Mayhem in Margaux

I really enjoyed this book, its a lovely cosy mystery and it did keep me guessing to the end as to whodunnit and why. The book flows very well and the descriptions of the scenery, food and wine make you feel like you are there. Really nice way to pass a couple of hours. I received a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for my honest review.

The area around Bordeaux is suffering from an extended heat wave that threatens to ruin the current years grape harvest. Though some turbulent years produce great wines, most vintners are worried about losing their vines. During his visits to the different vineyards, his visiting daughter (whose name in Margaux) gets involved with the manager of a chateau recently bought by a Swiss bank.

When his daughter and the manager crash his Porche, the police find that the brake lines had been cut. When the manager dies it becomes a case of murder for the Benjamin Cooper (the Winemaker detective) and his assistant Virgile.

Besides making the Bordeaux area safe for good wines, saving the current crop and having a great time buying Virgile a vintage car, they also manage to find the murderer. A fun time was had by all, except that Ben is now worried that Virgile and his daughter have become too close.

Zeb Kantrowitz zworstblog.blogspot.com

I am a big fan of these books and this one didn't disappoint,

They are an easy, cuddle up read if you know what I mean, just curl up and go. Always descriptive of the scenery, the wine and the food you could almost be there.

Story starts with Benjamin's daughter coming to visit, then a fatal accident which then turns out not to be an accident, and from there you are enveloped in a heatwave that is ruining lives and on it goes.

Do yourself a favour, grab a glass of something nice, then sit back, relax and read!

Short story mystery. Quick read. Set in Bordeaux, France. The Winemaker Detective and his assistant Virgile attempt to crack a case where the stakes are high dirty secrets are abundant behind some of Bordeaux’s finest wines from Margaux.

Published by Le French Book. I received an ebook off Netgalley in exchange for a review.

This is number 6 in The Winemaker Detective series, and it's working out to be a long hot summer. Benjamin is on edge, his daughter is over from the US, and has started hanging around with Antoine Rinetti, the new estate manager for Château Gayroud-Valrose. After Margaux and Rinetti are injured in a car crash - the latter fatally - further digging by Benjamin and Inspector Barbaroux shows that Rinetti was a money man who had made himself indispensable to the Mob, and has to lie low. He has made no friends, having made many people on the Château out of work, resulting in at least one person committing suicide. It puts a different light on the crash, which was caused by tampered brake lines, and puts the focus on Rinetti rather than Benjamin as a target.

Meanwhile Benjamin and Virgile are making site visits to vineyards as consultants due to the weather, and (based on a badly spelt tip off) visit the Château and find a badly ill illegal worker on site. This allows for the authorities to go on site and it is a mix of investigations by the police, and luck on Benjamin's side, that they work out who the killer is.

As a side story, Benjamin has taken the usual annual holiday home with his wife Elizabeth and several friends. Whilst the previous book focussed more on Virgile, this allows us to see a different side of the detective - his family and friends are more visible, we get to see Elizabeth more, and this is the first time we've met Margaux. Crocker is still (over) protective of his "little" girl and is torn when she makes friends with Virgile after her accident - he's a bit of a womaniser, but he makes her laugh and pulls her out of her depression. Of course there are now the mandatory epic meals, with matching wines, to be savoured over.

A good addition to the series, and satisfying to see the characters are becoming more rounded as the series moves on.

Winemaker Detective #6

“The slow pace, odd characters, and provincial rhythm spoke to her more than American hard-boiled fiction with their bursts of gunfire, bloody pursuits, and plot twists on every page…too many were formulaic, as far as she was concerned.”

This quote explains EXACTLY why I like this series so much. I love mystery stories, but it is true that here in the American mainstream you see a formula employed again and again. Writers use it because it works, but then you train your reader/viewer to expect the surprise, which dulls the reveal just a touch. With these works, I’ve NEVER been able to predict what’s going to be on the next page. The only surety I have about any of the series is that it will be a sumptuous, sensual experience of food and wine and story.

Mayhem in Margaux gives us the human, fatherly side of Cooker. We get to see his family life and interactions. This was nice because up until now, Elizabeth has been a character almost only in name. We’ve seen glimpses of her in the hall, heard Cooker laud her as his wife, but now we get to meet the lady herself. I loved the family dynamic between Cooker, Elizabeth, and Margaux. There was no pretense on the part of the authors, it wasn’t stilted in the slightest. A true portrait of family life, which I greatly enjoyed.

