The traditional brandy firm Lavoisier has been handed down to three siblings, but one of them has sold his share to China. Brandy is hugely valued in the Asian market and the Chinese firm investing, is calling a shareholders' meeting to see how best to profit from the situation. Marie- France Lavoisier, a mature beauty who has entertained politicians in her day, and her brother Pierre are disgusted by what they see as betrayal of the family.

Cooker and Virgile accept the commission of assessing the heritage brandy producer and aiming it towards profitability. They find artisan methods instead of factory ones, a domineering pair of siblings and rare golden brandy to make the angels weep. Casks have been stored since the days of Napoleon, and nobody cares about the mildew on the storehouse ceiling, a traditional feature in old wine cellars. Tragically, the visit also finds a death on the premises. This is ruled an accident, but is the bad news too coincidental? Cooker had been about to cancel his dealings with the Chinese, on principle, but Virgile is now determined to discover the truth.

As always the French country meals are amusing - a soup of garden snails and nettles is too good to resist, we are told - while fine dining proceeds in parallel. We also get to wander around the historic town of Cognac on the Charente river. The immersion in the surroundings is total, with scents of wild mint or cut fennel deepening the experience. Passions run high and love can last decades or turn to betrayal. I enjoy this Winemakers Detective series more with every book. Jean Pierre Alaux and Noel Balen have outdone themselves with COGNAC CONSPIRACIES, expertly translated by Sally Pane. The wit, locations and characters of these books are to be savoured.

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