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Death in a Wine Dark Sea
Though she despises the groom, Jean Applequist boards an elegant yacht in San Francisco Bay for the wedding of her good friend Diane and wealthy real estate developer Martin Wingo. But things go terribly wrong: the evening ends in tragedy, not celebration when, after exchanging vows, Wingo disappears into the bay.
Diane asks Jean to investigate Martin's murder out of fear that the police will uncover too many of his secrets. Jean agrees, but discovers it's not easy to find out who killed a blackmailer and womanizer. The list of potential suspects is long. When Jean joins forces with the young and geeky Zeppo, Martin's former assistant who is armed with the details of MArtin's victims elicits strong reactions - from fear to rage to attempted murder - that endanger them both, and force Jean to fight for her life - twice.
Diane asks Jean to investigate Martin's murder out of fear that the police will uncover too many of his secrets. Jean agrees, but discovers it's not easy to find out who killed a blackmailer and womanizer. The list of potential suspects is long. When Jean joins forces with the young and geeky Zeppo, Martin's former assistant who is armed with the details of MArtin's victims elicits strong reactions - from fear to rage to attempted murder - that endanger them both, and force Jean to fight for her life - twice.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 23, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 14, 2019
The mystery was interesting, but the best part of the book was Zeppo. I thought he was hilarious. The heroine is a sex-mad wine expert, so whenever she meets an attractive man, she considers him as a possible bed partner. Otherwise she is pretty boring and wussy.
May 24, 2012
I would have liked to have given this a higher star score. However, it is a critical faux pas to cast characters in a purely stereotypical way. Kay Wingo and Donald Grimes are so two dimensional stereotypes that it is clear the author has an issue with “born-again Christians.”
It is imperative that every reader begins demanding that religions be respected; all religions. As a Jew, I have encountered discrimination and anti-Semitism in my daily life and I resent being portrayed in a stereotypical way. There were several ways you could have portrayed these two characters without disrespecting their religion. It is not the religion that was hypocritical, it was the two characters.
In addition, the use of the “F” word degrades the wonderful character of Jean Applequist. She is so complex a character that every time she used that word, it grated. It is language I would equate with a streetwalker or the lower class, not a woman from the high class world of a wine connoisseur. It’s as if Jean is determined to shock at every turn and that behavior would not likely be accepted in that world. I find it difficult to believe a boss would accept that language.
I was impressed with the character development of the other characters. I liked that Jean cared about Peter and saw that he would be a perfect foil for Diane. Zeppo is fantastic. Quick-witted, intelligent, and not gorgeous…we come to love him for his personality. We forget that he is tall, gangly, and wears braces. Despite the age difference, Jean and Zeppo connect in multiple ways and are also the perfect foils for one another.
Finally, Simon was wonderful. Zeppo’s forewarning that pirates de not change was unneeded. We learned that in Chapter 1. For me, learning about Simon through the eyes of the various characters was brilliant. It mirrored real life, in that people show different faces to different people. He was gentle and warm with Diane. Open avarice does not change Zeppo’s friendship with Simon. And his carefully held contempt for Jean shines through.
It is imperative that every reader begins demanding that religions be respected; all religions. As a Jew, I have encountered discrimination and anti-Semitism in my daily life and I resent being portrayed in a stereotypical way. There were several ways you could have portrayed these two characters without disrespecting their religion. It is not the religion that was hypocritical, it was the two characters.
In addition, the use of the “F” word degrades the wonderful character of Jean Applequist. She is so complex a character that every time she used that word, it grated. It is language I would equate with a streetwalker or the lower class, not a woman from the high class world of a wine connoisseur. It’s as if Jean is determined to shock at every turn and that behavior would not likely be accepted in that world. I find it difficult to believe a boss would accept that language.
I was impressed with the character development of the other characters. I liked that Jean cared about Peter and saw that he would be a perfect foil for Diane. Zeppo is fantastic. Quick-witted, intelligent, and not gorgeous…we come to love him for his personality. We forget that he is tall, gangly, and wears braces. Despite the age difference, Jean and Zeppo connect in multiple ways and are also the perfect foils for one another.
Finally, Simon was wonderful. Zeppo’s forewarning that pirates de not change was unneeded. We learned that in Chapter 1. For me, learning about Simon through the eyes of the various characters was brilliant. It mirrored real life, in that people show different faces to different people. He was gentle and warm with Diane. Open avarice does not change Zeppo’s friendship with Simon. And his carefully held contempt for Jean shines through.
May 18, 2012
Jean Applequist has a nose for seriously good wine. She can recognize the real from the fake, and she writes wine columns with great aplomb. She’s famous, and she’s hard to miss with that curious cut of prematurely silver hair. She’s a great character, and she carries Lisa King’s mystery novel, Death in a Wine Dark Sea, lifting it high above the general mystery genre. Jean likes men, doesn’t like monogamous commitment, takes risks, and notices things. So it’s not surprising her friend asks her to investigate when the groom at a high-class wedding falls into the frigid waters of San Francisco Bay.