The mystery this time is straightforward in the who, what, and why when we get to the reveal, but in the meantime, we really get drawn into the frustrations of the winegrowers, the heat and fatigue that can wreak havoc on their crop, so we can understand why the culprit did what he did.

I eagerly await the translation of the next in the series!

I received a review copy of this work from the publisher through NetGalley.

If you like cosy mysteries, the Winemaker series is ideal for you. This latest instalment is no different. If anything, I liked it better than the previous ones because it shed more light on Benjamin Cooker as a person and on his family life. It was wonderful to meet his daughter Margaux, and even get to know his wife Elizabeth a bit better.
It’s not just the record-breaking heat wave that brings tension to the Bordeaux region. Margaux nearly getting killed in a car accident ruins vacation plans for Cooker and his wife and further instils fear and worry in them as it turns out that someone tinkered around with the car.
The pace of this short novel was perfect, as always. I loved the little interludes, such as Virgile buying an old car and him and Cooker staying at the seller’s birthday party until late. I only wished for more interaction between Margaux and Virgile because the chemistry between them was obvious, but not explored enough, I thought.
All in all, a delightful summer read.

A very nice change. Benjamin's family plays center stage within this round of mystery. Lovely to see his interaction with wife and daughter, even his stroke of jealousy over the gravitational pull between Margaux and Virgile. While the family heads to the coastal resort to escape the unbearable heat, Benjamin becomes involved with area growers concerning the effects of the drought upon the vineyards. A suspicious car accident has personal impact for benjamin and deeper implications which lead him down the road to uncover the mystery. Once again, you feel you've entered a world of the genteel upper crust and old money. I enjoyed this story far more than the previous book in the series. A perfect early summer read. Thus far, you can pick up any book in this series and not be lost reading out of sequence.

Family relations, friendship, murder, vineyards, drought, old cars, cigars, treatment of illegal immigrant workers, attraction, jealousy and wine.

This is a quick and gentle read. I say gentle as there is no violence or graphic sex just a mystery intertwined around the wines of France the food and scenery.
It is quick, I finished it in a night and it has been extremely tightly edited. and flawlessly translated.
There is a 2 page discourse on the merits of a traditional cork over a screwcap in wine bottles, that is a real gem of knowledge.
The perfectly painted description of the Cordouan Lighthouse made me look it up on Google and put it on my bucket list.
The mystery sits well within the story and there are literally pages of names of wines from the various well known and not so well known French vineyards. Would that I could taste them all.
Benjamin's character is developed further in this book and perhaps the jealous father guarding his daughter makes him more human and less likeable?

I enjoyed this book, it was a fun and enjoyable walk through the French vineyards!
The protagonist of this book is the family of Benjamin and its adventures, its vineyards and a little mystery to solve.
Margaux, the daughter of Benjamin, lives and works in New York and has returned home in Bordeaux for a short vacation. She is involved in a terrible car accident with a boy she had met recently and Benjamin will soon discover that it wasn't an accident: someone cut the threads of the brakes. Together with his assistant Virgile will try to find out who almost killed his daughter. In addition, the Winemaker detective must fight against the great heat wave that threatens his vineyards.
I liked a lot the family of Benjamin and their relationships: it is difficult for father to accept that her daughter is no longer a child but became a woman.
It's the first book I read of this series but can not wait to reading the other.
It 's a short reading, the pace is fast and engaging, the mystery is a little predictable but does not take away the taste of history.
If you love wine, France and its vineyards, and the lighthearted readings is the book for you.
I received the eBook free as a review copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I look forward to each of these books. I learn something new about wines every time and I am entertained by characters with whom I like to spend time. In this outing, we meet Margaux, Benjamin Cooker's daughter. She is another great character to add to the mix but her life is almost extinguished because she gets in the car of the wrong person.
When the car crashes and it is determined that it was not accidental, Benjamin is drawn into discovering who sabotaged the vehicle and why. It is intensely personal this time so both he and his assistant, Virgile, go to great lengths to unravel the mystery.
I suspect we may see more of Margaux and Virgile and that would be fine with me. I rather liked the tentative way they started their relationship. As always, once the crime is solved, there are no huge surprises, just something that makes a lot of sense.
If you have not yet discovered this series, I recommend it especially if you are a fan of wine. You could probably sample any one of the books first and still find your way in the story line. But if you are looking for some good summer reading, perhaps with a glass of wine by your side, this might tickle your taste buds.

