Synopses & Reviews
The heirs to one of the oldest Cognac estates in France face a hostile takeover by foreign investors. Renowned wine expert Benjamin Cooker is called in to audit the books. In what he thought was a sleepy provincial town, he is stonewalled, crosses paths with his first love, and stands up to high-level state officials keen on controlling the buyout. Meanwhile, irresistible Virgile mingles with the local population until a drowning changes the stakes.
Review
"A series that is both delectable for connoisseurs of wine and an initiation for those not in the know." --Marine de Tilly, Le Figaro
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"Alaux and Balen offer intrigue and plenty of good eating and drinking within just a few pages. Already turned into a popular television series in France, this book and its successors will whet appetites of fans of both Iron Chef and Murder, She Wrote." - Booklist (Treachery in Bordeaux)
Review
"Benjamin Cooker uses his composure, erudition and intuition to solve heady crimes that take place in the exclusive--and realistic--world of grand cru wines." --Jean-Claude Raspiengeas, La Croix
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What are you trying to share with your readers?
Clearly, it is our love for wine. Our love for this France, that is far from the beaten path, where people are struggling to make exceptional vintages, despite the blows dealt by fate, hail or drought. Each book is written to honor winemakers and set in a place that is constantly changing. The world of Bordeaux is light years away from that of Burgundy. Who could possible put Alsatian wines in the same category as Loire Valley wines? This mystery series is an initiation, and we hope the stories will stay with readers for a long time.
How did this made-for-TV mystery series change your life?
The series' success and its adaptation to French TV has, of course, changed our lives. Our love for wine remains intact, and our curiosity still insatiable. We now want to explore wines the world over, from Tuscany to Napa Valley to Argentina. A lifetime will not be enough to get through this entire journey.
"A delightful, frequently tongue-in-cheek excursion through the mysteries and politics of cognac production. Totally recommended." --Live Journal
"There is much to this enjoyable read." --Librarian review
"The Winemaker Detective Mystery series is a new obsession." --Marienella
"The descriptions of cognac and cigar scents and flavors drew me in as if I, too, were a connoisseur." --Librarian review
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"A fine vintage." - Peter May
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"An excellent mystery series in which you eat, drink and discuss wine as much as you do murders." --Bernard Frank, Le Nouvel Observateur
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"...the journey through its pages is not to be rushed." - ForeWord Reviews (Treachery in Bordeaux)
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"Flanked by a quirky cast of characters, this intriguing novel features two amateur detectives who set out to solve the murder of a winemaker...it is easy to see why this series has gained a following. The depiction of the French countryside enhances the story line. The setting on a French country estate has a certain Gothic element, and the descriptive, flowery language is captivating. Virgile is the Holmes to Benjamin's Watson, serving up the more crackling and interesting dialogue and persona... it is a breezy read, and quite enjoyable." --Foreword Reviews
About the Author
Jean-Pierre Alaux is a magazine, radio and tele- vision journalist when he is not writing novels in southwestern France. He is a genuine wine and food lover, and won the Antonin Carême prize for his cookbook La Truffe sur le Soufflé, which he wrote with the chef Alexis Pélissou.Noël Balen lives in Paris, where he shares his time between writing, making re- cords, and lecturing on music. He plays bass, is a music critic and has authored a number of books about musicians in addition to his novel and short-story writing.Sally Pane studied French at State University of New York Oswego and the Sorbonne before receiving her Masters Degree in French Literature from the University of Colorado where she wrote Camus and the Americas: A Thematic Analysis of Three Works Based on His Journaux de Voyage. Her career includes more than twenty years of translating and teach- ing French and Italian at Berlitz and at Colorado University Boulder. She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband.