Flambé In Armagnac (ebook)

Argumento de Flambé In Armagnac (ebook)

?A terrific new series.? NYT-bestselling author William Martin

"The audience for the Winemaker series ranges from lovers of mysteries set in the world of food and drink, to fans of amateur-sleuth stories, to readers who enjoy pretty much anything set in France. And there really is something here for all of them: a tightly plotted story, plenty of information about how Armagnac is made, and a lovingly rendered landscape." ?Booklist

"Imagine yourself in a corner of France, with its customs and history, its Armagnac and duck confit. Then add some mystery.? ?The Big Thrill

?Gourmets will enjoy this. As always, I recommend this latest by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen, ably translated by Sally Pane to flow like smooth rich brandy.? ?Fresh Fiction

Chateau Blanzac was low and squat. No pointed towers, no mullioned windows, much less tall chimneys. The building?s elegance lay in its symmetry and simplicity, along with the lovely tiling that ran beneath the vertigris roof. A pair of two-hundred-year-old oak trees and three tall cedars dominated the grounds. Their branches caressed the sleepy country manor and its lichen-covered stones. Calling it a ?cha?teau? was clearly deceptive. As for the titles of nobility claimed by its proprietor, there was no trace, aside from a wrought-iron coat of arms on the front-step railings, whose rust offset any hint of pretention. In the way of assets, the Castayracs owned only this home, with its few acres of vines and one-story outbuilding, along with the family title, which the baron liked to flaunt at the Biarritz casino on special occasions.

Benjamin pushed the doorbell. Its shrill ring set loose three large dogs, whose muzzles appeared at the windows. Benjamin scanned the surroundings. The vines hadn?t been pruned. An antique Citroe?n DS 19 Pallas was parked in a garage, and on the right, a short distance from the outbuilding, four immense blackened walls stood silent. Burned beams, barrel hoops, and staves littered the frozen ground. Shards of glass, vestiges of the demijohns that had been turned into large Molotov cocktails, were everywhere. Benjamin could almost make out wisps of smoke amid the ruins. It had been less than two weeks since the catastrophe. Could the fire still be smoldering under this rubble? Its acrid vapors were stinging his throat.

?Difficult to forget and oddly addictive...deserves a high mark for keeping the answers hidden and the pages turning.? ?ForeWord Reviews

?For me, this series is like a gift... it takes you on a journey.? ?Actor Pierre Arditi, who stars in the TV series

?This is a fun and informative take on the cozy crime mystery, French style.? ?Eurocrime

?A good vintage with tasty dialogue and a solid plot.? ?Tele-loisir

"Will appeal to wine buffs and those who dream of visiting a French countryside that is filled with chateaux and rascally nobility, and where all the women?and most men?are superb chefs." ?Publishers Weekly

?A smooth, jubilatory discovery of French wine country. I love these.? ?5-star reader review

?You?ll travel to France to taste the complex flavors, the unraveling of a mystery, while relishing the French countryside, the gourmet dishes, and the simple pleasurable delight of this rare series.? ?5-star educator review0