por su personalidad.
Mientras avanzaba en la lectura, mas me recordaba a esos de la antigua escuela, donde tenemos una investigación policial con un poco de suspenso, lo suficiente para estar intrigados, pero no excesivo, nada que nos haga saltar de la silla o nos tenga en un profundo vilo, creo que eso fue lo que mas me gusto, la ligereza de la narrativa sin dejar de ser interesante.
Muy recomendable, este es el primero de varios libros que por supuesto seguiré leyendo, porque me gusto muchísimo y me dejó muy buen sabor de boca
Un asesinato, un robo, una familia conocida en la localidad, un comisario singular, un lugar de ensueño ¿que mas podemos pedir?
Que me dieron ganas de irme a vivir a la Bretaña Francesa!
June 20, 2018
Lo que más me gustó del libro fueron las descripciones de la Bretaña francesa: paisajes, gastronomía, costumbres, pintores famosos que vivieron o pintaron allí…
En cuanto al resto: la trama floja, el equipo policial inexistente, porque todo lo hace el comisario, sin informar de nada a los inspectores y resto de policías; con su peculiar forma de trabajar, paseando sólo, haciendo anotaciones en un cuaderno y entrevistando varias veces a los posibles sospechosos.
Al final del libro se entrevé una posible historia entre el comisario y la profesora de arte que colaboró con él en el caso.
En cuanto al resto: la trama floja, el equipo policial inexistente, porque todo lo hace el comisario, sin informar de nada a los inspectores y resto de policías; con su peculiar forma de trabajar, paseando sólo, haciendo anotaciones en un cuaderno y entrevistando varias veces a los posibles sospechosos.
Al final del libro se entrevé una posible historia entre el comisario y la profesora de arte que colaboró con él en el caso.
April 18, 2020
Me ha gustado mucho. Llevaba tiempo sin encontrar una novela negra "clásica", por decirlo de algún modo, sin esos giros surrealistas extraños que tan de moda están en las más vendidas de los últimos años. Será menos trepidante así, pero también más realista y con más calidad literaria. En este caso, se entreteje muy bien la trama con la vida en la Bretaña francesa y una curiosa relación con la historia del arte. La resolución final me ha parecido un poquito floja, pero por lo demás... ha sido una lectura buena y entretenida.
June 15, 2015
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, St. Martin's Press!
The way this book describes the town of Pont-Aven and the whole region of Brittany and its ambiance is a delight. The characters are well developed and the mystery develops at a steady pace, leaving a great taste in the reader's mouth. The one problem with this book is that it will make you crave Commissaire Dupin's morning croissant. A wonderful read!
The way this book describes the town of Pont-Aven and the whole region of Brittany and its ambiance is a delight. The characters are well developed and the mystery develops at a steady pace, leaving a great taste in the reader's mouth. The one problem with this book is that it will make you crave Commissaire Dupin's morning croissant. A wonderful read!
July 30, 2018
More like 4.5 stars for me
I was fortunate in waiting for available copy of this book that I could also check out the second of this series at the same time. The third I was able to place on hold. I do love finding a new and very interesting police investigator (Commissaire Dupin) who does his own thing in his own way in his own time. A fourth book in the series will come out in Spring 2019. There is also a German television series already made and can be viewed on you tube. How's your German? The author is German, a surprise to me after I googled the pseudonym. He apparently lives part time in Brittany as well as Germany (or so says the internet).
Having read the book I now want to travel asap to Brittany. The scenery as well as the villages and even the food scene are described wonderfully in this book. This is a thinking policeman who likes/needs to walk to allow the puzzle pieces to fit together in his analysis. He is given so little information arriving on the scene of a murder in a hotel dining room. It is the body of a 91-year old hotelier, brutally stabbed. His methods include locking up the scene of the crime and keeping it intact for as long as he wishes while interviews and fact gathering proceeds.
