A detective case from summer Brittany spiced with humour, rural colour and local culinary specialities
On one of the islands of Glénan, ten nautical miles off the coast of Brittany, three dead bodies are discovered, apparently washed up by the tide after a heavy storm. When the remains of a sailboat that crashed into the rocky cliffs during the night are found, everything points to an unfortunate accident and a tragic misfortune. But the autopsy shows the presence of narcotics in the bodies of the two corpses - making it clear that this was a well thought-out murder. The investigation takes Commissioner Dupin deep into the history of the islands and their peculiar inhabitants, from where he extracts dramatic certainty.
The second case for Commissaire Dupin, a penguin and caffeine lover, a native Parisian transferred to Brittany for punishment - to the end of the world.
Ten nautical miles from Concarneau, the legendary archipelago of Glénan looks like a Caribbean paradise with its white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters - until one beautiful day in May when three dead bodies wash ashore. That's what Commissioner Dupin was still missing: a journey in a rickety boat first thing in the morning, a nerve-wracking prefect, little coffee and no clue. Who are the three dead men on the beach? Were they victims of a violent nighttime thunderstorm? All indications are that they drowned. But when one of them turns out to be a well-connected businessman with political connections and the other an arrogant diver with many enemies, Commissioner Dupin doesn't bode well.
Was the apparent accident on the high seas actually a cold-blooded murder? Who is the third dead man and what do these men have in common? As another storm approaches, Commissioner Dupin meets treasure hunters, militant marine biologists, charming divers and terrifying characters from the rich treasure trove of Breton fairy tales. The investigation leads him into a labyrinth of strained relationships, the situation escalates - and the truth that eventually emerges is as complex as life itself.
