La misteriosa botella de Petrus

Winemaker Detective Mysteries #4

by Jean-Pierre Alaux, Noël Balen

Puede haber algo peor para un fino gourmet como Benjamin Cooker que estar a dieta? Menos mal que cuando el régimen a base de la infalible sopa de col que le impone su mujer está a punto de acabar con él, aparece el comisario Barbaroux con una nueva investigación a la que hincar el diente. Un anciano ha aparecido asesinado junto a once copas de vino vacías y una llena. Cooker, con la ayuda de su inseparable asistente Virgilie, descubre que el vino es un Petrus de principios de la década de 1940. Cuando aparece una segunda víctima junto a dos copas de vino llenas, y poco después una tercera, Cooker decide hablar con su amigo Dubourdieu, gran conocedor de los Petrus. Por su parte, Virgilie descubre que las víctimas comparten un oscuro pasado colaboracionista durante la ocupación nazi... ¿Qué relación tiene el Petrus con los que traicionaron a su patria y se aliaron con los nazis? La solución está, de nuevo, en el fondo de la botella...

Genres: Mystery, France, Fiction, Wine, Cozy Mystery, Suspense, Food and Drink

148 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Margitte · Rating 3 out of 5]

"There is no crasse de fer in the Pétrus domain, whiles it’s the main element influencing all the Pomerols. If you open a map of that appellation, you’ll see this little yellow spot right in the middle of the terroir. Perfect and unique, as if the finger of God had pointed to this precise place and blessed it."

How is it possible that a wine, known as one of the best creations in human history, is used as a calling card in four murders. A round, supple, rich, charming, joyful, elegant and vigorous wine- a wine of peace and generosity- filled one glass of 12, arranged in a semi-circle at each crime scene. The first victim had one glass poured at his side. The fourth one had four filled.

Benjamin Cooker, a wine connoisseur, is asked to identify the wine. He was certain of its origin. There was a connection with the Nazi occupation of Bordeaux during WWII.

Benjamin Cooker is on the Cabbage Soup Diet, which is harnessed for adding lighter moments to the tale.

What a strange machine man is! You fill him with bread, wine, fish and radishes, and out comes sighs, laughter, and dreams ~Nikos Kazantzakis.

In this murder case the wine did not bring happy moments, instead it brought on long ago memories and murder. Besides that, it was impossible to indulge in the nectar of the gods. Mr. Cooker's diet prevented him from taking his work, as a wine taster, serious for seven days. It was debatable whether the short-lived diet did him any good anyway, but he was a good man, he loved his wife, he did what he was told. For seven days.

When the seven days was over, he could have taken these word to heart:

"Gentlemen, in the little moment that remains to us between the crisis and the catastrophe, we may as well drink a glass of Champagne." ~ Paul Claudel. - because he was heading for a restaurant, and well, the rest is history! :-)

Comments: Although a 100-page novel, and a fast read, it was a good read indeed. Personally I would have loved the book to be twice the length, but the plot, character deployment and suspense was there. I would love to read the other books in the series as well. My only regret is that the possibilities was not fully explored at all in this one. If the story line was further developed it could have become a terrific read. All the elements are there to make it happen. I got the impression that it was written in haste, with the well-developed plot outline in place, but due to the lack of time, it was left as is.

I haven't read the other books in the series, so cannot compare it, but I loved the murder mystery elements working in Deadly Tasting (Winemaker Detective Mysteries #4), despite it length.

The book is entertaining for sure for all Oenophilia, Francophilia, as well as historical fiction groupies. A guaranteed thrill. Although it is a light relaxing experience, the book contains dark, tragic events underscoring the messages in the murders. Apparently the series was turned into a television series, which might explain the fast-moving plot.

Le French Book provided this review copy through edelweissabovethetreeline.com for review.

I loved it. Thank you!

[Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Benjamin Cooker is called in to help with a case when an old man is killed and twelve classes are placed close to the dead body with one of the glasses filled with wine. It seemed to be an old wine from around 1940. Then another body is found with twelve glasses around the body, but this time two glasses filled with wine. Is someone out to kill twelve persons? What's the motive?

I did have some trouble getting into the story despite the shortness of this book. I just felt that I even though the beginning was interesting with the dead body and the wine glasses, but I felt that I had some problem with really taking in the rest of the story and remember who was who. And, I knew who the killer was almost right away. Perhaps, because there weren't that many suspects to choose between. Anyway, but the ending was really good, the explanation to everything. It was so sad and also justifying in a way.

So, this book was not the best I have read in this series. But the purpose, the history behind the murders that was revealed in the end was so poignant so that raises the rating with a star.

