Jean-Luc Bannalec Books in Order: How to read the Brittany Mystery series?

Jean-Luc Bannalec is a French-sounding pseudonym used by German editor, publicist, photographer, and writer Jörg Bong. He used it to write his Brittany Mystery series. The series follows the cantankerous Parisian-born Commissaire Georges Dupin and his team as they investigate a murder mystery in the Britanny province, a peninsula in the west of France.

How to read Jean-Luc Bannalec’s Brittany Mystery Books in Order?

Every entry in the Brittany Mystery book series works as a standalone story, but the lives of the different characters evolve from one novel to the other.

1. Death in Brittany (2014, aka Death in Pont-Aven) – Commissaire Georges Dupin, a cantankerous, Parisian-born caffeine junkie recently relocated from the glamour of Paris to the remote (if picturesque) Breton coast, 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, the owner of the Central Hotel, has been found dead.
2. Murder on Brittany Shores (2015) – Ten miles off the coast of Brittany lies the fabled Glenan Islands. Boasting sparkling white sands and crystal-clear waters, they seem perfectly idyllic, until one day in May three bodies wash up on the shore. At first glance, the deaths appear accidental, but as the identities of the victims come to light, cantankerous Commissaire Dupin is pulled back into action for a case of what seems to be cold-blooded murder.
3. The Fleur de Sel Murders (2018) – Commissaire Georges Dupin had been looking forward to escaping his endless paperwork and taking a trip to the “white country” between the raging Atlantic Ocean and idyllic rivers. But when he starts snooping around mysterious barrels on behalf of Lilou Breval, a journalist friend, he finds himself unexpectedly under attack. The offender remains a mystery, and a short time later, Breval disappears without a trace. It is thanks to his secretary Nolwenn and the ambition of the prefect that Dupin is assigned to the case. But he won’t be working alone because Sylvaine Rose is the investigator responsible for the department–and she lives up to her name…

4. The Missing Corpse (2019) – Along the picturesque Belon River, home of the world-famous oyster beds, between steep cliffs, ominous forests, and the Atlantic Ocean, a stubborn elderly film actress discovers a corpse. By the time Commissaire Dupin arrives at the scene, the body has disappeared. A little while later, he receives a phone call from the mystical hills of Monts d’Arree, where legends of fairies and the devil abound: another unidentified body has turned up. Dupin quickly realizes this may be his most difficult and confounding case yet, with links to Celtic myths, a sand theft operation, and mysterious ancient druid cults.
5. The Killing Tide (2020) – 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 Île 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 Molène, Ouessant, and the bay of Douarnenez-Dupin and his team follow a puzzling case that pushes them to their very limits.
6. The Granite Coast Murders (2021) – Inspector Dupin and Claire are on a two-week vacation, but while Claire seems to enjoy the quiet of the beach, Commissaire Dupin takes every opportunity to leave the beach towel. The fabulous dinners on the hotel patio and the rumors about a stolen statue of a saint are the few interesting moments of his days on vacation. But then a tourist vanishes without a trace and there’s an attack on a deputy to the local assembly, who is involved in confrontations with local farmers. Shortly after that, the Britanny beach resort is shocked by the discovery of a corpse.

7. The King Arthur Case (2022) – The forest of Broceliande, with its picturesque lakes and castles, is the last remnant of the fairy kingdom if Breton lore is to be believed. Innumerable legends spanning thousands of years are set here, including the tale of King Arthur and the Round Table. It seems to be an appropriate destination for Commissaire Dupin and his team to take a late summer field trip. But when the body of a historian turns up, Dupin is called upon to investigate the brutal murder case. Before too long, there are more victims. What knowledge do the assembled scientists have about the most recent archaeological digs in the area? Where do they stand on the controversial decision to turn parts of the forest into an amusement park? And why is no one willing to talk? Even Nolwenn, Dupin’s unshakeable assistant, is concerned. And that means trouble.
8. The Body by the Sea (2023) – Most of his colleagues are on vacation for the Pentecost long weekend, but Dupin remains at Ville Bleue. His future in-laws are coming to visit. His plans as host must change when the body of Doctor Chaboseau is discovered. Chaboseau fell to his death, pushed from his home above the Amiral. With only two new colleagues to help-no one else is answering their phone-Dupin is tasked with finding out what happened to the doctor.
9. Death of a Master Chef (2024) – Commissaire Georges Dupin is in Saint-Malo to attend a police seminar. As he wanders through the halls of a local market, there’s a murder at a nearby stall. The police know the victim: Blanche Trouin, a grand chef of the region. They know the perpetrator: Lucille Trouin, Blanche’s sister and fellow successful chef in the area. The two had a well-known and public feud. After a bit of searching, Lucille is even in custody. The only thing they’re missing is the motive. And Lucille refuses to talk.

If you like Jean-Luc Bannalec’s work, you may also want to see our guide to Martin Walker’s books. Don’t hesitate to follow us on Twitter or Facebook to discover more book series.