Dying on the Vine

In his third foray into mystery (after Spiced to Death), the Gourmet Detective gets to frolic through the vineyards and fine restaurants of Provence. He's hired by the English owners of the large Willesford vineyard in Provence to learn why the owners of a tiny vineyard surrounded by Willesford have offered many times the market value to purchase the larger property. The first thing he sees when he arrives is a corpse leaning against a cart. That may be the high point of the investigation. Someone clearly doesn't want him delving, for he is bombed with a beehive and shoved into a vat of wine, not to mention mauled by a herd of amorous boars. He meets an eclectic crew of eccentrics as he bumbles about the country savoring the glorious food of Provence. Mouth-watering descriptions of the fare are accompanied by a foray into truffle lore and spicy observations about the local inhabitants. King spins another light mystery treat in which improbable happenings and assorted red herrings lead to the uncovering of a resourceful villain pursuing an unexpected aspiration. (Apr.)