Thanks to Le French Book and Edelweiss for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This being the fourth installment in a series, read with ease as a standalone. With the presentation as dramatic as it was bestowed I would read other books included in this unique series. 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.

[megHan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love mysteries and had to give this one a try. Even though I have not read the first three in the series (yet!), I was quickly pulled into the life of Benjamin Cooker and his assistant, Virgile Lanssien. They are fun characters and Benjamin is an interesting "detective." I also liked Inspector Barbaroux and the fact that, when it came to something he didn't know, he was willing to call someone in to help. (I do want to go back and read the first three, not just for the mysteries, to find out more about these characters and what I have missed.) The set-up of the crime scenes really drew my attention in - a creative murder/mystery, done in a way I had not seen before. I really, until the very end, had no clue who the murderer was, which made it even more fun with the unexpected conclusion. There's a lot of information about wine and World War II throughout the book, the first something I did not know much about, the second a subject I find very interesting.

Sometimes the conversations are a tad boring, at least in the beginning of the book, but they quickly became more interesting as I got used to the way the author does his thing. There are a lot of names in this book (and not just character names, but place names too) and at first this was a little confusing (and tedious), especially since full names are used over and over, instead of referring to them by just their first name or last name after they are introduced. Here's an example: "They drove aimlessly, letting themselves be guided by signposts that inspired wine lovers to daydream: Bellegrave, Beauregard, Le Bon Pasteur, Bourngneuf-Vayron, Le Castellet, Clos des Salles, La Conseillante, La Croix Saint-Georges, Domaine de l'Eglise, L'Enclos, Franc-Maillet, Gazin, Gombaude-Guillot, Grand Beausejour, Grand Moulinet, Latour a Pomerol, Montviel, Petit Village, Pomeaux, Ratouin, Rouget, Tour Maillet, Tour Robert, Trotanoy, Vieux Chateau Certan, Vieux Maillet, Vray Croix de Gay."

The thing I think I disliked the most about the book is talk of the diet that Benjamin's wife puts him on. It really takes away from the story, in my opinion, and feels very awkward. We go back and forth between talking about murder, wine, and other things, to talk of cabbage soup and the effects it has on a body: "Benjamin, followed by a silent Virgile, stepped out of the apartment. His stomach was bloated and gassy. Elisabeth had warned him the first few days of the diet might be slightly embarrassing." That's fine if you want to talk about how Benjamin and Virgile sort of bond over this, to show how much Elisabeth cares about her husband's health, and even to give reason to Benjamin being slightly aggressive and cranky throughout the story, but the whole body reaction to the cabbage soup could have been left out.

Note: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: ARC read via Netgalley courtesy of Le French Press

Every one’s favorite wine taster and expert, Benjamin Cooker has a problem. Actually he has two problems. Someone is killing people and leaving a very old, rare vintage of wine at the crime scene.

Second, his wife has put him on a cabbage diet.

If you lived in France, would you want to eat liquid cabbage?

I didn’t think so.

But Cooker loves his wife, so he makes an effort. And she better cook that venison for him at the end of the week.

The mystery, of course, is a more serious issue than what wine to drink with dinner. To discover the truth of the matter Cooker and his friends must travel to a past that much of France seems to forget.

Don’t let the length of the book fool you, it might be short, but there is much packed into it. There are some digs at Paris, a slew about wine making and tasting, some history, and a believable, if a bit Hollywood style, mystery. Reading this entry into the series, you can see why it was adapted for television. It moves quickly, and the descriptions are cinematic in style. The mystery and its conclusion are believable, and Alaux and Balen play fair with the reader.

The twist that makes this series different than all the other cozy mysteries is the detail and knowledge about wine that fills the book. While some of the conversation about France during German Occupation in WW II feel like history lectures or info dumps, any time Alaux and Balen write about wine, it’s like a personalized tour of a winery. There is no talking down, no info dumping, but passion. You will want to go out and buy bottles after reading this book. Wine sellers and producers should market tours based around this series, if this book is any indication. Non-French producers need to hire this pair to write the Australian American, Canadian, South American version of this book.

An enjoyable diversion.

Crossposted on Booklikes.

[Rumeur · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in goodreads giveaway and many thanks to Anne who is helping the world to get a taste of French authors translated into English with LeFrench books

This was a nice mystery with a lot of learned knowledge about WW2. Once I got past reading all the long "strange names of people & places " I really enjoyed both Benjamin & Virgile. It had humor in the fact that Benjamin's wife had him on the cabbage diet during this mystery. Benjamin & Virgile are NOT cops or investigators but wine tasters

In this mystery the Inspector at the crime scenes calls on Benjamin since the murderer leaves a clue behind with a certain variety of wine. It's Benjamin's job to taste it, tell what kind it is & about what year it's from He really is the crime solver along with Virgile yet they're not Inspectors, they just helped out a bit more.