The list of suspects is pleasingly peopled with rich and famous larger-than-life characters, each with their own devious secrets, each enjoying their own masterfully planned success. Jean enlists the help of the victim’s oddly secretive and geeky associate, Zeppo, and soon the two of them are enjoying fast cars, fine dining and high speed chases through gloriously depicted California countryside. The pacing is great with lulls to savor human comfort and food, then sudden frantic life-or-death threats of disaster. The characters are wonderful, from gay rights campaigner to ultra-right-wing bodyguard to politician to Vietnam vet.
Death in a Wine Dark Sea is pleasingly dark but filled with light, intriguingly unconventional while still being a satisfying. It's a red-herring filled mystery, a sensuous feast for all the senses, and a fantastic introduction to a modern-world, thoroughly American, high-society and intrepid Miss Marple for the 2000s.
Disclosure: I received a bound galley of this novel from the publisher, the Permanent Press, in exchange for my honest review.
The list of suspects is pleasingly peopled with rich and famous larger-than-life characters, each with their own devious secrets, each enjoying their own masterfully planned success. Jean enlists the help of the victim’s oddly secretive and geeky associate, Zeppo, and soon the two of them are enjoying fast cars, fine dining and high speed chases through gloriously depicted California countryside. The pacing is great with lulls to savor human comfort and food, then sudden frantic life-or-death threats of disaster. The characters are wonderful, from gay rights campaigner to ultra-right-wing bodyguard to politician to Vietnam vet.
Death in a Wine Dark Sea is pleasingly dark but filled with light, intriguingly unconventional while still being a satisfying. It's a red-herring filled mystery, a sensuous feast for all the senses, and a fantastic introduction to a modern-world, thoroughly American, high-society and intrepid Miss Marple for the 2000s.
Disclosure: I received a bound galley of this novel from the publisher, the Permanent Press, in exchange for my honest review.
January 14, 2017
Meh. The mystery was okay, but the main character was hard to like. She seemed too --TOO. She was too much of everything, as though she was meant to super sexy, badass, funny, liberated,.etc., but she was all bold and not enough nuance, and she fell flat. Fake.
Also, there seemed to be a real agenda to the book. There was a certain audience it was perhaps meant for and another audience it was very harsh toward, and overall, that made the whole thing less palatable.
Also, there seemed to be a real agenda to the book. There was a certain audience it was perhaps meant for and another audience it was very harsh toward, and overall, that made the whole thing less palatable.
May 15, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were a few things that didn't seem plausible; but I kept reading until 3:30 am to finish it. I could have done with
less "she wore", and "he wore". I won this book on Goodreads.
less "she wore", and "he wore". I won this book on Goodreads.
March 14, 2013
I didn't finish it. So many trite characters and events.
August 1, 2017
Really 2.5 stars. I was very conflicted about this book. I wanted to keep listening and know what was going to happen, but there were also too many red herrings and extra plot lines. Also, I had a really hard time with the characters. Jean, the main character made me crazy. She was in a relationship with someone she knew wanted to be monogamous, but didn't seem to have any compunctions about cheating on him, and then seemed a bit upset when he broke up with her over it. In the beginning she didn't like Zeppo, but after hearing his story she jumped into bed with him. And Diane was supposed to be a heart-broken widow, but when she found out her dead husband was a cad, she jumped into bed with Jean's ex that night. And Jean was fine with that. I can't believe Diane would't still be grieving at some level. Also, everyone wanting to sleep with Jean was a bit too much. She was supposed to be beautiful, but I can't imagine everyone in the book wanted her that badly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2017
This book was a waste of time--worse yet, an irritating waste of time. The characters were so one-dimensional and cartoonish, the dialog so artificial, and the situations so contrived I had the feeling I was watching an episode of the old Batman TV show: you know, POW! BASH! BOOM! Holy Annoyance, Batman!
The main character was impossible for me to like much less identify or empathize with.
For one thing, the descriptions of her sexuality and the sex scenes read like a man's idea of the archetypal hot woman. Apart from that, her character is developed as a bad-tempered, manipulative narcissist without an iota of self-discipline.
Roman, the gay activist, is perhaps the only sympathetic character. By the end of the book I was just wishing for all the characters to go away.
I picked up the book because I'm a huge fan of the very well written Mary Russell and Kate Martinelli series. But this reads like a book written because the author's bills had to be paid.
The main character was impossible for me to like much less identify or empathize with.
For one thing, the descriptions of her sexuality and the sex scenes read like a man's idea of the archetypal hot woman. Apart from that, her character is developed as a bad-tempered, manipulative narcissist without an iota of self-discipline.
Roman, the gay activist, is perhaps the only sympathetic character. By the end of the book I was just wishing for all the characters to go away.
I picked up the book because I'm a huge fan of the very well written Mary Russell and Kate Martinelli series. But this reads like a book written because the author's bills had to be paid.
June 3, 2023
The mystery plot was very intriguing and kept my interest. However, a lot was going on that unnecessarily extended the length of the book. The story begins with a wedding on a boat when the groom disappears into the sea after he is pushed off the boat. He survives but is later murdered before his friends locate him. The mystery surrounds the black mailing that was the source of the disappearing man’s wealth.
The characters in the story were interesting but often made me cringe. Jean Stapleton is defined as a modern woman with a successful career analyzing and critiquing wines. The cavalier, sex crazy, beautiful, silver haired amazon, hard nosed woman was not realistic to me as a reader. Zeppo was a beloved, funny character but his relationship with Jean was unrealistic. Roman, the gay martial arts master taking on homophobic society was terrific but a bit over the top.
