Death in the Vines (Verlaque and Bonnet Provencal Mystery Book 3)

A crime wave jolts Aix-en-Provence in the third delightful Verlaque and Bonnet mystery Fans of Donna Leon and Andrea Camilleri, mystery lovers, Francophiles, and foodies will adore this who-done-it with a beautiful European setting. In her riveting follow-up to Death at the Chateau Bremont and Murder in the Rue Dumas , M. L. Longworth evokes the sights and sounds of late-summer Provence, where the mistral blows and death comes in the most unexpected places. Olivier Bonnard, the owner of Domaine Beauclaire winery, is devastated when he discovers the theft of a priceless cache of rare vintages. Soon after, Monsieur Gilles d’Arras reports that his wife, Pauline, has vanished from their lavish apartment. As Judge Antoine Verlaque and Commissioner Paulik tackle the case (with a little help from Marine Bonnet), they receive an urgent call: Bonnard has just found Madame d’Arras—dead in his vineyard. From Booklist This mystery set in Aix-en-Provence, the third in Longworth’s Verlaque and Bonnet series, starts with the owner of a renowned winery in Provence realizing that many bottles of wine, some dating as far back as 1929, have been stolen from his cellar. He tries to settle down by touching an ancient object that has comforted him from the time he was a boy, an aquatic fossil in the form of a scallop shell, embedded in the cellar wall. Longworth’s description of this vineyard fossil, common in an area once under the deep sea, and her characterizations of the qualities of different wines are the kind of details that make this series riveting, along with the quirky characters of Aix-en-Provence judge Antoine Verlaque; his girlfriend and co-sleuth, law professor Marine Bonnet; and Police Commissioner Bruno Paulik. But these kinds of enlivening details are, unfortunately, much scarcer here than in the previous two Verlaque and Bonnet stories. The plot, involving murder and grievous bodily harm to several women, is the strong point this time. Not quite as entrancing as earlier series entries but still satisfying for fans. --Connie Fletcher Review “Judge Antoine Verlaque, the sleuth in this civilized series, discharges his professional duties with discretion. But we’re here to taste the wines, which are discussed by experts like Hippolyte Thebaud, a former wine thief, and served in beautiful settings like a 300-year-old stone farmhouse. So many bottles, so many lovely views. A reader might be forgiven for feeling woozy.” – Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times “What follows is a lovely, almost cozy police procedural that deserves to be read with a glass of wine in hand. Longworth paints such a loving picture of Provence that it's likely you'll start planning a vacation trip to France the moment you set the book down.” – The Denver Post “As much as the mystery intrigues-in this case some intertwined crimes involving a local winery, a missing elderly woman, and a rich man's suspicious construction project-what really makes Longworth's books enjoyable are the atmosphere and details that she includes of the South of France.” – The Seattle Post Intelligencer “This is an intelligently written police procedural with the warm comfort of a baguette with banon cheese.” – Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine “Enjoyable... the book’s real strength is its evocation of place.” – Publisher’s Weekly When theft escalates to murder at a French vineyard, a crime wave sweeps over the tranquil town of Aix-en-Provence The newest book in the Proven?al Mystery series, The Secrets of the Bastide Blanche , is available now from Penguin Books Winery owner Olivier Bonnard is devastated when he discovers that a priceless cache of rare vintages has been stolen from his private cellar. Soon after, Monsieur Gilles d'Arras arrives at Aix-en-Provence's Palais de Justice to report another mysterious disappearance: his wife, Pauline, has vanished from their lavish apartment. Madame has always been as tough as nails, but in recent weeks she's been wandering around town in her slippers, crying for no reason. As the mistral arrives to temper the region's late-summer heat, Commissioner Paulik receives an urgent call from Bonnard: he's just found Pauline d'Arras?dead in his vineyard. Verlaque and Bonnet are once again investigating, in what will prove to be their most complicated case yet. Fans of Donna Leon and Andrea Camilleri, Francophiles, and foodies alike will adore this captivating whodunit. In her riveting follow-up to Death at the Chateau Bremont and Murder in the Rue Dumas , M. L. Longworth masterfully evokes the sights, sounds, and tastes of late-summer Provence, where the mistral blows and death springs up in the most unexpected places. "Judge Antoine Verlaque, the sleuth in this civilized series, discharges his professional duties with discretion. But we're here to taste the wines. So many bottles, so many lovely views. A reader might be forgiven for feeling woozy." ? The New York Times Book Review When theft escalates to murder at a French vineyard, a crime wave sweeps over the tranquil town of Aix-en-Provence Provençal Mystery Series #3 Watch the series! Murder in Provence is now on Britbox. Winery owner Olivier Bonnard is devastated when he discovers that a priceless cache of rare vintages has been stolen from his private cellar. Soon after, Monsieur Gilles d’Arras arrives at Aix-en-Provence’s Palais de Justice to report another mysterious disappearance: his wife, Pauline, has vanished from their lavish apartment. Madame has always been as tough as nails, but in recent weeks she’s been wandering around town in her slippers, crying for no reason. As the mistral arrives to temper the region’s late-summer heat, Commissioner Paulik receives an urgent call from Bonnard: he’s just found Pauline d’Arras—dead in his vineyard. Verlaque and Bonnet are once again investigating, in what will prove to be their most complicated case yet. Fans of Donna Leon and Andrea Camilleri, Francophiles, and foodies alike will adore this captivating whodunit. In her riveting follow-up to Death at the Chateau Bremont and Murder in the Rue Dumas , M. L. Longworth masterfully evokes the sights, sounds, and tastes of late-summer Provence, where the mistral blows and death springs up in the most unexpected places. “Judge Antoine Verlaque, the sleuth in this civilized series, discharges his professional duties with discretion. But we’re here to taste the wines. So many bottles, so many lovely views. A reader might be forgiven for feeling woozy.” — The New York Times Book Review Winery owner Olivier Bonnard is devastated when he discovers that a priceless cache of rare vintages has been stolen from his private cellar. Soon after, Monsieur Gilles d'Arras arrives at Aix-en-Provence's Palais de Justice to report another mysterious disappearance: his wife, Pauline, has vanished from their lavish apartment. Madame has always been as tough as nails, but in recent weeks she's been wandering around town in her slippers and crying for no reason. As the mistral arrives to temper the region's late-summer heat, Commissioner Paulik receives an urgent call from Bonnard: he's just found Pauline d'Arras dead in his vineyard. Verlaque and Bonnet are once again investigating in what will prove to be their most complicated case yet