There was some nice knowledge about WW2 & I hope it was real but even if not, I found it very interesting & could see how it could've been back in the '40's

I believe in France this is a tv series just like we have our crime type TV series. I'd recommend this as a decent mystery. It was a fast read & I was just beginning to like these 2 guys :) was bummed when I was finished & I wouldn't mind reading other mysteries in this series or other series from LeFrench books

As I stated earlier, translators are doing the French translations to English from the authors of these books to allow English reading people to become entertained & I think it's a marvelous idea!! Yes, I'd definitely read more of these :)

[Edna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short. Held my attention. Great for a stocking stuffer - new series for me...just sorry library does not have them.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fourth in the Winemaker Detective Mysteries series and revolving around Benjamin Cooker and his assistant, Virgile. The story is set in Bordeaux.

This ARC was provided by NetGalley and Le French Book in exchange for an honest review.

My Take
I'm very conflicted on how to rate this. Part of me wants to give it a "2" as I simply do not view this as a mystery. It's more like a story about wine and the tasting of and a visit into the history of collaborationist France during World War II. It doesn't feel like a legitimate mystery story. And yet, I do enjoy the comparisons.

I love reading about Benjamin tasting the wines. It makes me want to visit France, a winery, a tasting just to roll that vintage around my own mouth, to allow the flavors to hit the roof of my mouth, up the middle and along the sides of my tongue, the back of my throat, to inhale all the scents that come with it. I love that Benjamin can taste the soil and keep track of 63 tastings in one afternoon!

Both men's knowledge of the differing qualities of each year's vintage is spectacular. I enjoyed the comparison of diving into a rhythmic meter with assessing wines when Benjamin has his fun with some of those he consults with over the Pétrus with their passion for music and the engineers and others behind the productions and his passion for quotations all combined with their mutual passion for wine. Passions into which these men dive and explore all the nuances of their interests.

I can understand why Barbaroux would want Benjamin's expertise on the wine and possibly on the significance of the display of wine glasses, but I don't understand why Benjamin's presence at every scene is so important. Especially when Barbaroux chastises Benjamin for trying to help. I mean, what the heck? He wants his help, asks questions that are not all wine-related, makes it seem so very important. He expects Benjamin to hang about, to be available, but then he shuts him down. Barbaroux needs to make up his mind. Get consistent. Don't make a drama out of this by having Barbaroux flip back and forth. It's more as if the Winemaker (maker?? why not taster?) Detective must be at every crime scene to make this legitimate.

When Benjamin and Virgile go snooping around on their own, Barbaroux doesn't get upset, annoyed, or angry. It's more like it's business-as-usual to have a wine taster breaking into dead people's houses and snooping around. I dunno, maybe in France the police don't mind if you muck about in their crime scenes.

I'm guessing there was a reason to note that Benjamin was drinking tea out of a cup using the Duke of Kent's colors? I did enjoy the joke about the bishop, the priest, and the spirits in the cellars.

Don't expect to get much show in this as it's almost all tell. Pssst, it's a CYA on my part because I'm sure there must have been a bit of show somewhere.

I am so confused. I had the impression Dominique was a man, and yet he also appears to be Simone who hangs herself? No, wait. She died months ago. This is not clear here. To be honest, this whole story feels more like a story which old men tell over their wine and cigars. I get no sense of actual detective work. Sure, there's a policeman, there are bodies, and there are clues. Benjamin and Virgile wander off to chat with people they know and get all sorts of historical anecdotes about collaborators during the Second World War. But this doesn't feel like a mystery story.

And I absolutely hated the ending. It was just plopped out there. I get the suicide at the end, but who it is isn't clear with the way the note is presented in this. I want to know why it took so long to start on this path. Why use the Pétrus? Why draw attention to yourself? Actually, he never did draw attention to himself other than Virgile's noticing the paint. Which was never passed on to Barbaroux. Why would he kill himself? There didn't appear to be any pressure on him. No one knew about him.

The wine, the tasting, the knowledge of its production is more what the Winemaker Detective Mysteries is about with just a soupçon of mystery.

The Story
Poor Benjamin. His wife has put him on the cabbage soup diet. No more salmon in puff pastry, sea scallop fricassees, or rabbit confits for Benjamin. He'll be lucky to get a few bananas.

