The Killing Tide

Kommissar Dupin #5

by Jean-Luc Bannalec

The Killing Tide by Jean-Luc Bannalec is the fifth novel in the internationally bestselling Commissaire Dupin series.

Deep sea fishers, dolphin researchers, smugglers, and an island shrouded in myth in the middle of the rough Atlantic ocean: Commissaire Dupin had sworn he would never again investigate on the ocean, but his fifth case takes him offshore, off the west coast of Brittany on a beautifully sunny day in June. He lands on the unique �le de Sein, populated by more rabbits than people, where the hairdresser arrives by boat and which was formerly inhabited by powerful witches and even the devil himself. In front of this impressive backdrop--between the islands of Mol�ne, Ouessant, and the bay of Douarnenez--Dupin and his team follow a puzzling case that pushes them to their very limits.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, France, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Procedural

368 pages, Hardcover

First published June 28, 2016

About the author

pen 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.

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for a well done police procedural. Commissaire Geeorges Dupin and his team of Inspectors are called to the scene of a murdered woman. The book is divided into two long chapters, titled Day One and Two. The case is solved in 2 days, but more people die. I like Georges Dupin and the way he solves the case. The book has some vivid descriptions of Brittany, including its rugged coastline, mouth watering food and ferocious storms.
I have read 2 other books in this series and I plan to read more. This can be read as a standalone.
One quote: "Dupin was famous for his dislike of offices of every kind, in particular his own. He escaped from them as often as possible. He solved his cases from the scene of the crime, not from a desk."
Thanks to St Martin's Press for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

[Berengaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

short review for busy readers:
I'm not really a fan of the "Land und Leute" (nation and people) mysteries that are very popular in Germany.

Overly fawning descriptions of food and meals, picturesque villages, quaint local customs, nature, lovely weather...and a paper-thin mystery that serves as the excuse to take an extra week of (mental) vacation a year to a popular holiday destination.

This series, set in the Finisterre area of France, is a mild one of those. Yes, a bit too much about food. Yes, too much about quaint local legends and lore. Yes, too much about the mentality and lifestyle of the Bretons as seen by an outsider. (Padding, padding, padding) But the mystery is better built than most, and for those who enjoy nautical settings, this one does deliver all the salty dogs and wild water you're looking for.

Oh, and although the author's name looks very French, it's really a pseudonym for a German writer. Another dead giveaway that it's a "Land und Leute" mystery!

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Commissaire Dupin returns for a new mystery/police procedural and it is another strong effort by author Jean-Luc Bannalec. We head to the far reaches of Brittany, a location the Romans called "the end of the world" as Dupin and his two inspectors deal with the murder of a fisherwoman, and while there two more murders happens. Very different writing style for this book as it is divided into 2 long segments - Day 1 and Day 2. At times I felt like reading James Joyce's book Ulysses, as we follow Dupin without stop most of the entirety of Day 1. Along the way Inspector Riwal fills Dupin in on the history and mysteries of those last islands in France, Isle de Sein & Isle Tristan. Why were three people murdered - the fisherwoman, a dolphin researcher and a scientist turned local historian. What links did these three have? And it is tied into some of the ancient myths surrounding Isle de Sein? Dupin is frustrated and battered from a fierce storm as he tries to find the clues as to who is the murderer and why they committed the murder. Good read, and it was fun following Dupin around for 2 days!!!

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read all the books in this series and continue to have such mixed feelings. I always love the descriptions of the settings and the mythology of the places. I enjoy reading about the industry that is the setting for the murders. I enjoy the main character who dominates the books with his quirks and investigating techniques, but often feel like I'm spending all my time with an egomaniac and wonder why. I enjoy the love of good food and his relationship with his minions in the department (especially his assistant, Nolwenn) which makes him a bit more accessible.