Very rich art history in the area plays a major role in this crime. Gauguin's work and love of the people and the area are well known. I must admit to loving his depiction of Breton girls in their white bonnets and have a print recently purchased that needs framing. The Chicago Art Institute recently held a rich exhibition of Gauguin's varied works.
So...we have Brittany, scenes of rivers and sea, quaint villages, art history and greed to uncover. Excellent read!
sample from book to give you idea of descriptive text:
"The landscape became more and more enchanting as the narrow little streets at the edge of Pont-Aven gave way to thick woodland. The trees were dripping with mistletoe and ivy, overgrown and moss-covered. Some of the trees here had entwined as they grew, forming a long dark green tunnel. Now and then the Aven shimmered between the trees on the left hand side as though it were electrically charged, a pale silver colour. The last of the day's light bathed everything in its glow, lending the landscape even more of a fairytale atmosphere. By now, Dupin knew this landscape and this atmosphere very well....He always thought that if you were to meet a dwarf or an elf or some other mythical creature in this kind of light, you wouldn't even bat an eyelid."
I was fortunate in waiting for available copy of this book that I could also check out the second of this series at the same time. The third I was able to place on hold. I do love finding a new and very interesting police investigator (Commissaire Dupin) who does his own thing in his own way in his own time. A fourth book in the series will come out in Spring 2019. There is also a German television series already made and can be viewed on you tube. How's your German? The author is German, a surprise to me after I googled the pseudonym. He apparently lives part time in Brittany as well as Germany (or so says the internet).
Having read the book I now want to travel asap to Brittany. The scenery as well as the villages and even the food scene are described wonderfully in this book. This is a thinking policeman who likes/needs to walk to allow the puzzle pieces to fit together in his analysis. He is given so little information arriving on the scene of a murder in a hotel dining room. It is the body of a 91-year old hotelier, brutally stabbed. His methods include locking up the scene of the crime and keeping it intact for as long as he wishes while interviews and fact gathering proceeds.
Very rich art history in the area plays a major role in this crime. Gauguin's work and love of the people and the area are well known. I must admit to loving his depiction of Breton girls in their white bonnets and have a print recently purchased that needs framing. The Chicago Art Institute recently held a rich exhibition of Gauguin's varied works.
So...we have Brittany, scenes of rivers and sea, quaint villages, art history and greed to uncover. Excellent read!
sample from book to give you idea of descriptive text:
"The landscape became more and more enchanting as the narrow little streets at the edge of Pont-Aven gave way to thick woodland. The trees were dripping with mistletoe and ivy, overgrown and moss-covered. Some of the trees here had entwined as they grew, forming a long dark green tunnel. Now and then the Aven shimmered between the trees on the left hand side as though it were electrically charged, a pale silver colour. The last of the day's light bathed everything in its glow, lending the landscape even more of a fairytale atmosphere. By now, Dupin knew this landscape and this atmosphere very well....He always thought that if you were to meet a dwarf or an elf or some other mythical creature in this kind of light, you wouldn't even bat an eyelid."
Read
June 28, 2022Kada sam pre nekoliko nedelja boravio u Španiji posetio sam i Finistere, oblast na obali poznatoj i kao „kraj sveta“ (od latinskog finis terrae je cela oblast i dobila naziv). Mislio sam da je to to. Nema dalje u od te tačke u Evropi do koje mogu da stignem.
Međutim, kada sam počeo da čitam knjigu „Smrt u Pont Avenu“ video sam da postoji nešto veoma slično i u Francuskoj. U Bretanji iliti Armorici (što bi značilo „zemlja u moru“), čuvenoj zemlji nepokornih Gala, Asteriksa, Obeliksa i književnog Serana de Beržeraka, nalazi se Finister u istom smislu i značenju kao onaj na Iberijskom poluostrvu. FInister je jedan od pet departmana u Bretanji.
Odmah sam guglao i bio sam zadivljen fotografijama ljupkih i pastoralnih gradića koji se nalaze na toj obali.