Overall, the book is a slap stick mystery with quirky, entertaining but unrealistic characters.
The characters in the story were interesting but often made me cringe. Jean Stapleton is defined as a modern woman with a successful career analyzing and critiquing wines. The cavalier, sex crazy, beautiful, silver haired amazon, hard nosed woman was not realistic to me as a reader. Zeppo was a beloved, funny character but his relationship with Jean was unrealistic. Roman, the gay martial arts master taking on homophobic society was terrific but a bit over the top.
Overall, the book is a slap stick mystery with quirky, entertaining but unrealistic characters.
May 29, 2019
I loved this book! It's a fun, intelligent, easy read that tells the story of Jean Applequist, who is asked by her friend to help uncover the mystery of her husband's murder. I read this by the pool with a cocktail in my hand, laughing at the witty humor and twisting journey of sex and danger! If you love a good mystery with a compelling protagonist, this book will not disappoint!
July 10, 2023
Protagonist is Jean Applequist, writer for Wine Digest. She (along with new boyfrined Zeppo) figure out who killed real estate developerMartin Wingo, who's maried to her old frined Diane. Nice complex story; I could have done without the romance, though.
January 11, 2024
I loved this book! The plot kept me guessing all the way through, the writing style was excellent, and it had the right dashes of spicy/romance for my liking. If this sounds like your thing, I highly recommend :)
December 30, 2023
A library find.
December 2023.
December 2023.
April 24, 2015
Initial Impressions 6/16/12: 3.5 stars
I wasn't really pulled into the book until about halfway through. I think it was a little bit of the lack of action until things really started to get moving and I really got pulled in. The resolution of the mystery was a bit drawn out, I thought. There were several aspects to Martin's murder and they got solved one by one.
I also didn't quite like Jean's character. I think if she were a male character in this book, she would have easily gotten labeled as a player or a cheater, but since she's a woman it was supposed to be empowering and refreshing? I didn't latch onto that. I think it's good to embrace your sexuality, but to me, a cheater's a cheater (and a repeat offender on that case) and I didn't like that.
I was just starting to get on board with her relationship with Zeppo until it turned weirdly romantic. I didn't see their chemistry at all and was totally thrown off by it.
Overall, I think each character was just too much of a character except for the supporting ones. The main characters were a little too much for me and no one really seemed identifiable enough for me to make a connection.
Still enjoyable though, and for me the mystery really turned things around and got me racing to the end to see how everything fell into place.
Full review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide: Well, it was a good mystery -- There was a plethora of suspects, all with good motives, and I never was able to tack down who the real culprit was until the reveal. It all came together in the end, but I'm still not sure I like the way it was solved because it seemed a bit out of character, in my opinion. I guess that is one way to keep us guessing though!
I'm not sure what it was -- maybe not enough action in the first half of the book? -- but it wasn't until about halfway in that I really got interested and started flipping the pages quickly. I can tell when I'm finally getting excited about what's happening because I start skipping over details to find out what happened, and that didn't really happen until closer to the end of the book.
The big thing for me was that I didn't really like the characters. Jean is a very independent woman in the sense that she doesn't need any man to be her support. She's got great self-esteem and a killer curvy body, so she's used to advances from men and she knows how to get what she wants out of them. What I didn't like is that Jean sort of seemed like the stereotypical sexed-up male role. I didn't like that if Jean's character were a male, I think most people would really dislike him. She's not into dating or marriage, doesn't want to have children, blows off her boyfriend, cheats on her boyfriend, sleeps with whoever she wants to (frequently without consequences), and since she's a woman, it's "empowering". There was a reference to how she's cheated on Peter multiple times and he forgave her for that but still wanted to be with her. Just my personal opinion, but I can't stand a habitual cheater and it really lowered my opinion of Jean. I liked her confidence and that she was empowered by her sexuality, but overall, just didn't agree with a lot of her choices.
Then we got thrown into the weirdest romance I could have pulled out of this book - Jean and Zeppo start hooking up and somehow fit together great. I just didn't see any kind of chemistry between them -- With Jean being a prematurely gray-haired, curvy and full bodied 32-year-old and Zeppo being a six foot five, red-headed geek with thick glasses and braces... What!? It just totally threw me off and I was weirded out by it. If anyone's a Survivor fan (which I happen to be), even though the height and body type was off, I kept picturing Cochran (this guy). So yeah. That didn't work out well in my mind. Also, too many of the main characters seemed like "characters" -- Too many attributes to make them stand out when their personalities should come through. I saw another review out there that said there were too many stereotypical characters and I kind of have to agree.
With the exception of a slow start for me, the mystery really started to pick and and I started to change my mind about the book a little bit. I had a rating in mind when I first started but then I started to get more interested in the book and it really changed my opinion. The only thing about the writing that really bothered me was a bit of repetition. The thing that I remember most is although it's mentioned a couple times throughout the novel, it was overkill in the first couple of chapters that Jean knows about crimes and detective work because she reads mysteries. That was her answer to a lot of her knowledge and I just felt like it was one mention right after the other and it really stuck in my mind.
