Lovable rogue and sleuth extraordinaire Sam Levitt is back in another beguiling, as-only-Peter-Mayle-can-write-it romp through the south of France.

When Sam's last adventure in France ended, he thought it'd be a while before he went back, especially with the charms of Elena Morales to keep him in Los Angeles. But when the immensely wealthy Francis Reboul asks him to take a job in Marseille, it's impossible for Sam and Elena to resist the possibility of further excitement . . . to say nothing of the pleasures of the region. Soon the two are enjoying the coastal sunshine and the delectable wine and bouillabaisse for which Marseille is known. Quelle joie! Yet as a competition over Marseille's valuable waterfront grows more hotly disputed, Sam, representing Reboul, finds himself in the middle of an increasingly intrigue-ridden and dangerous real estate grab. Will Sam survive this caper unscathed? Will he be able to enjoy another bowl of bouillabaisse? All will be revealed in the novel's wonderfully spectacular climax.