The Vintage Caper

Peter Mayle doesn’t disappoint! Crime and gastronomy work very well together! I suppose if I knew wines, that would make the combination shine even brighter but unfortunately, that part is lost on me. I did enjoy all the subterfuge around the wine cellars, though.

It is not easy being original, exciting, criminal and funny in one story, and it is not surprising that Mayle delivers his plot twists and humour smoothly, without trying too hard. I like the idea of dealing with a crime with a crime! The characters are well fleshed out – seedy, suspicious, smart, slinky and so much more. Romance and the food/wine/vista scenes stay in the backdrop while the plot takes centre stage, with an unexpected-yet-you-could-have-seen-it-coming kind of ending. I’m looking forward to the other Capers.

Over the years, I’ve read Mayle’s Provence and other books and it was only recently that I discovered he’s the one who wrote Where Did I Come From! Well, well, that was unexpected!

The Vintage Caper

by Peter Mayle

(Quercus, 2010)

Comments

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