The Fleur de Sel Murders: A Brittany Mystery

The tightly regulated and lucrative salt trade is the spark for the intriguing plot of Bannalec’s third Brittany mystery to be translated into English (after 2016’s Murder on Brittany Shores). Commissaire Georges Dupin, who’s been deskbound for weeks, welcomes the request of Lilou Breval, a journalist who’s helped the police in the past, to take a look around a salt pond and a nearby hut where she saw “something very fishy.” When an unknown shooter hits Dupin in the shoulder at the scene, the case becomes personal. But this is not his jurisdiction, and Dupin must work with Sylvaine Rose, the local commissaire. He’s desperate to speak with Breval, but she has disappeared, so Dupin and Rose start talking to those involved in the highly competitive salt trade without her. When a body is found, the inquiry turns into a murder investigation. Multiple red herrings draw readers off the scent. Well-drawn, complex characters, the lovingly described countryside, and the area’s culinary bounty make this a winner. Some fans will be inspired to take their next vacation in Brittany. (Apr.)