I just realized the review sounds pretty harsh and I'm not trying to beat up this book... There were a lot of things that really stuck out that kind of put a frown on my face. I'm really glad it picked up in the end and that the mystery really was a mystery until the reveal.
I wasn't really pulled into the book until about halfway through. I think it was a little bit of the lack of action until things really started to get moving and I really got pulled in. The resolution of the mystery was a bit drawn out, I thought. There were several aspects to Martin's murder and they got solved one by one.
I also didn't quite like Jean's character. I think if she were a male character in this book, she would have easily gotten labeled as a player or a cheater, but since she's a woman it was supposed to be empowering and refreshing? I didn't latch onto that. I think it's good to embrace your sexuality, but to me, a cheater's a cheater (and a repeat offender on that case) and I didn't like that.
I was just starting to get on board with her relationship with Zeppo until it turned weirdly romantic. I didn't see their chemistry at all and was totally thrown off by it.
Overall, I think each character was just too much of a character except for the supporting ones. The main characters were a little too much for me and no one really seemed identifiable enough for me to make a connection.
Still enjoyable though, and for me the mystery really turned things around and got me racing to the end to see how everything fell into place.
Full review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide: Well, it was a good mystery -- There was a plethora of suspects, all with good motives, and I never was able to tack down who the real culprit was until the reveal. It all came together in the end, but I'm still not sure I like the way it was solved because it seemed a bit out of character, in my opinion. I guess that is one way to keep us guessing though!
I'm not sure what it was -- maybe not enough action in the first half of the book? -- but it wasn't until about halfway in that I really got interested and started flipping the pages quickly. I can tell when I'm finally getting excited about what's happening because I start skipping over details to find out what happened, and that didn't really happen until closer to the end of the book.
The big thing for me was that I didn't really like the characters. Jean is a very independent woman in the sense that she doesn't need any man to be her support. She's got great self-esteem and a killer curvy body, so she's used to advances from men and she knows how to get what she wants out of them. What I didn't like is that Jean sort of seemed like the stereotypical sexed-up male role. I didn't like that if Jean's character were a male, I think most people would really dislike him. She's not into dating or marriage, doesn't want to have children, blows off her boyfriend, cheats on her boyfriend, sleeps with whoever she wants to (frequently without consequences), and since she's a woman, it's "empowering". There was a reference to how she's cheated on Peter multiple times and he forgave her for that but still wanted to be with her. Just my personal opinion, but I can't stand a habitual cheater and it really lowered my opinion of Jean. I liked her confidence and that she was empowered by her sexuality, but overall, just didn't agree with a lot of her choices.
Then we got thrown into the weirdest romance I could have pulled out of this book - Jean and Zeppo start hooking up and somehow fit together great. I just didn't see any kind of chemistry between them -- With Jean being a prematurely gray-haired, curvy and full bodied 32-year-old and Zeppo being a six foot five, red-headed geek with thick glasses and braces... What!? It just totally threw me off and I was weirded out by it. If anyone's a Survivor fan (which I happen to be), even though the height and body type was off, I kept picturing Cochran (this guy). So yeah. That didn't work out well in my mind. Also, too many of the main characters seemed like "characters" -- Too many attributes to make them stand out when their personalities should come through. I saw another review out there that said there were too many stereotypical characters and I kind of have to agree.
With the exception of a slow start for me, the mystery really started to pick and and I started to change my mind about the book a little bit. I had a rating in mind when I first started but then I started to get more interested in the book and it really changed my opinion. The only thing about the writing that really bothered me was a bit of repetition. The thing that I remember most is although it's mentioned a couple times throughout the novel, it was overkill in the first couple of chapters that Jean knows about crimes and detective work because she reads mysteries. That was her answer to a lot of her knowledge and I just felt like it was one mention right after the other and it really stuck in my mind.
I just realized the review sounds pretty harsh and I'm not trying to beat up this book... There were a lot of things that really stuck out that kind of put a frown on my face. I'm really glad it picked up in the end and that the mystery really was a mystery until the reveal.
June 30, 2012
DEATH IN A WINE DARK SEA by Lisa King is a fantastic mystery featuring an irrepressible female sleuth who is reluctantly drawn into a murder investigation. When we meet Jean Applequist, it is with these words: "Jean Applequist loved having sex on boats but had never managed it on this particular vessel, even though she'd been aboard several times." With this, King establishes her heroine as wildly different from the bland amateur-sleuth mystery heroines I'm used to, and Jean is a breath of fresh air in an often stale subgenre. Jean is on this particular boat for the wedding of her best friend, Diane, to Martin Wingo, whom Jean despises. When he ends up overboard before the cake is cut, Jean isn't exactly sad to see the end of him, but her loyalty to Diane wins out when Diane begs her to look into the death. Accompanied by the much younger Zeppo, Jean begins poking around, finding no end of viable suspects, and realizing that Martin was even more despicable than she had thought.