It's a diet that will not change even as Inspector Barbaroux requires his aid in a nasty serial killing of a case, and I don't mean the case of Pétrus wine being used up.

The Characters
Benjamin Cooker is a respected wine taster, the "most brilliant wine expert of [his] generation" with a lovely office that's slowly losing its Second Empire appeal. Elisabeth Cooker is his worried wife. Virgile Lanssien is Cooker's young assistant. Jacqueline is his secretary. Bacchus is his Irish setter. Alexandrine de la Palussière prepares tastings.

Inspector Barbaroux is frustrated over the murders of a number of men.

Franck Dubourdieu is the tennis-playing friend with an interest in agronomy and oenology. Renaud Duboyne de Ladonnet manages a maritime insurance company but his true passion is clearing his grandfather's name. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the German occupation of Bordeaux that rivals anything even the inspector can find.

Rudolph Martinez is a radio interviewer with France Bleu Gironde. I certainly enjoyed his "Bobo of Bordeaux" even if I have no idea why he was included. Alain Massip runs the Massip Company where Grémillon worked as a leather cutter. Massip's father, Maurice, had recorded his experiences in a German camp.

The victims…who were all members of the French Billiard Club
Joseph Larède owned Chez Joseph, a bar in Mériadeck. Jules-Ernest Grémillon is 93; Émile Chaussagne is 88; the already-dead Armand Jouvenaze and Jean Sauveterre are cousins; Édouad Prébourg, 88, was involved with the infamous Albert "the Bull" Bitrian; and, Élie Péricaille, 89, said to have been a sadistic member of the Milice, tried to defend himself. Four men are left: Gabriel Bergerive, Gustave Tasdori, Arthur Darnaudon, and Edmond Cosinac.

Dominique Jouvenaze is Armand's nephew. Antoine and Simone are Dominique's recently deceased parents who had refused to speak of Armand and refused to allow the children any communication with their uncle. Madeleine was Dominique's?? "twin". Samuel Frydman is the son of Isaac, a law professor, and Irma Frydman, a pianist, and was born during the war. Simon and Sarah were his siblings. Dr. Capderoque hid the Frydmans.

During World War II
Jacques Doriot led the French Popular Party while Marcel Déat founded the National Popular Rally. Maurice Dealuney started La Tempête as an anti-Jew newspaper and a slew of others. Adrien Marquet was the mayor of Bordeaux and minister of the interior in the Vichy government.

Heinz Bömers was a wine broker during the war who tried to make it easy on the French winemakers. Louis Eschenauer was from a family of wine merchants and estate owners and known as the king of Bordeaux and Uncle Louis was also a friend of Joachim von Ribbentrop. He was also uncle to Captain Ernst Kühnemann, a German wine merchant in command of Bordeaux's port. Maurice Papon was much worse.

Aristide de Sousa Mendès was the Portuguese consul and saved many Jews.

The Cover
The cover is of an underground, brick-vaulted room with an old wooden, round table and bench. Twelve wineglasses form a half-circle on the table, one glass full, and one of which has fallen over, spilling its red, red wine. The bottle is at the center of what would be the circle.

The title is more pointed toward the wine in this Deadly Tasting.

[Sanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I wasn't too thrilled by books 1 & 3 in this series, I committed to reviewing this so I read it and I have to say it did work a bit better than the previously mentioned two. It's a quick read filled with wine, beautiful French scenery and a murder mystery our wine loving detective Benjamin Cooker is tasked with solving. This one can easily be read even if you haven't read the other books in the series.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Le French Book for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series has much in common with the Bruno Courréges series - the wonderful food (and of course, wine!), the local community and often an involvement of some aspect of French history. The mystery is OK but I read these primarily for those other aspects.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book received through Edelweiss.

This is book was originally published in French. It was translated from the original french by Sally Pane. There were a few places where the translation could have gone better for an easier flow of words, making for an easier more understandable read. It is fairly short for a mystery novel 144 pages somewhere between novella and novel. It the fourth in the series but reads like a stand alone, so you don't have to worry about reading the other books. Benjamin Cooker, the main character, is an oenologist an expert in the field and science of wine and winemaking. He somehow uses this ability to solve crimes. In this mystery, the police call Benjamin in because there is a staged clue about the murders that has wine involved. It seems the only thing connecting the victims is where they lived and the wine found at the scene. The twist at the end is the best part. I had no idea "whodunnit" until the final chapter. I wouldn't consider these cozy mysteries, but they're not harsh enough to be considered thrillers either, though the author did add one "crazy" thing to the story, the main character's wife has him on the cabbage soup diet. I especially enjoyed the world war 2 history of France that was interspersed throughout the book due to the background of the murder victims. I will definitely be reading more of this series. I believe there are twelve of them so far.

