The Critic

Author Peter May creates a vivid portrait of Southern France's wine country in this compelling story of death in the often cutthroat wine-making business. James Adams offers a weighty reading that captures the very sweetness of the wine and the warmth of the blood that runs throughout. With a variety of shrewd characters popping up, Adams makes the best of his abilities and utilizes a number of accents. At times, mostly while assuming a rich French accent, he walks a fine line between a flattering interpretation and a portrayal that sounds stereotypical and forced. However, Adams still wins over the listener and never fails to capture the moment. L.B. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

August 6, 2007
Oenophiles and fans of CBS's Cold Case
will relish May's slightly far-fetched second outing to feature France-based Scottish sleuth Enzo Macleod (after 2006's Extraordinary People
). When the corpse of powerful American wine critic Gil Petty turned up in southwest France, local cops were perplexed: the body was dressed in the robes of a local fraternal organization and appeared to have been practically pickled in wine. Four years later, shortly after Enzo, who specializes in unsolvable murders, reopens the case, another wine-saturated corpse is found. Petty had made countless enemies in the wine world, and his ex-wife and daughter had few kind words to say about him, but what connects him to the second killing? Enzo's emotional drama with both his daughters and romantic attractions to two charming ladies, plus tidbits about wine production and the art of wine tasting, make this a full-bodied, satisfying read.