A upravo takav je ovaj roman. Pisan u duhu, recimo, Agate Kristi ili Aleksander Mekol Smita i njegove Prve damske detektivske agencije, jeste nešto što mnogo volim da čitam.
I, zaista.
Mnogo sam uživao u ovoj knjizi. Slatka je i puna šarma. Sa mnogo opisa lokalnih mesta, što celoj priči daje poseban, egzotičan, šmek.
Ovo je prva u serijalu od osam knjiga o komesaru Dipenu. Knjige su prevedene na, ako se ne varam, četrnaest jezika, a u Nemačkoj (autor je Nemac koji živi upravo u Bretanji i piše pod francuskim pseudonimom) su po njima snimljeni televizijski filmovi.
Ovaj Nemac toliko je zaljubljen u Bretanju da je od Regiona Bretanje 2016. godine dobio titulu Pokrovitelj Bretanje jer je u svojim romanima popularisao njihov kraj.
Da ne dužim (jer dugačko o knjizi možete pročitati u tekstu na ovom linku: http://www.bookvar.rs/komesar-dipen-u... ), knjiga mi se mnogo dopala. Preporuka.
Međutim, kada sam počeo da čitam knjigu „Smrt u Pont Avenu“ video sam da postoji nešto veoma slično i u Francuskoj. U Bretanji iliti Armorici (što bi značilo „zemlja u moru“), čuvenoj zemlji nepokornih Gala, Asteriksa, Obeliksa i književnog Serana de Beržeraka, nalazi se Finister u istom smislu i značenju kao onaj na Iberijskom poluostrvu. FInister je jedan od pet departmana u Bretanji.
Odmah sam guglao i bio sam zadivljen fotografijama ljupkih i pastoralnih gradića koji se nalaze na toj obali.
A upravo takav je ovaj roman. Pisan u duhu, recimo, Agate Kristi ili Aleksander Mekol Smita i njegove Prve damske detektivske agencije, jeste nešto što mnogo volim da čitam.
I, zaista.
Mnogo sam uživao u ovoj knjizi. Slatka je i puna šarma. Sa mnogo opisa lokalnih mesta, što celoj priči daje poseban, egzotičan, šmek.
Ovo je prva u serijalu od osam knjiga o komesaru Dipenu. Knjige su prevedene na, ako se ne varam, četrnaest jezika, a u Nemačkoj (autor je Nemac koji živi upravo u Bretanji i piše pod francuskim pseudonimom) su po njima snimljeni televizijski filmovi.
Ovaj Nemac toliko je zaljubljen u Bretanju da je od Regiona Bretanje 2016. godine dobio titulu Pokrovitelj Bretanje jer je u svojim romanima popularisao njihov kraj.
Da ne dužim (jer dugačko o knjizi možete pročitati u tekstu na ovom linku: http://www.bookvar.rs/komesar-dipen-u... ), knjiga mi se mnogo dopala. Preporuka.
July 29, 2020
The owner of an hotel gets killed and shortly thereafter follows his son. What can a family run hotel offer any motive when the owner according to his doctor was fatally ill.
|Commisioner Dupin transplanted from Paris to Brittany as a policeman will have to find an answer to this question which will shortly change into an investigation whose answer might lie in the past when Port Arven was a place for artists like Gauguin.
JEAN-LUC BANNALEC is a pseudonym for Jorg Bong a German writer. The author divides his time between Germany and coastal Brittany, France. Death in Brittany, the first case for Commissaire Dupin, was published in German in March 2012 and sold 600,000 copies, spending many months on the bestseller list. It has been sold into 14 countries.
The writer does offer an interesting tale and it does not fail to entertain, he does offer a lovely and somewhat romantic view of life in Brittany and its inhabitants. Like quite a few writers these days he does write about a place he loves and that shines through the pages.
