The King Arthur Case (Commissaire Dupin Series #7)

by Jean-Luc Bannalec

Overview

The King Arthur Case is the seventh installment of Jean-Luc Bannalec's bestselling mystery series.

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, inclding 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 in 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.

Mysterious, ingenious, and suspenseful: Dupin's seventh case takes him and his team into the very heart of Brittany.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250753083
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/26/2022
Series:	Commissaire Dupin Series , #7
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	304,819
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Internationally bestselling author JEAN-LUC BANNALEC lives in Germany and the southerly region of the French département of Finistère. In 2016 he was given the award ‘Mécène de Bretagne’. Since 2018 he has been an honorary member of the Académie littéraire de Bretagne. He is also the author of Death in Brittany, Murder on Brittany Shores, The Fleur de Sel Murders, The Missing Corpse, The Killing Tide, and The Granite Coast Murders.

Editorial Reviews

02/07/2022

At the start of Bannalec’s sluggish seventh Brittany mystery featuring Commissaire Georges Dupin (after 2021’s The Granite Coast Murders), Dupin’s indefatigable assistant, Nolwenn, aims to immerse her irascible, coffee-swilling boss in the lure and lore of a local forest famed for its connection to King Arthur. But the departmental outing tumbles off course before it can begin, as Dupin, responding to a Parisian colleague’s request for some off-the-books help on a case, attempts to interview Fabien Cadiou, a professor attending an Arthurian conference in the area, and instead discovers his corpse. Immediately afterward, another Arthurian expert is stabbed to death, and Dupin begins grilling a circle of academics with intertwined volatile personal and professional histories. The subsequent investigation plods, even as the bodies pile up. At the end, Dupin is offered a chance to return to Paris, a goal he’s always wanted since being exiled to Brittany after riling his big-city superiors. This prospect offers more excitement than the mystery that preceded it. Bannalec has done better. Agent: Iris Brandt, Verlag Kiepenheuer & Witsch (Germany). (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The King Arthur Case

“[Bannalec] lets his love and knowledge of Brittany shine through in his books.” —The Washington Post

"Intricate and engrossing. . . Enhanced with lovely and evocative descriptions of Brocéceliande’s diversity, scenic allure and history, The King Arthur Case offers another challenging whodunit in a splendid series." —Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star

"A riveting tale of academic rivalry and fast-paced adventure, with mesmerizing descriptions of Brittany and her ancient culture. It’s a delight to read." —Portland Book Review

“Another tense puzzle from Bannalec, with the Breton landscape once more the star of the show.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Rich in detailed description of the Breton forest. For readers who appreciate atmospheric mysteries or Arthurian legend.” —Library Journal

“The fascinating background carries the day.” —Booklist

Praise for the series:

"Delicious Brittany mysteries... If this isn't heaven, it's close enough." —The New York Times

“Perfect for fans of Louise Penny or Mark Pryor.” —Shelf Awareness

“The descriptions of Brittany are mesmerizing. It has been elevated into my top 10 places I need to visit, all thanks to Bannalec.” —BookPage (starred review)

From the Publisher

02/11/2022

It was only supposed to be an interview for a friend in the Paris police department. Commissaire Georges Dupin and his small team, two inspectors and his invaluable assistant, were going to make an overnight office trip to Brittany's Paimpont village, and Dupin was to interview Fabian Cadiou, a leading Arthurian expert. But Dupin finds Cadiou fatally shot. When he calls his friend in Paris, he's informed the minister of the interior has a special interest in the matter, and Dupin is to be the special investigator in charge of the case. Before he can even organize his team, another expert on King Arthur is found murdered. In the span of 24 hours, three people are killed. The victims are all Arthurian experts attending a conference. Then, Dupin's two inspectors disappear. While the lack of assistance and answers from the scholars drives Dupin mad, he's determined to discover if it's a quest for fame or ego or money that is driving the murderer. VERDICT The sequel to The Granite Coast Murders is rich in detailed description of the Breton forest. For readers who appreciate atmospheric mysteries or Arthurian legend.—Lesa Holstine

Library Journal

2022-01-12
An office retreat goes horribly wrong.

It’s been two years since the team at the Commissariat de Police Concarneau has gone on an outing together. So when Nolwenn, Commissaire Georges Dupin’s redoubtable assistant, bids to turn an unavoidable trip to the Forêt de Brocéliande into a group venture, even the taciturn Inspector Kadeg seems pleased. Riwal, Dupin’s other inspector, is downright jubilant. Brocéliande is famous throughout Europe as the seat of Celtic-Breton folklore, including the tales of King Arthur and his Round Table, and he relishes the chance to introduce Paris-born Dupin to the Church of the Holy Grail, Merlin’s Steps, and Lake Lancelot. And Dupin’s far more eager to explore Brocéliande than to carry out the errand pressed on him by his old Paris comrade Jean Odinot. After all, wasn’t it the Paris police who supported his expulsion to Brittany, as far from Paris as he could be sent, after he publicly insulted the mayor? But when Dupin arrives at the Parc de l’Imagination Illimitée, run by Odinot’s friend Dr. Fabien Cadiou, and finds the academic lying dead on the floor, what was supposed to be a pleasure trip turns into one of the most vexing cases of the Commissaire’s career. Cadiou is just the first of a band of quarrelsome King Arthur academics to breathe his last, and as the body count rises, Dupin has reason to fear that it may come to include even members of his team.

Another tense puzzle from Bannalec, with the Breton landscape once more the star of the show.

Kirkus Reviews