[SoWrongItsRANDI {Bell, Book & Candle} · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC courtesy of Net Galley and Le French Book in exchange for an honest review

Bell,Book & Candle | Deadly Tasting Review





Although not the first in the series, it is the first is the series that I have read. It is a rather quick story steeped in history, specifically World War II. It had a whole lot of info I did not know of, and that is really saying something. Main character Benjamin may be a connoisseur of wine, but I'm a connoisseur of WWI and II facts.

"Elizabeth had cut a large head of cabbage, four slivers of garlic, six large onions, a dozen peeled tomatoes, six carrots, two green peppers, and one stalk of celery and plunged them into three quarts of water with three cubes of fat-free chicken broth. The mixture, seasoned with salt, pepper, curry powder, and parsley, had been boiled for ten minutes and then simmered until all the vegetables were tender."

I'm totally trying this recipe!! LOL

This was a nice detective story in the most unusual way-it all started with wine, Petrus to be exact. The killer's "calling card" was incredibly ingenious, and a small part of me was hoping he got all 12 of his victims and wouldn't get caught. Especially when the M.O was revealed at the very end of the book (My grandfather was Jewish, so it struck a nerve).

Benjamin is seriously dedicated to uncovering all the clues and catching this killer. And his assistant was pretty swell as well. The writing was great and the humor especially made me giggle, even if it was corny. It was interesting to learn that the French had a hand in the Holocaust as well, which no one ever talks about. Although the French would rather portray themselves as victims. I'm not hating since I'm of French descent as well LOL. The ending was somber, though, which is appropriate after the shocking revelation at the end.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the books in this series are well written and interesting. The combination of gourmet dishes, fine wines, some touring through France and a mystery make for a tasty dish. All of them are enjoyable but I must admit, I think this one is my favourite so far.
Our intrepid hero, Benjamin Cooker, wine expert and amateur detective, is asked to help in the investigation of a particularly brutal murder of an elderly man. He is called in because beside the body are 12 wine glasses in a circle with one glass filled with a rare and expensive wine. It is a welcome diversion from the agony of the cabbage soup diet his wife has inflicted on him. Benjamin is kept hopping trying to find out more about the victim, soon to be victims, and the wine which accessorizes the site of the murders or desecration of tombs. His research takes him into the realm of Occupied France. During the War there were heroes, although few and far between and there were Collaborators. As evil aa were the Nazi, particularly in the roundup of Jews, they could never have been as efficient without the complicit assistance of their "friends".
It was interesting that in reading the book, it spoke of the mass transportation of the Jews of Bordeaux that was written so evocatively in another book I read recently, Alex's Wake. This figures prominently into this story but if you want to read about real life victims, this other book will sadden and enlighten you.
We learn how the men who have been murdered or whose graves have been destroyed connect to each other and why this "justice" was sought. It is a heartbreaking end and while no one has the right to murder, one can appreciate why the perpetrator did what he did. I cannot convict him.
So, once again Alaux and Balen have given the readers a grand book but also one that is thought provoking. I look forward to more.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book by this writing duo that I've read. These are not gory mysteries nor are they intensely suspenseful stories. I like them because they are intelligent mysteries set in an interesting area - and they talk about wine!

The main character, Benjamin, is a wine expert who occasionally helps out the police. In this case he is helping the police solve the case of a serial murderer. At each of the bodies of the victims a set of 12 wine glasses is set out. With the first murder, one glass is filled with a particular, hard to find wine. At the second body, two glasses are filled. The murders continue with one more glass filled with wine at each subsequent murder. The police call on Benjamin to help because the wine is special vintage and has special meaning for the murderer.

I liked this book as much as the others, except that there was just a little too much emphasis on the wine and not quite enough on the murders themselves. The solution comes just a little too easily. Despite this, I would recommend this book to those who like a French setting, wine, and intelligent murders.

This book was obtained from NetGalley.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine, I’m a sucker for Vouvray, and enjoy a trip to Bordeaux where you’ll again meet wine connoisseur
and expert, Benjamin Cooker, called in by a frustrated police detective because someone is killing very old men and desecrating graves.

But why should Benjamin Cooker be consulted? Because the killer’s leaving a glass of wine at each murder scene, along with 12 wine glasses, and each time he kills another, another glass is filled.

And not with just any wine, but with a rare vintage of a much sought after wine – a wine from the Second World War.