The suspects and supporting characters are well-developed and complex, but the real gem is Jean. She may be the first feminist amateur sleuth, though I haven't done research to be sure. While many amateur sleuths blunder about and wander stupidly into danger, needing rescue, Jean knows her own mind and makes her own plans. She is refreshingly smart and resourceful, and she knows when to ask for help. She and Zeppo play off each other beautifully. Zeppo could be a caricature (horny younger man), but in King's capable hands, he is a rich, thoroughly imagined, interesting man. Jean's friend (and self-defense instructor) Roman and the hilariously complex Ivan are other standouts.
King evokes San Francisco through the fog, the food and wine, the scenery. It's a great locale for a mystery, and Jean's day job as a writer for a wine magazine brings in fun tidbits about wine while her love of mystery novels adds its own dimension. The mystery itself is superb; the cast of suspects is large and interesting, and the solution to the mystery unexpected and satisfying. I would certainly follow Jean to future installments of a mystery series.
Source disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. I enjoyed it enough to buy my own copy.
The suspects and supporting characters are well-developed and complex, but the real gem is Jean. She may be the first feminist amateur sleuth, though I haven't done research to be sure. While many amateur sleuths blunder about and wander stupidly into danger, needing rescue, Jean knows her own mind and makes her own plans. She is refreshingly smart and resourceful, and she knows when to ask for help. She and Zeppo play off each other beautifully. Zeppo could be a caricature (horny younger man), but in King's capable hands, he is a rich, thoroughly imagined, interesting man. Jean's friend (and self-defense instructor) Roman and the hilariously complex Ivan are other standouts.
King evokes San Francisco through the fog, the food and wine, the scenery. It's a great locale for a mystery, and Jean's day job as a writer for a wine magazine brings in fun tidbits about wine while her love of mystery novels adds its own dimension. The mystery itself is superb; the cast of suspects is large and interesting, and the solution to the mystery unexpected and satisfying. I would certainly follow Jean to future installments of a mystery series.
Source disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. I enjoyed it enough to buy my own copy.
July 17, 2012
If you like strong characterization, Death in a Wine Dark Sea, is the book for you. It's a page-turning mystery as well, with twists and turns to keep you wondering what's going on, and mostly the story avoids those dreaded "No, don't go in there you idiot" moments we all hate. I truly enjoyed this book.
The main character is Jean Applequist, a character sure to strike a chord with mystery novel fans. She isn't a cop or a detective. Jean is a writer for a wine magazine (like the author). I can't vouch for the wine descriptions because I'm not an expert but they certainly sound authoritative. When Jean gets involved in trying to solve a murder, she uses the techniques she has read about in all the mysteries she reads. She's one of us! I loved this aspect of the character.
We can't really identify with Jean, though, because she is a very sexy, "built," silver-haired bombshell who is a tad promiscuous. She got her first gray hair at something like 20, and now loves her silver hair which makes her unique. She also has a group of fascinating friends who have her back no matter what. Great characters.
Another character you'll love is Zeppo, a sort of geeky young man with a mysterious past who lusts after Jean but turns out to be a really good guy, and a good detective.
The story begins with her friend's wedding on the groom's yacht under the Golden Gate Bridge at night. Jean doesn't like the groom but her friend is happy. Then the groom somehow goes overboard. Jean sees him floundering in the water and throws him a life preserver. Everyone assumes he's dead. Later he calls home. He's alive! Even later, the police pull his body out of the water. This time he's dead for good. What a story. I loved it.
Please get a copy of Death in a Wine Dark Sea for a great summer read.
The main character is Jean Applequist, a character sure to strike a chord with mystery novel fans. She isn't a cop or a detective. Jean is a writer for a wine magazine (like the author). I can't vouch for the wine descriptions because I'm not an expert but they certainly sound authoritative. When Jean gets involved in trying to solve a murder, she uses the techniques she has read about in all the mysteries she reads. She's one of us! I loved this aspect of the character.
We can't really identify with Jean, though, because she is a very sexy, "built," silver-haired bombshell who is a tad promiscuous. She got her first gray hair at something like 20, and now loves her silver hair which makes her unique. She also has a group of fascinating friends who have her back no matter what. Great characters.
Another character you'll love is Zeppo, a sort of geeky young man with a mysterious past who lusts after Jean but turns out to be a really good guy, and a good detective.
The story begins with her friend's wedding on the groom's yacht under the Golden Gate Bridge at night. Jean doesn't like the groom but her friend is happy. Then the groom somehow goes overboard. Jean sees him floundering in the water and throws him a life preserver. Everyone assumes he's dead. Later he calls home. He's alive! Even later, the police pull his body out of the water. This time he's dead for good. What a story. I loved it.
Please get a copy of Death in a Wine Dark Sea for a great summer read.
June 14, 2012
I started disliking Jean Applequist character at the beginning of the book Death in a Wine Dark Sea. She is outspoken, impulsive, and promiscuous. But the character Jean Applequist grows on me. I started to like her more and more as the story goes on. Her best friend Diane is getting married to Martin Wingo. Jean doesn't liked Martin and has tried to ruffle his feather on more than one occasion. Since this was her best friend's wedding, she tried to be on her best behavior.
When Martin went overboard and found dead, Diane asked her to investigate the death of her husband without involving the police. Diane knew that Martin has a shady business as his hobby. He kept a file on everyone that he could blackmailed to do what he want. Diane doesn't want those secrets of all the people that Martin blackmailed to come out.