These stories are so dense with background and descriptions about the places and so lacking in the characters that could spark more interest. There was the annoying mother this time, but so little of Claire. And, there were other interesting characters in past novels such as his policewoman from another district who helped to solve a crime. Finally, I felt that the final solution was gratuitous and came out of the blue. The novel ends with some unfinished business. I wonder if that will be included in the next story.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for the beautiful descriptions of settings, but the division of this book into Day One and Day Two is challenging for the reader with so many characters, boats, islands and uncooperative witnesses. The seafood, though- stellar, of course! Coffee not always. Yes, Dupin must have plenty of coffee.
We start with the discovery of a body of a female stuffed in a fish refuse barrel after having her throat slit sometime in the night. Dupin is awakened after having had almost no sleep in the aftermath of celebrating the summer solstice with Claire. It won't be long before the dead woman's friend, another female, is found dead.
The investigation covers smugglers and fishermen who disregard laws meant to keep dolphins safe as well as buried treasure in the form of a very large cross found by the women. It is quite a mad rush to find the person who brought about these murders as Dupin's mother commands that her son and Claire must be in Paris at the end of the two days for her grand 75th birthday celebration. Because of the compression of much happening in short period the reader is also pushed to digest quickly rather than savor the standard witticisms and observations whilst doing a walkabout that usually sally forth from Dupin. I do hope he will settle down to normal next book!
The bonus for me included many wonderful descriptions of the area. It would make for a great video.
If my "virus isolation" leaves me wanting, I just might read the book again before returning to library.
"Brittany was naturally blessed with enthralling light, but at this time of year it became magical."
From Dupin's assistant Riwal:
"You'll see. A tiny dot of rocky land in the wide oceans, shaped like some long-tailed mythical creature in the face of the elemental forces of the Atlantic. Two and a half kilometers long and in some places just twenty-five meters wide, mostly flat, barely two meters above water level. During real storms gigantic waves sweep over the island, putting it totally underwater. All in all just less than a single square kilometer in area. Rough, barren, wild, lonely. I love Sein and its people."

Library Loan

[Rosa Dracos99 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro más de la serie del comisario Dupin, ambientado en tierras bretonas. El autor, además de la investigación policial, aprovecha para deleitarnos con los paisajes, costumbres, leyendas, gastronomía... de la zona.
En esta ocasión, la investigación transcurre en el entorno de la pesca, tanto por parte de pequeños barcos particulares; como por parte de grandes emporios... y las problemáticas existentes: tamaño de las presas, artes prohibidas, zonas protegidas, entornos naturales.....

[Katharina · Rating 1 out of 5]

The fact, that these books have no chapters, was not even the worst thing about it. And I HATE books without chapters... This series was in steady decline but I think I'm done here....

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

Commissaire Dupin has been stationed in Concarneau in Brittany for five years now, and has come to thoroughly love it, especially the local food and wine, though he’s still awfully uneasy on a boat. Alas, he must spend a lot of time on the water, travelling between several islands and the mainland, as he and his police team investigate the mist difficult case he’s ever encountered, featuring not one, not two, but three murders committed in rapid succession. They scramble to find a connection between the victims—a fisherwoman, a dolphin researcher, and a retired professor of virology who is an expert in local history, legend and lore—and narrow down a long list of suspects.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was so boring and badly plotted, I couldn't finish it. I skipped to the end and was even more bored. Three murders and a lot of fluff.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I like this series set in Brittany France and have enjoyed the adventures of Inspector Dupin as he settles into Brittany after his move from Paris. He loves food and Brittany has much to offer. In earlier books we learned about salt and the joy of oysters. This one is about the joys and tribulations of commercial fishing. There is nothing like eating fish that has been caught that day.

In this one there is the murder of three separate people that he has to solve quickly to make to make it to his mother's birthday party in Paris. Dupin conquers his fear of boats and travels to the islands where the murders occurred. He is joined by his assistant Riwal who keeps providing information on all the myths and legends of the islands.

This book bogged down for me. For one thing it is basically one long chapter (there is a short second one). I like chapters. How do you know when stop reading for the night? I am joking but I do like chapters and found this irritating. There was also problems with names in this for me. Normally I am fine with the names but there are so many suspects that keeping them separate with names I am not familiar with was a real chore for me. On top of that, there were tons of names for boats and other items that were completely unfamiliar to me. I was drowning in the language. And Riwal was darn right annoying. He just spit out information and stories like a darned computer and went on forever. I felt like I was in the middle of a college lecture.