Wine expert and connoisseur Benjamin and his assistant Virgile get involvedin another case when Margaux, Benjamin's daughter, is in a car accident with a flash young man she's just met, Looking into the fellow's background, hidden crimes of the vineyard emerge and once again Benjamin is on hand with local police chief Barbaroux to help solve the mysteries. this series is delightful relishing wine names and countryside, witty and vulnerable characters abound. we enjoy the hot sun even if they don't with close observational comedy that add to the pleasures of the plot and the people. It's light and the crimes are real if solved without too much sturm und drang - this series is always entertaining and well written.

This book made me wish I could drink wine, unfortunately a sulfite allergy destroys that ability. So with little to no knowledge of wine but feeling mighty thirsty at the end of the book I learned a lot (like the merits of a traditional cork over a screw top in wine bottles!) and had a lot of fun with this book.

This cozy mystery intertwined around the wines and vines of France's Wine Country is quick, entertaining read. There isn't the graphic sex and violence accompanying many mystery/thrillers these days and it actually reminds me a bit of a good old English Murder Mystery such as anything by Agatha Christie.

So grab a glass of your favorite vintage and curl up for an evening of fun. I'll sit here and sip my juice and wish it was of the fermented variety.

This is such a readable book, translated from French, it certainly does not lose any of its flow. The story is a light mystery, filled with interesting daily life, interesting details of wine making in France with the murder mystery thrown in. I enjoyed the pace of it, and the characters where likeable. I certainly will read more by this author.
This ebook was supplied to me free in exchange for a honest and unbiased review.

*Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *

France, wine and summer. A perfect recipe for pure joy! And when you add mystery to it! It is an absolute divine!

Let me introduce you with the plot. The main character is Benjamin Cooker, a famous winemaker in Margaux, France. His lovely daughter, Margaux, who is a student, visits him for the summer. She is a lovely and beautiful young woman, and men are interested in her, especially Antoine Rinetti, the new manager of Gayraud-Valrose chateau. Margaux and Antoine go for a trip by car and they have an accident that almost kills them. Like every concerned father, Benjamin is very worried about his daughter, especially after he hears that the car has been sabotaged. He has been helping the police before, and this time he uses his detective skills to find the culprit behind the car accident.

I loved Benjamin Cooker as a main character. He is old-fashioned husband and father, an excellent winemaker and true noir detective. Like every father, he sees his daughter as a little girl, even if she is woman, and acts very protective. He is suspicious for every man around her. As a winemaker, he has an excellent taste and works very hard to make the best wine he can. And as a detective, he has very old-fashioned skills that always work. He doesn't need modern technology to find out what he wants to know. He is not a real detective, but his style reminds me of the very famous Hercules Poirot.

It seems that even the vineyards aren't safe these days. But with winemakers like Benjamin, we can all feel little bit safer. And with a glass of wine, you can enjoy this interesting cozy mystery, perfect for this summer.

My opinion: 4 / 5.

(Book 6 of the series) Benjamin Cooker and his assistant, Virgile are called to duty by a heat wave that threatens the vineyards of France. Margaux, Benjamin Cooker's daughter is home from NYC. Unfortunately, she features large in a car crash. As with each of the mysteries Cooker & C.o, faces. the details cannot be overlooked, in facts or in wine-tastings.

Benjamin Cooker and his assistant Virgile are back this time they are in the middle of a heat wave and they are visiting vineyards trying yo figure a way to save the grapes. Benjamin's daughter is visiting from the US and goes on a date with a supervisor from one of the vineyards, she is involved in a car accident and Benjamin becomes suspicious and of course the investigation begins.

I received this book in exchange for and honest review.

This was a gentle murder mystery. It painted a civilised society within wine making. But a new boss has taken over and things are not what they seem! I enjoyed this tale and look forward to others in the series.

Another fine entry in the Benjamin Cooker series! I'm in love with these characters and this sixth book is a real family affair. I started with book 2 so from that point on, this is the first time that Cooker's wife plays a role throughout the entire book, it's the first time the much mentioned but never seen office manager actually has a scene but the best part is when Virgile and Margaux finally meet. Cooker is always so playful about Virgile's stereotypical French lover playboy lifestyle, that is until he meets his daughter! LOL. Loved how those two got along, Anyway, the mystery was great too and kept me reading. In keeping with the family theme, it all starts with Margaux just barely escaping death in a car accident where the driver is hideously burned! Classic cars, fine wine and French dining all add to an atmosphere of class. One of my favourite series to turn to when I'm looking for something cozy and fun!

