Peter Mayle

Unable to resist an exciting job offer in Marseille, Sam and Elena find their happy return to the region's coastal sunshine and delectable cuisine challenged by an increasingly violent competition for waterfront property.

Master sleuth Sam Levitt eats, drinks, and romances his way through the South of France even as he investigates a case of deadly intrigue among the Riviera's jet set.

The story begins high above Los Angeles, at the extravagant home and equally impressive wine cellar of entertainment lawyer Danny Roth. After inviting the "Los Angeles Times" to write an extensive profile extolling the liquid treasures of his collection, Roth finds himself the victim of a world-class wine heist. Enter Sam Levitt, former corporate, cultivated crime expert, and wine connoisseur, who follows his leads as he tracks down the source of...

Tired and fed up, tycoon Simon Shaw seeks refuge in Provence, where he encounters a pretty Frenchwoman who lures him into buying a little hotel that proves far more troublesome than quaint.

When a Riviera socialite's diamonds are stolen--the latest in a string of seemingly unconnected but ever-more-audacious jewelry heists across France--Elena flies in to investigate the insurance claim. It's a trip she's more than happy to make, as it gives her a chance to meet up with old friends in Marseille--and, particularly, with Sam. Once reunited, Sam isn't entirely distracted by domestic matters. In the pattern of these "perfect crimes" he's...