So overall I was disappointed in this one. It was slow reading. I will read more of the series but this was not one of my favorites. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really hate it when books refer to Agatha Christie. Stop name dropping, it doesn't make your book anymore like hers. This novel at one point refers to the murders occurring as "like something from an Agatha Christie mystery" which couldn't be further from the truth--and making your detective dislike having to cross a body of water in a boat (a known Poirot dislike) doesn't help. If you've ever read an Agatha Christie mystery you'd know she doesn't fill them with "fluff", pretty much everything you read is important to the story. This novel, however, had a lot of "fluff", a lot of Brittany mythological history, and while I love most mythological things, there were lengthy paragraphs about it not once or twice but many times, to the point where the lead detective Dupin didn't care and wanted/did tell Riwal (his officer/"historian") that it was enough.

Overall, I read half and gave up. I can't go on reading something that feels laborious, and this did. There were parts of it that was okay, but for it to be mass marketable it would need heavy editing.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drei kurz aufeinander folgende Morde, viele Verdächtige mit unklaren Alibis und eine ordentliche Portion bretonisch-keltische Mythen gepaart mit dem eigenwilligen, schrulligen Kommissar Dupin sind die Zutaten für den fünften Bannalec.
Ohne grosses Vorspiel steigt der Fall direkt ein, dümpelt dann etwas vor sich hin, wird verworrener, um schließlich relativ schnell, doch wieder zu Ende zu sein. Das Ende ist etwas unerfreulich und kommt mir etwas überstürzt und nicht ganz konsequent zu ende gedacht vor.
Insgesamt aber wieder ein guter und schöner bretonischer Krimi, der sich in die Reihe einfügt und darauf hoffen lässt, das noch mehr folgen werden.

[Julie Durnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more books I read in this series, the more I like them! Commissaire Dupin is a slow methodical detective with a caffeine addiction, a stellar assistant, Norwenn, and inspectors that compliment his abilities, imparting fascinating cultural legends and maritime stories, that go back centuries. There is generally an ecological thread to these books, and this one was no exception, dealing with dolphins and nautical infractions. The mystery almost takes a back seat to the setting, gastronomical descriptions, and the character story lines. Each book makes me long to visit Brittany and sample the cuisine!

[Rob Anybody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Durchaus spannend - der Schluss ist aber irgendwie unbefriedigend.

[Weatherwax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schwächer als die Vorgängerbände, aber immer noch famose Kurzweil!

✨🔪🔍✨

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually, in my opinion, more like two and a half stars than three. The setting is still marvelous – the sea, the sky, the coastal towns, their inhabitants and their history and legends. And the food. Especially the food.
That being said, the story itself wanders around more than a bit and never really gets resolved or clarified, and I found it to be mostly unsatisfying. The characters haven’t changed much. The supremely competent and unflappable Nolwenn still holds up the sky and keeps the world in its proper orbit. Thank goodness. Kedeg is annoying but effective, and Riwal keeps wandering off into the land of myths. Dupin is dodging his demanding, narcissistic mother and trying to spend a little time with Claire. Plus ca change…..

[Querdenkerin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfocused telling of an uninteresting story. All but the main characters remain shapeless blurs. The whole tragedy is packed in a neverending blabber on brittany's mythology. Don't waste your time with this!

[Susanne Beyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eigentlich eine meiner Lieblingsserien, aber dieses Mal hatte ich große Schwierigkeiten, mich in die Geschichte einzufinden. Es ist ja schön, wenn zwischendurch die Sprache auf die alten bretonischen Sagen kommt, aber das war mir hier eindeutig zu viel und zu oft.

[Barbara Heckendorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also Commissaire Dupin's fifth case was very exciting. He investigates the offshore islands, where on the one hand he likes the landscape but on the other hand the stormy sea brings him great discomfort. The question comes up soon, does he have to deal with a serial killer? Which he doubted, even if many signs speak for it. Did the scientists have to die because they tested new fishing methods or found that the sea was poisoned or because they found a mythological cross? Once again, Dupin must recognize how closed the Breton island population is and therefore far from being helpful.