Mayhem in Margaux is a pleasant, entertaining mystery story in which France, its delectable wine, enticing cuisine and beautiful scenery flow through every page. The characters are not only interesting, but they also come alive on the page. The reader feels like a member of the family as we trail along with Benjamin Cooker on his quest to find out who tried to murder a wine estate manager. This is a book that I would recommend to anyone who loves France, wine and mysteries. If there is one slight drawback, it was the tendency of the translator to use literal translations. For instance, the translator chose to use "dude" for "mec" and "lemon meringue pie" for "Tarte au citron". While these may be minor nuisances, they had the unfortunate effect of jolting me right back to America, when I would have preferred to stay in France. Somehow, the beauty and the sophistication suffered with this lack of attention to details. There were a few other minor editing mistakes, such as on the last page of Chapter 19, on line four where the editor used the name Virgile when they should have used Benjamin Cooker. Nevertheless, I found this to be a highly enjoyable mystery and I look forward to reading more works by these authors.

VERDICT: Fun short cozy packed with suspense, historical details, explanations of issues related to growing wine, and even social problems in France. Grab a glass and enjoy!

Here we go again with”The Winemaker Detective series “, now with its 6th book and another famous wine in the Bordeaux region: Mayhem in Margaux. This short cozy is actually packed with lot of goodies.

That Summer, France was afflicted with a terrible heat wave and drought. Many elderly were victims, and it was a tough year also for vineyards, exactly as it happened in Summer 2003. Detective and wine connoisseur Benjamin’s daughter, Margaux, is in vacation from the US. When Antoine, a wine manager, takes her out to dinner, they have a major car accident. Reckless driving? Sabotage? Would someone want to target Margaux to take revenge against her father who just wrote a severe critique in his guide against that wine?

There’s a lot going on in this short cozy.

Neat that Benjamin’s daughter’s name would be Margaux, a common first name but also the name of one of the most renowned Bordeaux wines. Château Margaux dates back to the beginning of the 19th century.

In this book of the series, there’s more team work between Ben and Inspector Barbaroux, who happens to be also quite knowledgeable in wines. This was a nice addition, not mentioning the personal implication of Ben through his own daughter whom he wants to protect at all cost.

As usual, apart from the enjoyable suspense, there were great descriptions of the landscape (not only the wine region, but also the famous Cordouan lighthouse).
As for the wine, I enjoyed the historical details and the explanations on issues such as the effect of extreme heat on vineyards and the complex problem of the cork taint.
There’s even the question of illegal Moroccans working in France.

I can't say enough about this series, this time it hit closer to home and it was personal. I think readers will enjoy reading about the detectives. They will see another side to their personality.

Mayhem in Margaux is a wonderful mystery. The reader is taken to southern France, in the wine country where most of the characters are in the wine making business. The book reminds me somewhat of Agatha Christie's books in that it is simple mystery, light reading with no vicious subplots and twists. A great escape book -- one where the reader is taken away from his/her world and is immersed into the world of wine making. This is the first book in this series for me, and it won't be the last. I loved it! A great read and I recommend it to all mystery readers.
Disclaimer: I was given this book to read for review; however, this is one I would purchase and will be buying others in the series.

A great read for wine lovers and fans of detective stories - I look forward to seeing more of these.

I love these books!! Rich in the language of grapes, love of the French landscapes and a joy in the taste of wines- Superb reading. Benjamin Cooker and Virgile his assistant , both experts in wines take us on a voyage around French vineyards and the composition of wines whilst investigating a tragic car accident involving Cooker's daughter Margaux. Best read with a cheeky glass or two!!

In this charming wine mystery Benjamin investigates the death of a young chateaux manager and corruption in the wine industry. The setting moves from Bordeaux to the stunning French Riviera as Benjamin and his offside delve into the situation with the help of a rather terse police inspector. This is great fun with it's likeable, elegant characters and its descriptions of their luxurious way of life and the beautiful French countryside. The technical aspects of the types of wine and winemaking are also interesting.

If you like light, cozy mysteries, I highly recommend this one. I look forward to catching up on the rest of the series from the beginning.

I received this free ebook from Le French Book via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is next in the wine critic series. This series is the definitive mystery. The location for this setting is outside France in the wine region. It's sophisticated, luxuriously indulgent reading that transport the reader away. The mystery stands on its own and in this book becomes personal for Benjamin. A mystery delight and a fun read. I highly recommend this series . Thank you for the advance reading copy.

'Mayhem in Margaux' is book six in the Winemaker Detective series. There is a bit less sleuthing this time around, but I still found it an enjoyable read.