Jean and Zeppo teamed up to look into his death. Some of the people that Martin blackmailed have grudges and will do anything to keep their secrets hidden. The more I read the story, I could not but help admired Jean. She doesn't pretend to be someone except be herself. She moved from one relationship to another looking for something in a relationship that eludes her. She really doesn't quit until she found her answers.
I also love Zeppo. He acted as an oversexed weasel but he is really an honorable person. When the readers find out the secret Zeppo is hiding, they will really love him. That dark secret will explained why Zeppo acted like a creep yet his actions defined him as one of the good guy.
I highly recommends that this book be read. The story line is great. The intricacies of the plot have so much information that rotated around the main story.
When Martin went overboard and found dead, Diane asked her to investigate the death of her husband without involving the police. Diane knew that Martin has a shady business as his hobby. He kept a file on everyone that he could blackmailed to do what he want. Diane doesn't want those secrets of all the people that Martin blackmailed to come out.
Jean and Zeppo teamed up to look into his death. Some of the people that Martin blackmailed have grudges and will do anything to keep their secrets hidden. The more I read the story, I could not but help admired Jean. She doesn't pretend to be someone except be herself. She moved from one relationship to another looking for something in a relationship that eludes her. She really doesn't quit until she found her answers.
I also love Zeppo. He acted as an oversexed weasel but he is really an honorable person. When the readers find out the secret Zeppo is hiding, they will really love him. That dark secret will explained why Zeppo acted like a creep yet his actions defined him as one of the good guy.
I highly recommends that this book be read. The story line is great. The intricacies of the plot have so much information that rotated around the main story.
April 4, 2015
After her best friend’s much older and rather shady husband, millionaire Martin Wingo, goes missing [and shortly turns up dead] aboard a yacht immediately following the wedding, wine columnist Jean Ahlquist becomes engulfed in the mystery despite her dislike for the groom. She’s doing it for her friend and to satiate her own curiosity. She didn’t particularly care for the arrogant Wingo and his less than legitimate business dealings. The opinionated, independent Jean joins up with Wingo’s former techie, the very young and super geeky Zeppo. The two are a strange pair but it works. As they connect the pieces, their own lives become imperiled.
The best aspect of Death in a Wine Dark Sea is that Jean is strong and unconventional. She’s Mad Men’s Peggy in Joan’s body. I really enjoyed the main characters. The mystery revolved around too many subjects—business associates, ex-wives, mistresses and then once the reader finds out about Zeppo’s past that gets brought in-- and it became confusing at times.
I just kept reading and it all worked out in the end without having to flip back and forth too often. Luckily I wanted to know what happened. I wanted Jean to get to the truth. I wanted to see how she’d fare in the end. I became invested in Jean’s journey from the beginning which is part of the secret to creating a quality character. I’ve found that if I don’t stress too much then it all unravels if there’s a skilled writer behind the story. Author Lisa King certainly holds a lot of promise in the mystery genre. If you’re a wine connoisseur or enjoy the occasional glass of wine, you’ll find it ludicrous or delightful as everything Jean eats gets paired with wine illuminated with commentary.
posted at Entertainment Realm
The best aspect of Death in a Wine Dark Sea is that Jean is strong and unconventional. She’s Mad Men’s Peggy in Joan’s body. I really enjoyed the main characters. The mystery revolved around too many subjects—business associates, ex-wives, mistresses and then once the reader finds out about Zeppo’s past that gets brought in-- and it became confusing at times.
I just kept reading and it all worked out in the end without having to flip back and forth too often. Luckily I wanted to know what happened. I wanted Jean to get to the truth. I wanted to see how she’d fare in the end. I became invested in Jean’s journey from the beginning which is part of the secret to creating a quality character. I’ve found that if I don’t stress too much then it all unravels if there’s a skilled writer behind the story. Author Lisa King certainly holds a lot of promise in the mystery genre. If you’re a wine connoisseur or enjoy the occasional glass of wine, you’ll find it ludicrous or delightful as everything Jean eats gets paired with wine illuminated with commentary.
posted at Entertainment Realm
January 22, 2013
I have very mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the overall mystery of Death in a Wine Dark Sea. There are several suspects, more than one bad guy and a few twists that kept me guessing. The book is well written and the plot was well thought out. There is a lot of action and suspense.
While the book has some great characters, I didn't care too much for the main character. Jean is a writer for a wine magazine as she is an expert in all things relating to wine. I wanted to like her. She seemed to be likable in the beginning. However, I hated her lack of scruples and her promiscuous nature. I don't deny anyone their love of sex, but please, one person at a time. It's clear that she sleeps around, a lot. Often having more than one lover at a time. While most of her lovers know this going in, it really just left a bad taste in my mouth and knocked my opinion of her down quite a few notches. I'm not sure if this will be a new series or not. I liked this one enough to continue on if it does have a sequel. I can only hope that Jean changes her tune in further books as her callous attitude toward fidelity could become tiresome.
The audioversion was just OK for me this time around. Normally, I have no issues with Blackstone Audio books. I wasn't sure if it was the recording that I had or if it was the narrator that made me frustrated with the book. There were odd pauses during dialogue that made the flow of the book awkward and slow. I haven't heard this narrator before, so I hope it was just the recording.