I did see an episode of the tv movies made upon the book series, the Germans are quite apt in filming mysteries of krimis as they like to call them.
|Commisioner Dupin transplanted from Paris to Brittany as a policeman will have to find an answer to this question which will shortly change into an investigation whose answer might lie in the past when Port Arven was a place for artists like Gauguin.
JEAN-LUC BANNALEC is a pseudonym for Jorg Bong a German writer. The author divides his time between Germany and coastal Brittany, France. Death in Brittany, the first case for Commissaire Dupin, was published in German in March 2012 and sold 600,000 copies, spending many months on the bestseller list. It has been sold into 14 countries.
The writer does offer an interesting tale and it does not fail to entertain, he does offer a lovely and somewhat romantic view of life in Brittany and its inhabitants. Like quite a few writers these days he does write about a place he loves and that shines through the pages.
I did see an episode of the tv movies made upon the book series, the Germans are quite apt in filming mysteries of krimis as they like to call them.
January 1, 2023
Gemütliche Kurzweil für nebenbei. Und sogar noch in der Bretagne. Alles gut.
Aber fasziniert hat mich doch eins: der Protagonist und alle Nebenfiguren hatten ungefähr soviel charakterlichen Tiefgang wie die Fünf Freunde bei Enid Blyton :)
Daher der kleine Sternchenverlust.
Aber fasziniert hat mich doch eins: der Protagonist und alle Nebenfiguren hatten ungefähr soviel charakterlichen Tiefgang wie die Fünf Freunde bei Enid Blyton :)
Daher der kleine Sternchenverlust.
December 23, 2012
Eigentlich wollte ich diesen Krimi gleich lesen, als ich auch nur den Titel las. Habe schon lange nichts mehr gesehen, was in der Bretagne spielt. Und da ich die Gegend liebe und dort mal ein Jahr gelebt habe, sollte es doch ein leichtes sein mich von einem Regionalkrimi begeistern zu lassen. Dann kamen die ersten zweifelnden Stimmen und die Diskussion um die Identität des Autors verwirrte mich zunehmend. Meine Leselust nahm ab.
Doch dann hat mir eine liebe Seele ein unwiderstehliches Angebot gemacht und ein Exemplar auf den Weg nach Kanada geschickt. Und ich gelobte mir ganz unvoreingenommen an das Buch heranzugehen und vor allem der Geschichte erstmal eine Chance zu geben.
Und der Klappentext versprach schon mal eine gute Geschichte - und einen spannenden Krimi. Kommissar Dupin ist von Paris in die fernste Provinz in die Bretagne strafversetzt worden und hat sich dort überraschenderweise schnell eingelebt, auch wenn er von den Einheimischen nach nunmehr 3 Jahren natürlich immer noch wie ein Fremder behandelt wird. Im Pont Aven gilt es einen brutalen Mord an einen renommierten Hotelier aufzuklären. Verzwickte Familienverhältnisse und natürlich auch kunstgeschichteliche HIntergründe spielen bei der Lösung des Falles eine wichtige Rolle.
Leider war jedes Wohlwollen meinerseits gleich nach den ersten Seiten schon verspielt. Die ausführlichen Landschaftsbeschreibungen lesen sich einfach wie ein touristischer Werbeprospekt für die Bretagne und nicht mehr. Alle Klischees, die man sich denken kann, werden hier aufgeführt. Aber die eigentliche bretonische Stimmung kam gar nicht wirklich durch. Wie auch andere Kritiker anmerkten, ist von grantelnden, abweisenden Bretonen wie sie im Buch vorwiegend beschrieben werden, in der Wirklichkeit nicht viel zu sehen. Ich hab selten gastfreundlichere und liebenswürdigere Menschen kennen gelernt. Und war mehr als froh, dass ich nach einem Sommer an der Sorbonne zur Université de Haute Bretagne wechseln konnte!!!!