It's summer in Bordeaux and a heatwave is threatening the vineyards. Benjamin Cooker is on a holiday and wants to assess the vines. He also has his daughter visiting for a vacation. When she is involved in an accident, it becomes a personal case for Cooker and his young assistan Virgile. Between rivalries and bad feelings, it's hard to know what the motive behind the accident was. As if that's not enough to worry about, there might be something happening between Cooker's daughter and Virgile.

The mystery is there, but it seems to take a back seat to other things, but I was okay with that. I love the relationship between Cooker and his daughter. I like that the winegrowers aren't all enamored with Cooker and his wine reviews. It's a series of short books that are well translated from the original French, and they make nice, light reading.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Le French Book and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

This series of mysteries and liquor provide really excellent sensory descriptions of food and wine. The characters have unique loyalties and friendships. Suspense and confusing mysteries keep the reader thinking.

Book Review Mayhem in Margaux by Jean Pierre Alaux Review by Dawn Thomas

164 Pages Publisher: Le French Book

Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, French Detective, Wines, Vineyards

The summer is so hot and it appears to be a bad year for grapes. The heat is affecting people as well. Benjamin and his wife, Elisabeth, have rented a villa for a vacation. The night before they are supposed to leave, their daughter, Margaux was a passenger in a serious car accident. When there is evidence someone may have tampered with, Benjamin begins his own investigation.

Benjamin breaks Margaux out of the hospital so she can recuperate with them while they are vacationing. During her stay there, Virgile stops by to see Benjamin. Margaux and Virgile strike up a conversation and are getting along. This is not what Benjamin wants at all.

Following Benjamin’s example, Virgile buys a vintage car. During the investigation, he uses it to flush out a suspect but is unsuccessful. Luckily, their rented boat breaks down and they need to find a mechanic.

This is the sixth book in the Winemaker Detective series. I enjoy the author’s writing style and the fast past of the story. If you enjoy wine or cozy type mysteries, you may enjoy this series.

Sixth in a series of murder mysteries featuring a wine expert in France, but first I’ve read. Hard for me to figure out all the characters, but not nearly as hard as others where I haven’t started at the beginning. For instance, the main character is incredibly protective of his daughter, partly because of what occurs in this book, but I suspect stuff has happened in previous entries that leads to this quirk.
As one would expect, there’s a lot of wine talk, which I gleefully let go over my head. There’s also plenty on cars and a little on boats, neither of which interest me either. But more importantly this book is written in such an easygoing manner that you flow through it quickly. It’s no big deal mystery-wise, yet completely enjoyable. I would definitely read others in the series.

I received this as an arc from netgally in exchange for an honest review. It's summer in bordeaux,. There's a heatwave, the vineyards are suffering, vinpers are on edge, and wine expert Benjamin Cooker's daughter is visiting. A tragic car accident draws the winemakers detective and his assistant Virgile into a case where the stakes are very personal.
Wow. Absolutely fantastic read. CNPID. I loved the story and the characters. I loved Benjamin and Margaux. They were my favourite characters. Lots of action. I loved the ending too. Highly recommended. 4*

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a fast, easy read--2 days.. It is only about 140 pages, although my kindle edition did not have pages. Wine expert Benjamin Cooker's daughter is nearly killed in a car accident. His friend Police Inspector Barbaroux tells him that the car was sabotaged and Cooker decides to investigate.. He does discover who caused the accident. There is a fair amount of discussion of various French wines, which might prove boring for some. I give it 4 stars out of 5. I received this ebook free from the publisher Le French Book through NetGalley.com

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

It’s summer in Bordeaux. There’s a heat wave, the vineyards are suffering, vintners are on edge, and wine expert Benjamin Cooker’s daughter is visiting. A tragic car accident draws the Winemaker Detective and his assistant Virgile into a case where the stakes are very personal, and they uncover some dirty secrets hiding behind some of Bordeaux’s finest grand cru classé wines from Margaux.

Mystery, food and wine, and characters that you are drawn to - this is a perfect description of this book. Added to the fact that is only about 160 pages or so, it all adds up to a delightful package.

The Cooker family were a breath of fresh air - there was so much that I could identify with, it made me warm to them immediately.

The mystery itself, while not right in your face, is cleverly conceived and has a fine resolution (especially for the wine connoisseur!) The setting in Bordeaux is magnificent, as you would imagine. There are some nice passages describing the scenery but it never gets boring as some books tend to when describing places outside the US or UK.

Well worth a look, will now go and see if I can locate the first book in the series.


Paul
ARH