The Alsace region is
steeped in the history of both France and Germany. It is also a
region where belief in witchcraft is rife. Benjamin Cooker is looking
forward to introducing his assistant Vergile, to the wines and
sumptuous food of this region, but almost immediately they are met by
a death while touring the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg. This
unpleasant start to the trip is rapidly followed by an attack on
Benjamin's car and the wanton destruction of vines at several local
vineyards. The police are stymied, but Vergilie is sure that he and
Benjamin can solve the puzzle.
Benjamin Cooker and
Vergilie and delightful characters. Benjamin appears quite
straitlaced while Virgilie has all the energy and enthusiasm of
youth. Benjamin, as usual, plays a significant role in solving the
mystery, but this time Vergilie goes off on his own. I was delighted
to see him getting more individual attention in the novel.
The descriptions of
Alsace are wonderful, as are the descriptions of the wine and food. I
love reading these books. They're better than a travelogue. You are
transported to an exotic region and steeped in culinary delights. In
addition, you can learn a great deal about wines, how to select them,
and how to pair them with a meal.
If you enjoy a good
mystery coupled with wonderful scenery and delightful cuisine, not to
mention the wines, you'll enjoy this trip to Alsace.
I received this book
from Net Galley for this review.
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