Join Cooker and his able assistant Virgile as they begin understanding what may be behind these crazy serial killings – this is a real page turner, so you may want to keep that bottle of wine handy so you don’t have to budge from visiting Bordeaux.

[Marnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh Jean-Pierre Alaux & Noel Bales- you had me at hello. Pairing my two favorite things wine and books insured that I was in for a cozy read. Toss in an amuse bouche of France's WWII history and I am doubly happy.

A serial killer is knocking off people in the Bordeaux region of France and leaving a very distinct wine at the murder scenes. Because there are twelve glasses the police are worried there will be more victims. They call in Benjamin Cooker, wine taster extraordinaire, to help them solve the case.

In a fast paced mystery that does not disappoint Benjamin and his trusty assistant Virgile work to solve this mystery. This was my first book in this series but it will not be my last. Cheers!

Thank you Netgalley and Le French Press for this ARC

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real Rating: 4.25* of five

The Publisher Says: When wine tasting turns to murder.

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?

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I missed the second and third installments when Le French Book was offering them on EW+, but in a series, that's less fatal than starting your read of it with a later book. I'd read, and really enjoyed, volume one, so I felt I could hop back into Benjamin and Virgile's milieu. Luckily I was correct.

A major subplot in this very short afternoon's amusement is Cooker the wine expert being required by his lady wife, Elisabeth, to give up wine...horror number one...and go on a cabbage diet. Bad enough already, horror number two is it's a liquidized cabbage diet.

The lady's established as a fabulous cook; his life is spent in the wine world of France; and he does not either divorce her or cheat on his diet. For seven days. True love indeed.

The murder that ignites the book is engendered in France's ugly, collaborationist past. The winemakers were, as most others were as well, getting on with their lives as the occupation wore on. Those who stood up to the vile occupiers have never stopped holding grudges. Debts are going to be called in as the time to do so grows ever shorter.

The staginess of the way the murder scenes are set-dressed makes it very clear they're not meant to be under-the-radar killings; no other reason for them to be so very obviously, unmissably, linked up. It does not lead to the immediate solution to the crimes. That was a very interesting touch to me. The collaborationists faded into the background where they could, where they were allowed to; but memories are long for betrayers of those who chose resistance.

I was more intrigued by the history than I was by the actual murders because the motive for them are so little explored; at least in Anglophone translations that make it here to the US. I'm really interested in how memory works on a cultural level. It is becoming a very great deal more relevant here in 2025 all over the world. I'm glad we have a few cultural objects around us to point out the signs of incipient rot.

I'm seeing a prose trend that could, if overused in future entries, cause me acute discomfort: there are a lot of lists (eg: "Elisabeth had cut a large head of cabbage, four slivers of garlic, six large onions, a dozen peeled tomatoes, six carrots, two green peppers, and one stalk of celery and plunged them into three quarts of water with three cubes of fat-free chicken broth. The mixture, seasoned with salt, pepper, curry powder, and parsley, had been boiled for ten minutes and then simmered until all the vegetables were tender.") in this story. A. Lot. It's not *quite* OTT yet, but could easily go there. The characters, major and minor, get reintroduced rather more elaborately than I myownself find helpful or necessary.

As of now these are grunts of annoyance. Watch this space....

ETA: I just learned that the stories in this series are novelizations of the TV show's scripts! Much is now clearer as to the way the writing sometimes does not flow in the reader's experience; try seeing them from a visual PoV and complaints are minimal. I'm so glad to find this out!

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

When wine tasting turns to murder.

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?

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Bordeaux, Benjamin Cooker is called to the scene of the murder of an elderly man to identity the wine left as a clue. His tasting reveals the chateau; but he is uncertain of the year. The basic plot has been used before and is not very compelling after all these years.

[Encarni Prados · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una novela cortita y entretenida sobre asesinatos, policías y un enologo. una buena mezcla que hace una novela con buenos ingredientes. La historia está bien, sin embargo, la he visto demasiado "francesa" debido a las alusiones a regiones, vinos y otros temas que no entendía. Se lee en dos ratitos.

[Michael Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

books are too short, otherwise I like them.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[KyBunnies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come

[Lynne Perednia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Benjamin Cooker is a winemaker in this French detective series, consulting with vineyard owners and wineries, dispensing his opinion in a popular guidebook and serving on wine juries. It's a good life for this half-British, half-French lover of good wine, food and cigars. But just like Jessica Fletcher or any number of cozy amateur detectives, he doesn't go looking for murder. It finds him.

