The 11th book in the delightful The Winemaker Detective Series, “Requiem in Yquem
The news headline about the brutal murder of an elderly couple in Sauternes intrigued wine expert Benjamin Cooker. Knowing that the are was also the old stomping ground of his assistant Virgile Lanssien because he went to school there, Cooker’s curiosity was more than just piqued.
As Benjamin and Virgile meander the Sauternes countryside digging up clues, the protagonists’ POVs give readers an insight to their characters. Authors Alaux and Balen have always made all the characters in the series three-dimensional. With the additional tidbits about them, their development continues. And after 11 books, both Benjamin and Virgile seem like the readers’ old friends.
And since this is Alaux and Balen writing, expect real life recommendations for what to drink and eat. “Requiem in Yquem
A delightful read from beginning to end. Reading “The Winemaker Detective Series” always make me wish that I can stay in France longer when I go to Paris for fashion week. I really want to visit all the places that are mentioned in the series, even taste the wine, i.e., if I can afford them.
“Requiem in Yquem
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Requiem in Yquem
In the mist-covered hills of Sauternes, where the wine is luscious and the landscape beguiling, the brutal murder of an elderly couple intrigues the wine expert Benjamin Cooker and awakens memories for his dashing assistant Virgile Lanssien. Drawn into the investigation, the two journey through the storied Sauternes countryside, where the Château d’Yquem has reigned for centuries. Will the murder go unexplained and the killer remain free? The Winemaker Detective’s discernment and incessant curiosity push investigators to look deeper, while Virgile rekindles memories of his days at school and questions the meaning of his life.
In another satisfying wine novel with a French flair, authors Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen give readers a perfectly intoxicating combination of French wine, gourmet meals, and mystery in the gloriously described Sauternes wine region with all the scenery, scents, and sounds of France. This light, fun mystery combines amateur sleuths, food, and wine in a wonderfully French mystery novel that doubles as a travel guide. It is a new kind of read on the international mystery and crime scene: a pitch-perfect, wine-infused, French-style cozy mystery.
Village et vignoble, Sauternes, France Photo by Olivier Aumage; La Tour Blanche bottle courtesy of Wikipedia; Authors photo courtesy of Le French Book