Manche Leser fühlen sich durch die vielen französisch-bretonischen Namen verwirrt. Ich war eher irritiert, da sie sich für mich eigentlich gar nicht bretonisch anhörten, im Gegenteil, ich vermisste regelrecht die typisch bretonischen Namen, an die ich mich über die Jahre so gewöhnt hatte. Der Autor hat statt dessen diese merkwürdige Eigenart nicht nur sein Pseudonym sondern auch einige seiner Figuren mit Ortsnamen zu belegen - bei Locmariaquer gruselte es mich jedes Mal. Da ist es wohl kein Wunder, dass auch Dupin nie Lust hatte mit seinem Boss zu reden .....
Aber davon ganz abgesehen, hat mich der Krimi als solcher nicht überzeugen können. Die erste Hälfte verlief so schleppend, dass ich wiederholt ans Abbrechen dachte. Es passiert nichts, die Ermittlungen bestehen aus nicht viel mehr als langweiligen Gesprächen, die ich kaum Verhöre zu nennen wage.
Ich konnte auch nie wirklich mit dem Protagonisten warm werden. Kommissar Dupin bleibt eine eher leblose Figur für mich. Ich konnte aus den Beschreibungen des Autors nie wirklich verstehen, warum er so im Alleingang unterwegs ist - beruflich wie privat.
Erst als nach gut 150 Seiten (das halbe Buch ist schon durch!!!) eine Kunstexpertin als neue Figur auftritt, gewinnt der Plot mehr Fahrt und wird spannender. Der Kunsthintergrund rund um Gauguin und die Schule von Pont Aven war letztlich das einzige, was ich an dem ganzen Buch wirklich interessant finden konnte.
Letztlich kann ich mich nach dieser Lektüre nur denen anschliessen, die stark zweifeln, dass der Autor in der Tat ein gebürtiger Bretone sei und eher einen Deutschen hinter dem Pseudonym vermuten.
Doch dann hat mir eine liebe Seele ein unwiderstehliches Angebot gemacht und ein Exemplar auf den Weg nach Kanada geschickt. Und ich gelobte mir ganz unvoreingenommen an das Buch heranzugehen und vor allem der Geschichte erstmal eine Chance zu geben.
Und der Klappentext versprach schon mal eine gute Geschichte - und einen spannenden Krimi. Kommissar Dupin ist von Paris in die fernste Provinz in die Bretagne strafversetzt worden und hat sich dort überraschenderweise schnell eingelebt, auch wenn er von den Einheimischen nach nunmehr 3 Jahren natürlich immer noch wie ein Fremder behandelt wird. Im Pont Aven gilt es einen brutalen Mord an einen renommierten Hotelier aufzuklären. Verzwickte Familienverhältnisse und natürlich auch kunstgeschichteliche HIntergründe spielen bei der Lösung des Falles eine wichtige Rolle.
Leider war jedes Wohlwollen meinerseits gleich nach den ersten Seiten schon verspielt. Die ausführlichen Landschaftsbeschreibungen lesen sich einfach wie ein touristischer Werbeprospekt für die Bretagne und nicht mehr. Alle Klischees, die man sich denken kann, werden hier aufgeführt. Aber die eigentliche bretonische Stimmung kam gar nicht wirklich durch. Wie auch andere Kritiker anmerkten, ist von grantelnden, abweisenden Bretonen wie sie im Buch vorwiegend beschrieben werden, in der Wirklichkeit nicht viel zu sehen. Ich hab selten gastfreundlichere und liebenswürdigere Menschen kennen gelernt. Und war mehr als froh, dass ich nach einem Sommer an der Sorbonne zur Université de Haute Bretagne wechseln konnte!!!!
