The Granite Coast Murders: A Brittany Murder

In Bannalec’s charming sixth Brittany mystery (after 2019’s The Killing Tide), Commissaire Georges Dupin is taking a forced two-week vacation, along with his longtime girlfriend, cardiologist Claire Lannoy, at a hotel on Brittany’s Côte de Granit Rose. Workaholic Dupin finds relaxing on the beach to be insufferable, and he soon discovers a conspirator in the hotel’s owner, Rosmin Bellet, who feeds him information on a pair of seemingly unrelated petty crimes—a missing statue from a chapel and a break-in at a nearby house. Bellet also connects Dupin to the local gossip network, including a newsstand proprietor and a hairdresser, who become invaluable resources when a hotel guest goes missing. Dupin is determined to investigate the disappearance, despite Claire’s insistence on leaving work at home. Meanwhile, Claire has secrets that Dupin ends up exploiting once a woman’s body turns up in one of the area’s famed quarries. Series fans will enjoy seeing Dupin’s relationship with Claire deepen. Armchair travelers and gourmands alike will appreciate visiting this region of Brittany. (Apr.)