[Audrey Dry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pues me ha gustado más que el anterior, por las leyendas y los tesoros ocultos. Sin embargo, me hubiera gustado saber más de cierta cosa, de la cual no puedo decir nada por no destripar. Solo diré que en ese sentido me ha sabido a poco, ya que el lector se queda con ganas de saber más sobre la motivación del asesino. Pero en general me ha parecido muy buen libro: entretenido, te saca más de una sonrisa a causa de las peculiaridades de los personajes y con una deliciosa ambientación de la bretaña francesa.

Estoy segurísima de que continuaré con esta serie y con el comisario Dupin.

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series I have read, and the author creates a very believable world in the coastal area of Brittany. The story is a procedural of three identical murders with no obvious suspect, but the author also weaves the food and wine culture of the area, as well as Breton folklore including sea witches and ghost ships into the story. Dupin is such a likable character, you just hang out with him, eat seafood, and watch the sunset on the beach.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

ich liebe die Reihe um Kommissar Dupin einfach ♡

[Masteatro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ya no hay duda de que los libros del Comisario Dupin son para mí un imprescindible del verano porque... ¿a quién no le gustaría pasar un verano en la Bretaña francesa? En estos libros lo de menos es la resolución del misterio o del crimen, para mí lo mejor es trasladarse junto al comisario a esa misteriosa región de Francia que yo todavía no he tenido la oportunidad de conocer personalmente pero a la que poco a poco me voy acercando a través de sus libros. Y sí, el autor es alemán pero vive a caballo entre su Alemania natal y la Bretaña y es un enamorado de esta región y eso en sus libros, se nota.

[John Hardy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series reads like a bit of a travelogue, which I have enjoyed, but there are downsides to this as well. The author makes you feel the wind blowing the sea spray onto your face, he makes you salivate at the thought of lobster ragu, or one of the mouth-watering dishes mentioned, and finally, he makes you want to visit these places. That's the good bit, but his inspectors have the "job" of delivering the local history and points of interest, before Commissaire Dupin gives them their instructions, and they reply "yes boss", "on it, boss". The book doesn't really make it as a thriller because of this slowing of the pace. I have marked the book down because there is a little too much of the repetitive dialogue and potted history. By the end of the book I was starting to skim.
Dupin himself is not particularly likeable. I have no idea how his poor, overworked subordinates can finish all the work he dumps on them. He's not very healthy, either, gulping down multiple coffees per day, which he orders two or three at a time. He has no hesitation in making various business people wait around at his beck and call until he deigns to interview them. No wonder they resist helping him. Connard!
The author does a good job of highlighting problems in the fishing industry, such as over-fishing, wasteful methods, and criminal activity. Clearly though, the cops are pretty ineffective at dealing with any of this.
In some of the books in this series, there have been snippets of French, but in this one, all the snippets are in some dialect of Bretagne, and therefore of little use to me.
I still recommend this book or any of this series, but am rating it 3.4.

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have some mixed feelings about this book. The mystery itself is good.. Commissaire Dupin first thing in the morning is called to a fish market where a woman has been murdered. Shortly afterwards he is told another woman has been murdered on a small island off the coast. He takes a boat out to the island and begins trying to find out if there is a connection between the two. He then receives another call about a 3rd victim and again tries to find a connection. There are lots of trips back and forth between the islands and mainland and Dupin doesn't do well on the water. The weather features prominently in the story along with descriptions of the coast, islands and surrounding areas. One of the inspectors is constantly going off on stories of myths and legends of the area and Dupin gets frustrated with this. Lots of characters are introduced as suspects, witness, etc. and sometimes it is hard to keep them all straight. Small island life does have a tendency to allow for everyone to know each other and this fact is definitely played up in this story. Many of the suspects are very uncooperative and seem to have their own agenda, especially the main suspect, Morin, who is basically a criminal that no one has been able to catch doing his illegal activities.
It appears that one of the murdered women is Morin's daughter and he is looking into who the murderer is. Trying to figure out why the people were murdered is also a big question. There is talk of them having found something, possibly a valuable old cross, evidence of smuggling, illegal fishing or pollution. Dupin has several unsatisfactory conversations with Morin. He reminds me of a crime boss who can't be touched and wants to control everything. Dupin also has a colleague, Nolwenn, who is involved in other things besides work but manages to get everything done for him and all the information he needs and do a lot of it before he even knows he needs it.
Dupin's personal life is also brought into play as his mother keeps calling about him coming to her birthday party along with his relationship with his girlfriend but that isn't a big part of the story. He is a definite foodie and there are lots of descriptions of the places he eats and the meals.
Didn't really like the ending as it wasn't very satisfying. Left a little hanging. Seemed like a little too much going back and forth between places when others could handle stuff and there was no talk of the cost of all of it. Most police have budgets that they have to live within and this story used a lot of resources both boats, choppers and lots of people.
Received this book from the Goodreads Giveways. First I have read from this author and will try some of the earlier ones.

