Didn’t bother listening anymore. Stupid plot and simple writing. Moving on

Although I do not actually remember reading the first book, I thoroughly enjoyed it's sequel. A bit of a slow start, but then the action picks up and my stomach rumbled at the wonderful food and wine Sam and his girlfriend Elena are eating throughout. I stayed up late to finish the book which means it is a winner.

"At the end of The Vintage Caper, Sam had just carried off a staggering feat of derring-do in the heart of Bordeaux, infiltrating the ranks of the French elite to rescue a stolen, priceless wine collection. With the questionable legality of the adventure—and the threat of some very powerful enemies!—Sam thought it’d be a while before he returned to France, especially with the charms of the beautiful Elena Morales to keep him in Los Angeles. But when the immensely wealthy Francis Reboul—the victim of Sam’s last heist but someone who knows talent when he sees it—asks our hero to take a job in Marseille, it’s impossible for Sam and Elena to resist the possibility of further excitement . . . to say nothing of the pleasures of the region. Soon the two are enjoying the coastal sunshine and the delectable food and wine for which Marseille is known. Yet as a competition over Marseille’s valuable waterfront grows more hotly disputed, Sam, representing Reboul, finds himself in the middle of an increasingly intrigue-ridden and dangerous real-estate grab, with thuggish gangsters on one side and sharklike developers on the other."

I have to read all of Mayle because i love the french wine and food descriptions, HOWEVER, not his best work Provence still the best.

Great descriptions of French food. Not too much complexity to the plot and with a meandering pace. Easy, enjoyable read if you're looking for something light or have a hankering for some French food.

Feel free to take this review lightly as I did not finish the book. Around the half way point I realized I had no interest in experiencing the ending. The characters were thin, undeveloped, shallow and disengaging. An implausible plot sprinkled with irrelevant historical facts made me want to pick up a Marseille guide book instead of seeking a conclusion. Being one who enjoys traveling to France and Peter Mayle's other offerings I was surprised at my lack of interest.

I picked this up from my library's Blind Date with a Book display. It was wrapped in craft paper and said "French Thriller." It is set in France, but it's not so much a thriller. I'm having a hard time even thinking of this as a mystery. Perhaps it's more of an adventure--a mostly tame adventure populated by very wealthy older people. For the most part Mayle's characters are interesting--his male characters are more believable than his female--and his place and food descriptions are very detailed and appealing. I just wasn't surprised by much of the action. He essentially told us what was going to happen and then it happened. It wasn't a bad book, but I don't think I'll be rushing out to get any of the others in this series.

Fluffy, relaxing kind of Bond-ish with more descriptions of food & a lot more rosé being quaffed. Decent for the plane or the beach, not really a mystery per sé.

Digital audio performed by Robin Sachs


This is book two in the Sam Levitt crime caper series. I haven’t read the first one yet, and this book references what happened in that book, so perhaps I should have read them in order. But, C’est la vie!

Sam Levitt is a former corporate attorney who’s been hired to help promote a development in Marseille. Think James Bond with less danger and more emphasis on enjoying life. Beautiful (and smart) girls, fantastic yachts, private jets, mansions with gorgeous sea views, political intrigue, sumptuous repasts, and good wine. Not to mention a couple of Corsicans and a multi-lingual assistant, all adept at playing a role. Stir, add a dash of spice and Voila! ... A fast, fun, romp of a comedy crime caper.

Gosh, I miss Peter Mayle!

Robin Sachs does a fine job narrating the audio. He sets a good pace and I love his French accent.

Not very good. Liked the earlier books better.