Authors Jean-Pierre ALAUX and Noël BALEN
are featured for the 4th time on France Book Tours!
After Treachery in Bordeaux,
Grand Cru Heist,
and Nightmare in Burgundy,
meet again the famous wine maker detective with this 4th volume!
Jean-Pierre ALAUX and Noël BALEN
on Tour
October 10-29, 2014
with
Deadly Tasting
[cozy mystery]
Release date: October 17, 2014
at Le French Book
144 pages
ISBN: 978-1939474216
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SYNOPSIS
A serial killer is on the loose in Bordeaux. A local chief detective calls wine expert Benjamin Cooker to the crime scene of a brutal murder. The killer has left a strange calling card: twelve wine glasses lined up in a semi-circle with the first one filled with wine. Cooker is charged with the task of identifying the fabulous grand cru and is astonished by what he learns. A second victim is found, with two glasses filled. Is the killer intentionally leaving clues about his victims and his motives? Memories are jogged about the complicated history of Bordeaux during Nazi occupation. It was a dark time: weinfuhrers ruled the wine trade, while collaborationists and paramilitary organizations spread terror throughout the region. In present-day wine country, time is running out. Will Cooker and his young assistant Virgile solve the mystery before all twelve glasses are full? [provided by the publisher]
WATCH THE TRAILER
***
An episode in a long successful French mysteries series
that is a hit television series now in its fourth season
and attracting an audience of over 4 million.
The series is a huge success in France, Belgium and Switzerland.
***
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
©David Nakache
Jean-Pierre Alaux is a magazine, radio and television journalist
when he is not writing novels in southwestern France.
He is a genuine wine and food lover
and recently won the Antonin Carême prize.
He is the grandson of a winemaker
and exhibits a real passion for wine and winemaking.
For him, there is no greater common denominator than wine.
He gets a sparkle in his eye when he talks about the Winemaker Detective series,
which he writes with Noël Balen.
It is a 22-strong series that is a hit on French television
and is now being translated into English by Le French Book.
ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR
Buy the book | on Amazon | on Barnes & Noble
TOUR QUOTATIONS
The novel is really short that could be read in a couple of hours but with a heavy dose of history of Bordeaux and its involvement during World War Two. What was the stand of the people of Bordeaux during World War Two? What happened to wine production during these tumultuous years? As usual the mystery gets solved on its own. But that does not take away the pleasure of meeting the Winemaker detective with a sparkling wit again.
I found the setting, characters and narrative original, a curious mystery, with plenty of intrigue set in beautiful France, the WWII historical element was exceptionally appealing to this reviewer. Reaching a wide audience – Francophiles, history buffs, mystery fans, Oenophilia’s will want to add Deadly Tasting if not the entire series to their reading shelf.
This was an interesting mystery series that I am looking forward to read more of. If you enjoy wine, France and murder mysteries this is not to be missed!
If you like books about France, wine, mysteries etc. give this book a try. I really liked it, so I may read more in the series.
I was captivated with the intrigue from the very beginning. The tension of the story was perfectly paced and I was caught up in the mystery of catching the serial killer. The writing was very good and the storyline very creative. Fun and intriguing read!
Over all the book is an easy three stars and the added bonus of such an interesting block of WWII history we usually do not hear about.
The series is one I will be continuing to read just to find out what diet the poor man will be stuck on next for his wife or what trouble Benjamin Cooker is going to get in next.
*
October 30, 2014
WordsAndPeace
France Book Tours 