The Last Heir

April 7, 2014
Greaves’s intrigue-laden third Jack MacTaggart mystery (after 2013’s Green-Eyed Lady) takes the Los Angeles–based attorney to Napa Valley to represent Philippe Giroux, an elderly vintner holding the family business in trust for his two sons. One, Alain, is presumed dead in an avalanche; the other, Phil, wants Alain declared legally deceased. If Phil succeeds, he will inherit the Chateau Giroux winery on his upcoming 40th birthday. Philippe, who fears Phil will sell land to a neighboring developer, charges Jack with proving Alain might be alive, to delay the inheritance. Philippe’s alluring daughter, Claudia, who’s excluded from the trust, seduces Jack and then makes a damaging revelation in court that destroys his case. A murder raises the ante, and Jack must try to defend the accused and identify the real killer amid lies, backstabbing, and convoluted allegations. Some may find the melodramatic climax jarring, but oenophiles should enjoy the Napa Valley flavor, and the legally savvy, irreverent Jack makes a fine tour guide. Agent: Antonella Iannarino, David Black Literary Agency.