While the book has some great characters, I didn't care too much for the main character. Jean is a writer for a wine magazine as she is an expert in all things relating to wine. I wanted to like her. She seemed to be likable in the beginning. However, I hated her lack of scruples and her promiscuous nature. I don't deny anyone their love of sex, but please, one person at a time. It's clear that she sleeps around, a lot. Often having more than one lover at a time. While most of her lovers know this going in, it really just left a bad taste in my mouth and knocked my opinion of her down quite a few notches. I'm not sure if this will be a new series or not. I liked this one enough to continue on if it does have a sequel. I can only hope that Jean changes her tune in further books as her callous attitude toward fidelity could become tiresome.
The audioversion was just OK for me this time around. Normally, I have no issues with Blackstone Audio books. I wasn't sure if it was the recording that I had or if it was the narrator that made me frustrated with the book. There were odd pauses during dialogue that made the flow of the book awkward and slow. I haven't heard this narrator before, so I hope it was just the recording.
June 10, 2012
When Diane asks her friend, Jean Applequist, to help investigate the murder of her spouse, Jean does so with gusto, consulting with friends and stopping to savor food, wine, and sex up and down California's coast, in and out of San Francisco's restaurants.
The pace of DEATH IN A WINE DARK SEA by Lisa King is fast; the plot, pleasingly intricate, the storyline surprising from the start, the suspects numerous and humorous. Reading the book, I could feel, see, and smell the damp San Francisco fog rolling in over the hills.
The descriptions of food and wine are sumptuous; the sketches of characters are often spare, always unique. In addition to the main characters, Jean and Zeppo, I especially liked Roman and won't soon forget the spinning image of Ivan as he makes his first appearance:
"He pulled his shirt up over his barrel chest, showing weathered, hairy skin as he turned in a circle. Generous love handles spilled over his belt."
DEATH IN A WINE DARK SEA by Lisa King is for mystery lovers who choose a book because it conforms to the conventions of classic mystery but who want something more than a great puzzle. It is for readers who like surprises, who delight in characters well drawn, who relish stories told in transparent prose with a consistent style. If you are one, you won't want to miss this book, Ms. King's debut novel.
The pace of DEATH IN A WINE DARK SEA by Lisa King is fast; the plot, pleasingly intricate, the storyline surprising from the start, the suspects numerous and humorous. Reading the book, I could feel, see, and smell the damp San Francisco fog rolling in over the hills.
The descriptions of food and wine are sumptuous; the sketches of characters are often spare, always unique. In addition to the main characters, Jean and Zeppo, I especially liked Roman and won't soon forget the spinning image of Ivan as he makes his first appearance:
"He pulled his shirt up over his barrel chest, showing weathered, hairy skin as he turned in a circle. Generous love handles spilled over his belt."
DEATH IN A WINE DARK SEA by Lisa King is for mystery lovers who choose a book because it conforms to the conventions of classic mystery but who want something more than a great puzzle. It is for readers who like surprises, who delight in characters well drawn, who relish stories told in transparent prose with a consistent style. If you are one, you won't want to miss this book, Ms. King's debut novel.
July 31, 2014
I love a good mystery, but there were a number of things I did not like about this book.
Jean Applequist is almost entirely unlikable. I appreciate that she knew what would and wouldn't work for her when it came to relationships and didn't give under the views of her friends and family. But aside from that annoying and grating (I can't believe she tried to make any sort of relationship work with a man who obviously wanted completely different things from a relationship. That was a train wreck before it started and if she was so knowledgeable she should have known that). For a good chunk of the book Zeppo was nearly as irritating as Jean.
Nearly every character in the book had me rolling my eyes, and when they weren't being irritating they were lifeless. The dialogue was very flat and a chore to read.
And how was Zeppo so idiotic and careless to persuade Jean to wear something more revealing to meet a man with a very strongly suspected history of raping women? While it was ultimately her choice, he encouraged her to endanger herself -something she apparently has little problem with- to a concern he has most likely never had to consider. If any man had seriously tried to persuade me of that I would have slammed the damn door in his face.
The plot had some interesting points but it was done in broad, clumsy and underdeveloped strokes.
Jean Applequist is almost entirely unlikable. I appreciate that she knew what would and wouldn't work for her when it came to relationships and didn't give under the views of her friends and family. But aside from that annoying and grating (I can't believe she tried to make any sort of relationship work with a man who obviously wanted completely different things from a relationship. That was a train wreck before it started and if she was so knowledgeable she should have known that). For a good chunk of the book Zeppo was nearly as irritating as Jean.
Nearly every character in the book had me rolling my eyes, and when they weren't being irritating they were lifeless. The dialogue was very flat and a chore to read.
And how was Zeppo so idiotic and careless to persuade Jean to wear something more revealing to meet a man with a very strongly suspected history of raping women? While it was ultimately her choice, he encouraged her to endanger herself -something she apparently has little problem with- to a concern he has most likely never had to consider. If any man had seriously tried to persuade me of that I would have slammed the damn door in his face.
The plot had some interesting points but it was done in broad, clumsy and underdeveloped strokes.