The series begins with Treachery in Bordeaux, in which wine in three vats of one of his longest friends has gone bad. Since the distraught man owns one of the last wine estates remaining within the city limits of Bordeaux, its prestige needs to be protected. He needs someone to look into things quietly, not with a splash. And that's just what Cooker does. Along the way, he acquires an assistant, indulges his love of art and local lore, and discovers what happened to the wine and why. As a series introduction, it's a breezy read with a very interesting motive behind the crimes that occur.

Nightmare in Burgundy, published in trade paperback on July 31, finds Cooker and assistant Virgile travel to that other renowned French winemaking region. Our hero is inducted into a highly honorable organization that celebrates the fruits of the grape. Odd graffiti is discovered in various places around town. Cooker realizes the writing is in Latin. An old friend, an aging monk, helps him find the Biblical verses that correspond. And Virgile is adept at enchanting at least one local young woman.

When disgust at the graffiti leads to death, Cooker is the one to put the pieces together. The plot is wrapped up very quickly in this short novel, but its conclusion brings to mind a classic mystery. As with the debut novel, all the pieces fit together smoothly.

Deadly Tasting, the fourth book in the series, requires Cooker's expertise when an elderly man is found dead and, in his humble abode, are 12 wine glasses with only one filled. What wine is it and how might that be pertinent to the crime? Then another body is found, and another. Cooker has to put the pieces together before the circle is completed. Again, the motive of what's going on is clever and, as with the other two mysteries, the clues have a lot to do with France and French winemaking.

The novels are very quick books to read. On occasion, there are things that don't fit into such a light premise, as some crime scenes that are more gory than usual in cozy mysteries and jarring vulgar language that is thrown in when many other alternatives are available. It's not that crime fiction should -- and hardly does -- shy from such things. But they do stand out in what are otherwise light, cozy reads.

Although people who know France and French wine will more fully recognize the lists of names that are used in the books and what they mean, those who appreciate gastronomic delights will enjoy this aspect of the series. The French lore and history are especially enjoyable aspects.

The series has been adapted to French television and, based on these three entries, shows the potential for many stories.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

It feels harsh DNFing a 100 page book, so I finished this. The writing style (either in the original French or in translation - I don't know which to blame) is overly ornate, with many, many subordinate clauses and far more commas than necessary. I like amateur detectives, especially those with interesting careers, like Lovejoy. The amateur detective here is a wine rater but the bits about that part of his life are, sadly, boring. And let's not get into the fact that he, his sidekick and the police detective are just annoying.

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Deadly Tasting - Winemaker Detective Mystery 4
Author: Jean-Pierre Alaux & Noël Balen
Translated By: Sally Pane
Published: 10-17-2014
Publisher: Le French Book
Pages: 144
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub Genre: Cooking, Food & Wine;
ISBN: 9781939474216
ASIN: B00L9I3Z2C
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
My Rating: 4 1/2 Stars


.
Benjamin Cooker, wine connoisseur with a sophisticated palate, a lover of fine foods and cigars, is back along with his assistant Virgile Lanssien. In Deadly Tasting a local chief of police calls Cooker in when a serial killer begins a rein of terror when he leaves qw glasses in a semi circle. The first body has on glass filled and the second has two and so on. Benjamin is called in for his expertise on wines to identify the wine to the vineyard it originated from. He is surprised by b what he discovers. Can he and Virgile find the killer before all twelve glasses are filled? What would the killer do if they are all filled, start over? They must race to find the killer before another falls victim to his demented mind.



Benjamin and Virgil continue to grow and develop with each new novella. Though the book is short it loses nothing in the writing and enjoyment. Alaux and Balen keep it filled with suspense and intrigue, while still giving us glimpses into the beautiful scenery of the French people and culture. Easily read in one sitting this is a series for anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a food or wine twist. Take a break today to delve into the world of Benjamin Cooker.


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[Linda Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the beginning of Deadly Tasting I was extremely amused by gourmand and winemaker Benjamin Cooker being put on a diet by his loving wife, Elisabeth. It had always seemed to me that Benjamin ate and drank wine to excess with no visible ill-effects. It did not make me like him or his fussy quirks any better in the previous books of the series. On day one of the cabbage diet he receives a call from Inspector Barbaroux summoning him to a crime scene. A very elderly man has been slaughtered in his apartment and the scene is odd indeed. Twelve wine glasses are circled on a table, one full and eleven empty. The Inspector wants Cooker to taste the wine in the hope that it will give him some clue to work with. Benjamin narrows down the wine to it's region and with the help of a friend determines that it is a vintage from the 1940 s during the Nazi Occupation of France. Meanwhile the bodies of old men are piling up along with the desecration of the graves of other elderly men. Someone is settling a grievance that goes back to the dark days of WWII and leaving a message with twelve wine glasses at each scene, a new glass filled for each victim.

