Latest in the 'Winemaker Detective' series sees expert Benjamin Cooker heading off with his admirable wife Elizabeth and friends for a cruise on the Danube, in between wine tastings. While his young assistant Virgile remains in Bordeaux, distressed because a lady friend has been violently mugged. TAINTED TOKAY refers to the distinctive Hungarian wine from the Tokaj region. But this is a cosmopolitan tale, with even a Latin American lady Consuela talking wine on the cruise from Vienna to Budapest.

Amidst the historic sights and Austro-Hungarian culture, the travellers find time to enjoy paprika chicken with dumplings and sachertorte, accompanied by wines of course. Cooker is disparaging of a rustic local tipple while Consuela drinks only champagne. The little group secures a local guide, Zoltan, who helps them see the sights; but one morning they learn that an artist on the tour boat has been found shot in an apparent street robbery.

The Tokay grapes shrivel on the vine from drought and early frost in the high hills, then start to go musty; at which point they are picked to make a rich gold dessert wine. Timing is everything, and that applies to more than wine, as Cooker and his friends are about to discover. Meanwhile in Bordeaux, Virgile's chivalry leads him into a distressing situation.

Fans of the Winemaker Detectives will get the most out of this eleventh tale, but with tourism at the heart of the action, there is plenty to interest anyone thinking of visiting Central Europe. Modern stresses relating to the migrant crisis abound while diplomacy counters crime. This series is based on a made-for-TV French series and the splendid sights can well be imagined from the descriptions. While I've enjoyed some earlier instalments more, it's good to see the amateur sleuths in a country other than France. Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen have written another entertaining novella with an enticing bouquet and Sally Pane, who lives in Boulder, Colorado, has translated it for a smooth finish. TAINTED TOKAY - does it refer to the wine, the region, or both? You'll have to read the adventure and make up your own mind.

Book Summary

In between enjoying sumptuous food and wine, the Winemaker Detective grapples with deceit and deception in Old World Europe. France’s top wine expert Benjamin Cooker sets off to enjoy the delights of Vienna, a romantic ride down the Danube, a gourmand’s visit to Budapest, and a luxury train through the enchanting Hungarian countryside. All too soon, stolen wallets, disappearing passports, guides who are a bit too obliging, and murder mar the trip.

Meanwhile, in Bordeaux, Cooker’s assistant handsome Virgile faces an annoying rival and a mildew crisis in the vineyards just as Cooker’s lab technician is the victim of a mugging. If you love cozy culinary mysteries, amateur detective stories, international mysteries with French flair, or anything wine-related, this made-for-TV series offers armchair travel at its best with gentle mysteries.

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