[John Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 5th of the series that we found after our return from the centre of the first, Pont Aven. That first novel had me hooked probably because it captured the area that I had just visited so well.
As the series progressed, the area of action moves around the region and this may have been the reason that it didnt appeal as strongly.

We had been waiting for this latest book for a while, since reading the last, but both my wife and I felt the same problem in recapturing the character of Commissaire Dupin. I went as far as to wonder if the translator had changed.

Maybe because of this I found this one more difficult to get into. Dupin's style of investigation may not be the easiest to follow anyway but gradually the book won me back.
What I seemed to have lost in the characterisation of the suspects , I made up for in the atmospheric writing which became more obvious in the second half. The description of the ragout de homard will stay with me until our return to the region and the mysterious , all seeing, all knowing Nolwenn will haunt me too.

After what I thought was a difficult start , it didnt let me down and I will certainly have a "watch" set for the next.

[Stephan Gschwind · Rating 3 out of 5]

Das Buch war spannend bis zum Schluss. Wieder war sowohl die Kriminalgeschichte als auch die Beschreibungen der bretonischen Landschaft, des Meeres und der Bretonen toll beschrieben, so dass ich bis zum Ende gefesselt war. Leider bediente sich der Schluss und die Auflösung mystischer Erklärungen. Da fühle ich mich etwas verschaukelt, daher 'nur' drei Sterne

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the first half of the book a bit slow with the details of laying the groundwork for the murder investigations but the pace picked up and the second half was more engaging. I enjoyed reading about the Breton area and the islands off of the French coast.

[Quilu Vamos a leer... · Rating 2 out of 5]

Muy aburrido

[Inga · Rating 4 out of 5]

In seinem fünften Fall ist Kommissar Dupin wieder einmal gezwungen, sich auf den Atlantik zu begeben, genauer auf die Île de Sein, die vor der äußersten Westküste der Bretragne liegt. Die tote Fischerin, die früh morgens in den Fischhallen entdeckt wird, stammt von dort, ebenso die zweite Tote, eine Delfinforscherin, die im nahegelegenen Naturschutzgebiet Parc Iroise gearbeitet hat.
Lange ist nicht klar, in welche Richtung der Fall geht - es bieten sich zahlreiche Fährten und Motive an, jedoch ist nichts überzeugend, die vielen Tatverdächtigen haben zum Teil schwammige Alibis, nichts Konkretes zeichnet sich ab.
Dabei drängt die Zeit, Dupin soll eigentlich zum 75. Geburtstag seiner Mutter nach Paris reisen.
Dann beginnt Inspector Rewal auch noch von der mystischen versunkenen Stadt Ys zu erzählen - könnten die zwei Frauen vielleicht etwas entdeckt haben?

"Bretonische Flut" zeichnet sich durch ein hohes, actiongeladenes Tempo aus, zusammen mit den Ermittelnden wird auch der Leser von einem Ereignis ins nächste gesogen ohne kaum je zu Atem zu kommen. Wunderbar atmosphärisch ist die Schilderung von Wetter, Landschaft und Leuten auf den Inseln, zusammen mit Dupin blickt man staunend auf die Farben der Bretagne. Auch die gewaltige Macht der Meeres wird beeindruckend beschrieben, als Dupin gegen Ende des Romans vom Sturm eingeholt wird. Er kommt dabei an seinen physischen Grenzen und traut selbst seinen Wahrnehmungen nicht mehr. So kommt es, dass zwar der Täter ermittelt werden kann, aber noch viele Fragen nach den Motiven offen bleiben - ein klein wenig unbefriedigend und nicht unbedingt typisch für Bannalec.