Death in the Vines - (Provençal Mystery) by M L Longworth (Paperback)

About the Book

A crime wave jolts Aix-en-Provence in the third delightful Verlaque and Bonnet mystery. Readers are sure to adore this who-done-it, in which Longworth evokes the sights and sounds of late-summer Provence, where the mistral blows and death comes in the most unexpected places.

Book Synopsis

When theft escalates to murder at a French vineyard, a crime wave sweeps over the tranquil town of Aix-en-Provence

Provençal Mystery Series #3
Watch the series! Murder in Provence is now on Britbox.

Winery owner Olivier Bonnard is devastated when he discovers that a priceless cache of rare vintages has been stolen from his private cellar. Soon after, Monsieur Gilles d'Arras arrives at Aix-en-Provence's Palais de Justice to report another mysterious disappearance: his wife, Pauline, has vanished from their lavish apartment. Madame has always been as tough as nails, but in recent weeks she's been wandering around town in her slippers, crying for no reason.

As the mistral arrives to temper the region's late-summer heat, Commissioner Paulik receives an urgent call from Bonnard: he's just found Pauline d'Arras--dead in his vineyard. Verlaque and Bonnet are once again investigating, in what will prove to be their most complicated case yet.

Fans of Donna Leon and Andrea Camilleri, Francophiles, and foodies alike will adore this captivating whodunit. In her riveting follow-up to Death at the Chateau Bremont and Murder in the Rue Dumas, M. L. Longworth masterfully evokes the sights, sounds, and tastes of late-summer Provence, where the mistral blows and death springs up in the most unexpected places.

"Judge Antoine Verlaque, the sleuth in this civilized series, discharges his professional duties with discretion. But we're here to taste the wines. So many bottles, so many lovely views. A reader might be forgiven for feeling woozy." --The New York Times Book Review

Review Quotes

Praise for M. L. Longworth's Provençal Mystery series

"The Verlaque and Bonnet mysteries . . . plunge you into a languid world of epicurean pleasures and good living." --Eleanor Beardsley, NPR

"Beguiling . . . Longworth evokes the pleasures of France in delicious detail--great wine, delicious meals, and fine company." --Publishers Weekly

"Longworth's novels . . . are mysteries for foodies, with the plot providing a table upon which the enchanting meals and accompanying wines are served." --Booklist

Praise for Death in the Vines

"Judge Antoine Verlaque, the sleuth in this civilized series, discharges his professional duties with discretion. But we're here to taste the wines, which are discussed by experts like Hippolyte Thebaud, a former wine thief, and served in beautiful settings like a 300-year-old stone farmhouse. So many bottles, so many lovely views. A reader might be forgiven for feeling woozy." --Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

"Though the plot is hair-raising, what keeps you glued to this mystery is its vivid portrait of everyday life in Aix, which deftly juxtaposes the elegance of the city . . . with quotidian woes and pleasures." --Oprah.com

"As much as the mystery intrigues--in this case some intertwined crimes involving a local winery, a missing elderly woman, and a rich man's suspicious construction project--what really makes Longworth's books enjoyable are the atmosphere and details that she includes of the South of France." --The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"What follows is a lovely, almost cozy police procedural that deserves to be read with a glass of wine in hand. Longworth paints such a loving picture of Provence that it's likely you'll start planning a vacation trip to France the moment you set the book down." --The Denver Post

"This is an intelligently written police procedural with the warm comfort of a baguette with banon cheese." --Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

"Enjoyable . . . the book's real strength is its evocation of place." --Publishers Weekly

Praise for Murder in the Rue Dumas

"Fans of European sleuths with a taste for good food . . . will have fun." --Publishers Weekly

"What really makes Longworth's writing special is her deep knowledge of French history, landscape, cuisine, and even contemporary cafes and restaurants. This is that rare atmospheric mystery that is street-wise and café-canny." --Booklist (starred review)

"Longworth's gentle procedural succeeds on several levels, whether it's for academic and literary allusions, police work, or armchair travel. With deftly shifting points of view, Longworth creates a beguiling read that will appeal to Louise Penny and Donna Leon fans." --Library Journal

"French-set mysteries have never been more popular [and] among the very best is a series set in Provence featuring Monsieur Verlaque, an examining magistrate, and his sometime girlfriend, law professor Marine Bonnet." --The Denver Post

About the Author

M. L. Longworth has lived in Aix-en-Provence since 1997. She has written about the region for the Washington Post, the Times (London), the Independent (London), and Bon Appétit. She is the author of a bilingual collection of essays, Une Américaine en Provence. She is married and has one daughter.