January 25, 2013
Living in San Francisco, Jean Applequist, Lisa King's protagonist, is "all urges and appetites with no sense of restraint." Jean is clever and curious, has a healthy sex drive and a body with "a distraction factor" that she's not afraid to use. She doesn't believe in monogamy, which is great for us because this mystery, like Jean, is "some serious fun with no strings attached." The story begins at the wedding of Jean's best friend, Diane, to Martin on a luxurious yacht cruising San Francisco Bay. When someone pushes Martin overboard, it takes all of Jean's compassion to throw him a life preserver. Martin is "cold and callous," having amassed his fortune on the blackmailed backs of others. Jean loves her friend and, with the help of Zeppo, Martin's assistant, Jean investigates, promising to keep Martin's past from the police. Jean writes for a wine magazine and I enjoyed the details about wines and champagnes that add to its kick.
March 7, 2013
Hmmm. This is a difficult one to review, not because of the book itself, but because of Goodread's rating system. I'd have an easier time of it if I could rate various aspects as well as the whole. Is it engaging? Yes. Good characters? Yup. Ditto the story. It has all the makings of a very good yarn. My problem is with some of the author's choices. In crafting her list of possible suspects, she puts the heroine into a few too many life threatening situations. The scenes themselves are tense and well written, but, taken as a whole, are too dire. The reader knows she'll escape, and only once does that happen without help. So what we have is a very strong female protagonist, who needs men to rescue her. Repeatedly. A shame too. If not for that, I would have rated this much higher. The characters are solid and three dimensional--for the most part, and the mystery plays out well. It's a very good read, one just short of being very good.
June 10, 2012
I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick read – meaning I couldn’t put it down. The story is fast paced and keeps your interest. Jean Applequist was a great protagonist. One could see a series revolving around her. My next favorite character was Roman. You could certainly imagine a couple of books revolving around his as well.
My only criticism of the book was the ongoing reports on different wines. I found that a little pretentious and distracting from the story line. I understand Ms. Kings fascination with wine and Jean Applequist’s employment – but for me this was an ongoing distraction and frankly, in my humble opinion, took away from the flow of the story.
All said and done, I would definitely recommend this book to friends.
My only criticism of the book was the ongoing reports on different wines. I found that a little pretentious and distracting from the story line. I understand Ms. Kings fascination with wine and Jean Applequist’s employment – but for me this was an ongoing distraction and frankly, in my humble opinion, took away from the flow of the story.
All said and done, I would definitely recommend this book to friends.
February 3, 2013
Quite enjoyable, eventually. The lead's character began to expand and some of her annoying mannerisms disappeared. The cast of characters is large but the author did an admirable job of keeping them separate and memorable. I liked that Jean is a wine writer so we get some wine info (which I am tucking away for myself). I liked that she hooks up with Zeppo, a complex nerd younger than she is, and the relationship develops nicely. I found their mutual sex drives slightly exhausting. The plot is simple with multiple suspects and lots of dead ends, but all is neatly tied up at the end. Good enough to look forward to more.
May 21, 2012
I enjoy a good mystery story that's different from the usual mysteries. Well this one certainly is. The amateur detective looking into the murder of her best friend's husband, Martin, immediately following their marriage, is a beautiful, sexual,strong opinionated woman, Jean. Jean meets Zeppo, a geeky nerd and together they are able to solve who committed the murder. There are the usual twist and turns of a good mystery, but the ending is still a surprise.
I received this book through the First Reads giveaway program on Goodreads.
I received this book through the First Reads giveaway program on Goodreads.
June 11, 2012
I received this as an Early Review copy.
This was a quick read because I kept picking it up every time I had a few minutes so I could find out what was going to happen next! The main character, Jean, is independent and definitely quirky but likable. The same goes for the other characters. San Francisco and the wine culture lends a definite allure to the setting. The mystery was filled with guilty characters....but which one was the murderer? Plan on spending a cozy weekend with this book and find out for yourself.
This was a quick read because I kept picking it up every time I had a few minutes so I could find out what was going to happen next! The main character, Jean, is independent and definitely quirky but likable. The same goes for the other characters. San Francisco and the wine culture lends a definite allure to the setting. The mystery was filled with guilty characters....but which one was the murderer? Plan on spending a cozy weekend with this book and find out for yourself.
August 18, 2012
This was an excellent mystery in the sense that the culprit(s) was well-hidden. But the characters just didn't appeal to me, especially the main character, a wine writer, fast-driving, hard-living, gun-toting (well, sometimes) Jean, who might be overwhelmingly attractive to the opposite sex but who didn't do a thing for me. Loyal in her fashion, Jean agrees to investigate the murder of her best friend's husband on their wedding day, even though she believes that he's a slimy jerk. He is, which doesn't make the investigation any easier.
May 21, 2012
I received a copy of this book through the First Reads prgoram. While I'm usually into crime fiction and love a good mystery that doesn't unfold until the very end, I found myself completely frustrated with the entire first half of this book. It took me quite some time to get to know the main characters and even longer to like them. Once I did, though, the story picked up and became quite enjoyable.
April 13, 2023
This book was very entertaining. I would say my favorite aspect of it was the characters. They were all lovable and so much fun. The main character was relatable, and I appreciated her banter with the other characters. As for the mystery, it was intriguing and not too predictable. This was a very enjoyable read.
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