Manche Leser fühlen sich durch die vielen französisch-bretonischen Namen verwirrt. Ich war eher irritiert, da sie sich für mich eigentlich gar nicht bretonisch anhörten, im Gegenteil, ich vermisste regelrecht die typisch bretonischen Namen, an die ich mich über die Jahre so gewöhnt hatte. Der Autor hat statt dessen diese merkwürdige Eigenart nicht nur sein Pseudonym sondern auch einige seiner Figuren mit Ortsnamen zu belegen - bei Locmariaquer gruselte es mich jedes Mal. Da ist es wohl kein Wunder, dass auch Dupin nie Lust hatte mit seinem Boss zu reden .....
Aber davon ganz abgesehen, hat mich der Krimi als solcher nicht überzeugen können. Die erste Hälfte verlief so schleppend, dass ich wiederholt ans Abbrechen dachte. Es passiert nichts, die Ermittlungen bestehen aus nicht viel mehr als langweiligen Gesprächen, die ich kaum Verhöre zu nennen wage.
Ich konnte auch nie wirklich mit dem Protagonisten warm werden. Kommissar Dupin bleibt eine eher leblose Figur für mich. Ich konnte aus den Beschreibungen des Autors nie wirklich verstehen, warum er so im Alleingang unterwegs ist - beruflich wie privat.
Erst als nach gut 150 Seiten (das halbe Buch ist schon durch!!!) eine Kunstexpertin als neue Figur auftritt, gewinnt der Plot mehr Fahrt und wird spannender. Der Kunsthintergrund rund um Gauguin und die Schule von Pont Aven war letztlich das einzige, was ich an dem ganzen Buch wirklich interessant finden konnte.
Letztlich kann ich mich nach dieser Lektüre nur denen anschliessen, die stark zweifeln, dass der Autor in der Tat ein gebürtiger Bretone sei und eher einen Deutschen hinter dem Pseudonym vermuten.
October 3, 2022
En Pont-Aven, un idílico pueblecito francés en la desembocadura del río Aven, lugar que hizo famoso Gauguin y otros pintores de la época, ha aparecido un cadáver. El propietario del hotel Central, Pierre-Louis Pennec, ha sido salvajemente asesinado en el restaurante de su hotel. La víctima tenía más de 90 años y era muy apreciado en la comunidad.
Georges Dupin, comisario de una localidad vecina, debe hacerse cargo del caso ante la ausencia del comisario de Pont-Aven y anda totalmente perdido. Pero es perseverante y, como no podía ser de otra forma, sus investigaciones pronto empezarán a dar frutos.
El misterio de Pont-Aven” ha resultado ser una novela policíaca, ligera y muy agradable de leer, que me ha entretenido durante los pocos días que me duró su lectura y me ha hecho soñar con Bretaña.
La acción transcurre en la Bretaña francesa, una región al norte del país. Las descripciones de los lugares son lo bastante precisas para trasladarnos al lugar. Pont-Aven debe ser una localidad casi de cuento de hadas.
El protagonista es George Dupin, un comisario parisino que reside en Bretaña desde hace tres años, trasladado forzosamente por su carácter tan especial.
Como la mayoría de policías que pueblan las novelas negras, Dupin va a su aire, es minucioso y no suelta una investigación hasta que la lleva a su término.
En la investigación estará acompañado por dos inspectores: Le Ber y Labat. Al primero aprecia – quizás porque no cuestiona sus evidentes rarezas - y al segundo no le puede ni ver y no le trata precisamente bien. Además, tendrá la ayuda puntual de una catedrática especialidad en pintura.
El misterio de Pont-Aven tiene un regusto a las novelas clásicas de misterio; por ejemplo, a las de Agatha Christie. Es una novela bastante light, suave, simpática, de lectura muy fluida y entretenida.
La trama es sencilla. No hay grandes giros argumentales ni grandes sorpresas. Casi desde el principio aparecen limitados los posibles asesinos, así que casi es cuestión de elegir entre uno y otro. Aunque alguna sorpresilla sí que me esperaba al final…
Georges Dupin, comisario de una localidad vecina, debe hacerse cargo del caso ante la ausencia del comisario de Pont-Aven y anda totalmente perdido. Pero es perseverante y, como no podía ser de otra forma, sus investigaciones pronto empezarán a dar frutos.