I was very interested in the historical detail included in Deadly Tasting as I know little about events in occupied France. It should come as no surprise that the Nazis looted the wines as they did everything else but I was surprised that they installed their own functionaries to oversee production. There are tales here of both heroism and complete venality and as always, some were neither rewarded nor punished. The authors have taken these details and constructed a very tidy mystery. Deadly Tasting is less about wine and more about the lingering effects of some of the darkest days in France's history. I liked this new direction in the series and found Benjamin's struggle with his diet a welcome and humorous diversion.

Thanks to netgalley.com and Le French Book for an advance digital copy.

RATING- 3 stars

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 4 out of 5]

[ I received this book free from the website Words and Peace and the publisher Le French Book . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising]

'" As I understand it,sir, we are dealing with someone who is targeting bothe the living and the dead. There diesn't seem to be anything spontaneous. Everything appears to be premeditated. This serial killer has a certain method and he's giving us the code"
" We still have to decifer that code."
"Of course, but that is part of his cold reasoning. It appears to be a very calculated and staged revenge"'( p51)

So states Benjamin Cooker, onephile and author to  the inspector in charge of investigating a series of murders staged around a particular wine ritual and a particular Bordeaux. Called in as a consulting expert, Cooker and his helper, Virgile learn about World War II and how it brought out the good and bad sides of people in this wine area that seemed rather untouched by the German invasion and Vichy France. Cooker's friendships and connections teach the reader history they may not be aware of, and whet their appetite for other intrigue.

This type of book, an international mystery written by French authors and translated by a person who attended the school my spouse attends presently, is an introduction, in part, to French television as well as the Bordeaux area of France. I also did my final paper in Culinary School 40 some years ago on wine in the New York State area, so I am a bit familiar with some of the affectations of onephiles.

All this to say that this book was not the best I have ever read, but certainly not the worst. I THINK I'd give another one in this series a chance, but won't go out of my way to find it. I'd give it 3 1/2 stars

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deadly Tasting by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noel Balen ( translation by Sally Pane) is a 2014 Le French publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exhange for an honest review.
This series got off to a great start with wonderful characters surrounded by fine food and of course fine wine. I even had a little crush on Virgile at first. But, this one fell a bit short of the previous installments for me.

Cooker's expertise in wine has him embroiled in a baffling case in which the killer has left an calling card... an expensive calling card. At the first crime scene there are twelve glasses lined up in a semi-circle with the first one filled with wine. The second crime scene has two filled glasses and so on, implying there will be twelve murders. Cooker is asked to identify the wine at each scene, thus plunging him and Virgile into the investigation.
Bordeaux's wine history is explored during the period of Nazi occupation. If you are an a WW2 buff this book will appeal. While I do love historical fiction, and did find much of it interesting, it became a little to complicated and felt more like reading a history textbook. The scene is set for a tense race against the clock scenario, but the history lesson took center stage instead. So, I'm not sure if this one will have the same wide appeal as some of the other books in the series.
Thankfully, the humorous element of the story has Elisabeth putting Cooker on a cabbage diet causing him, ( and Virgile) great distress. While the banter between Virgile and Cooker was still funny at times, this time around it was a little stale.
I am looking forward the next release which I am sure will regain it's usual appeal for me.
3 stars for this one.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you have a strong appreciation for French wines, know something about professional wine tasting, and are not opposed to fictional mystery stories, give this book a shot. You can stop reading now...

For those of you still reading, here's the rest of my review:

I have no use for wine--French or otherwise--so my eyes simply glazed over at the long listing of names of particular varieties or vineyards.

This book just wasn't for me. I love mysteries. I like some of the famous fictional French detectives. And while I know Poirot was Belgian and written by a British author--I was really hoping for either a Poirot or Inspector Jacques Clouseau type of character and plot. This is not that...or them...or whatever.

There was very little set-up for this "mystery." None of the four people working on the case actually seemed to solve it.

There are a couple of points in the story where I think something was lost in translation.

Perhaps my biggest complaint: I couldn't give the story any credibility because the "crime scenes" weren't treated with respect. Contamination apparently doesn't happen in France. Furthermore, complete toxicology tests with final report are completed at warp speed. The crime scene hasn't been cleared and they already have the results and are inviting the consultant to taste the evidence.

Overall, the only reason I finished this book is because I couldn't stomach the thought of failing to finish a 90 page fictional work. Like I said, it just wasn't for me.

Disclaimer: I received an digital copy of the book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.