Sat, Apr 6, 2013
Benjamin is legal expert for the insurance when the Armagnac (exclusive brandy) winery of baron de Castayrac explodes, his wine-maker Paco Vasquez dies in the fire. Silvére volunteers unasked to assist and gets stuck with all the dirty chores, hence is furious to be kept in the dark when Lebel conducts a murder investigation. The baron's at first sight scary son Olivier bonds with Silvère, estranged son Alban bickers over the vintage car, an heirloom from their mother since whose death the family fell apart. Daughter Lucie married the haughty growers association president Philippe Nadaillac, who fells victim to a car bombing. Having learned the brothers don't share the baronial blood, Lebel waves the lazy police commandant Lazare's simplistic theories and comes up with elaborate plots, then sets a dangerous trap.
Top-rated
Sat, Dec 1, 2012
Lors d'une séance de dédicaces dans une librairie du Sauternais, Benjamin Lebel, nologue et auteur de guides sur les vins, est abordé par un couple de sexagénaires. Ceux-ci lui demandent de venir expertiser leur cave, qui abrite une quarantaine de bouteilles d'un Sauternes très réputé, véritable rareté pour les amateurs. Benjamin promet de passer les voir, et charge Silvère, son assistant, d'aller faire l'inventaire de ce trésor dès que possible. Quelques heures plus tard, le couple est sauvagement assassiné, et les précieuses bouteilles ont disparu. Pour la gendarmerie, il ne fait aucun doute que le vol du vin est le principal mobile du meurtre. Benjamin mène l'enquête.
Sat, Mar 16, 2013
Benjamin feels tricked by his Parisian editor into presiding over a charity wine cellar sale by Léo Delhomm, an actor preparing his comeback after a scandal concerning the death on set of his wife turned the media against him. It's held on his Loire château, where Leo's local, devoted assistant Fred, son of a winegrower, hopes to produce a fine vintage, which Lebel considers doable but a demanding full-time vocation. Reporter Marco Ferri, Benjamin's acquaintance, lurks about, flirting with his girlfriend France Pelletier. Then a murderer strikes.
Sat, Mar 9, 2013
Benjamin hesitates to accept the request of recent Champagne wine estate widow Alice de Vonnelle to assemble a special vintage in honor of son Arthur, who died in an equestrian accident six months before his father's death in bed. Lebel realizes the old lady is wine-ignorant, unlike Arthur's widow Marianne, whom she hates but has to share the inheritance with, and who has the good sense to stick to experienced wine-maker François Norbert. Benjamin drops by from time to time, leaving Silvère on site, courted by the then merry widows, to keep digging for family dirt. Crucial and/or suspect are uncle Edouard d'Ortef, who decides to sell his estate shares but is killed in afire, Alice's cousin and virtual stepbrother, if not more, army officer Aymeric Montet, her gym coach and lover and a Swiss artist.