El misterio de Pont-Aven” ha resultado ser una novela policíaca, ligera y muy agradable de leer, que me ha entretenido durante los pocos días que me duró su lectura y me ha hecho soñar con Bretaña.
La acción transcurre en la Bretaña francesa, una región al norte del país. Las descripciones de los lugares son lo bastante precisas para trasladarnos al lugar. Pont-Aven debe ser una localidad casi de cuento de hadas.
El protagonista es George Dupin, un comisario parisino que reside en Bretaña desde hace tres años, trasladado forzosamente por su carácter tan especial.
Como la mayoría de policías que pueblan las novelas negras, Dupin va a su aire, es minucioso y no suelta una investigación hasta que la lleva a su término.
En la investigación estará acompañado por dos inspectores: Le Ber y Labat. Al primero aprecia – quizás porque no cuestiona sus evidentes rarezas - y al segundo no le puede ni ver y no le trata precisamente bien. Además, tendrá la ayuda puntual de una catedrática especialidad en pintura.
El misterio de Pont-Aven tiene un regusto a las novelas clásicas de misterio; por ejemplo, a las de Agatha Christie. Es una novela bastante light, suave, simpática, de lectura muy fluida y entretenida.
La trama es sencilla. No hay grandes giros argumentales ni grandes sorpresas. Casi desde el principio aparecen limitados los posibles asesinos, así que casi es cuestión de elegir entre uno y otro. Aunque alguna sorpresilla sí que me esperaba al final…
April 30, 2015
Reading this story is a bit like tasting wine, sometimes you savor the sweetness, sometimes the taste is a little dry, and sometimes you notice a hint of something you can’t quite put a name on. French Police Commissaire George Dupin finds himself in charge of a murder investigation in the village of Pont-Aven located in the picturesque provence of Brittany. Being a native Parisian himself, he still feels out of place among the Bretons, their old Celtic traditions, and their suspicious attitude towards outsiders. A local hotelier, Pierre-Louis Pennec,93 years old and well respected, has been stabbed to death in his own hotel. None of the locals has a clue who would do this or why. At least no one in this close knit village is admitting to anything. It will take all of Commissaire Dupin’s skill as well as some unusual outside help to discover the motive for this murder. Could the murderer be someone on the hotel’s staff, or Politician Andre Pennec, the murdered man’s half brother? Perhaps the hotelier’s son or daughter-in-law, or one of the dead man’s many friends in town? Why would any of these people kill a 93 year old man who was the scion of a well respected family in this community in the heart of a picturesque countryside immortalized in the art of Paul Gauguin. The plot is good, the location has an exotic flavor. The only drawback is in the syntax. It occasionally reads like my old French grammar book, very formal and often overly repetitive. Book provided for review by Amazon vine.
July 21, 2016
Pariser Kommissar ist in die Bretagne zwangsversetzt weil er seinen „Affekt“ nicht beherrschen kann. Nun lebt er seit drei Jahren dort und wird noch einige Generationen dort bleiben müssen um als nicht „neu“ eingestuft zu werden.
Der Kommissar wirkt grobschlächtig und ist koffeinabhängig etwas kauzig und einfach liebenswert.
Es gibt einen Fall zu lösen ein angesehener Hotelier wird erstochen in seinem Restaurant aufgefunden. Es gibt Familiengeheimnisse und die Bretagne zu entdecken.
Und irgendwann kommt der Punkt in dem Buch in dem man nicht mehr weiterlesen will, weil ja dann das Buch zu Ende ist – für mich immer ein gutes Zeichen.
Mit Hilfe des Kommissars wird der Leser in die Bretagne eingeführt, es gibt wunderbare Landschaftsbeschreibungen und liebenswerte Darstellungen, die die Bretonen dem Leser näher bringen. Wer noch nicht in der Bretagne war, wird es entdecken wollen. Die Leser, die dort schon sein durften werden sich danach sehnen bald wieder hinzufahren.
Das Buch hat alles was ich an einem Regio-Krimi schätze. Die Atmosphäre der Region, das Verständnis für die Einwohner und einen spannenden Fall in der Region eingebettet. Ich freue mich auf Neuigkeiten von Kommissar Dupin und kenne einige Leute, denen ich das Buch empfehlen werde.
Das Cover ist stimmig mit dem Buch und der Einband bzw. das Buch an sich liegt schön in der Hand.
Der Kommissar wirkt grobschlächtig und ist koffeinabhängig etwas kauzig und einfach liebenswert.
Es gibt einen Fall zu lösen ein angesehener Hotelier wird erstochen in seinem Restaurant aufgefunden. Es gibt Familiengeheimnisse und die Bretagne zu entdecken.
Und irgendwann kommt der Punkt in dem Buch in dem man nicht mehr weiterlesen will, weil ja dann das Buch zu Ende ist – für mich immer ein gutes Zeichen.
Mit Hilfe des Kommissars wird der Leser in die Bretagne eingeführt, es gibt wunderbare Landschaftsbeschreibungen und liebenswerte Darstellungen, die die Bretonen dem Leser näher bringen. Wer noch nicht in der Bretagne war, wird es entdecken wollen. Die Leser, die dort schon sein durften werden sich danach sehnen bald wieder hinzufahren.
Das Buch hat alles was ich an einem Regio-Krimi schätze. Die Atmosphäre der Region, das Verständnis für die Einwohner und einen spannenden Fall in der Region eingebettet. Ich freue mich auf Neuigkeiten von Kommissar Dupin und kenne einige Leute, denen ich das Buch empfehlen werde.
Das Cover ist stimmig mit dem Buch und der Einband bzw. das Buch an sich liegt schön in der Hand.
January 11, 2017
Novela policíaca ambientada en la Bretaña francesa, primero de la saga protagonizada por Georges Dupin.
El libro comienza con la aparición de un anciano asesinado en un hotel conocido por haber albergado en el pasado a Gauguin y otros artistas. La investigación corre a cargo del comisario Georges Dupin, un policía parisino, que ha sido "desterrado" a esta zona costera como "castigo" laboral.
Dupin es un policía introvertido, callado, impaciente pero justo. Y ese temperamento es el que le causa problemas con sus superiores, ya que no tiene paciencia para soportar las triquiñuelas políticas.
La historia policíaca es de estilo clásico, en el que el caso se resuelve con la observación y los testimonios de los implicados y testigos; los datos de adn y científicicos, aunque se usan, no tienen tanto protagonismo.
Pero sobre todo, el libro es una gran guía turística de esta zona bretona. Los paisajes y pueblos están tan bien descritos, que dan ganas de acercarse por allí libro en mano para seguir los caminos que nos enseña Dupin.
El libro comienza con la aparición de un anciano asesinado en un hotel conocido por haber albergado en el pasado a Gauguin y otros artistas. La investigación corre a cargo del comisario Georges Dupin, un policía parisino, que ha sido "desterrado" a esta zona costera como "castigo" laboral.
Dupin es un policía introvertido, callado, impaciente pero justo. Y ese temperamento es el que le causa problemas con sus superiores, ya que no tiene paciencia para soportar las triquiñuelas políticas.
La historia policíaca es de estilo clásico, en el que el caso se resuelve con la observación y los testimonios de los implicados y testigos; los datos de adn y científicicos, aunque se usan, no tienen tanto protagonismo.
Pero sobre todo, el libro es una gran guía turística de esta zona bretona. Los paisajes y pueblos están tan bien descritos, que dan ganas de acercarse por allí libro en mano para seguir los caminos que nos enseña Dupin.
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