Dead in the Dregs

by Peter Lewis

It’s murder in Napa Valley in this “thrillingly knowledgeable, insider’s odyssey into the world of fine wines [and] . . . particularly lurid homicides” (Anthony Bourdain). With a stroke of a pen, prominent wine critic Richard Wilson lives to elevate and, more often, destroy winemakers’ reputations. How fitting, his found murdered, floating in a vat of a particularly bold Cabernet Sauvignon at a Napa Valley tasting. Who did it? Any vintner whose career was ruined by Wilson’s sour grapes. But when those trail turns cold, Wilson’s sister Janie enlists the help of her ex-husband, Babe Stern. The ex-sommelier turned Sonoma County bar owner is following his own lead―to Burgundy, France. In cellars and tasting rooms from Beaune to Nuits-Saint-Georges, Stern tracks down a family of vignerons, whose troubled son was interning at the winery the night Wilson died. But it doesn’t end there. And as the investigation uncovers secrets bottled up for years, Wilson won’t be the last to die. In fact, the further Stern digs for the truth, he may be the next. “An evocative insiders’ tour of French wine country that a tourist will never see” ( Seattle Times ), restaurateur and former wine columnist Peter Lewis’s juicy mystery is “a rare and engrossing wonder dealing with the murderous grotesqueries of the wine world . . . in an atmosphere of homicide, sex and food” (Jim Harrison, author of Legends of the Fall ).

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, France, Wine

288 pages, Paperback

First published July 10, 2010

Reviews

[Eileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Local oenophile's first mystery book. Interesting story and you can learn about wine and its making. I think it would have been much better if edited and shorter with a tighter story. Convoluted relationships can be good but this one was a bit over the top. However, think there is a promise of getting better and the main character is quite charming.

[Paschalis]

elibrary

[Cassie]

Married to Maria Sanchez, owned Campagne together; Maria at Ketchum Kitchens

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly engaging mystery that traverses the wine route from Napa to Burgundy. The book is ostensibly about the murder of the main character’s ex-brother-in-law, a Robert Parker type who has the ability to make or break the fortunes of a vintage and more importantly the vintner with a single review. Naturally someone does him in and he is found as you know dead, in a vat of vino. The book tends to plod along as the story gets set up and somewhat onerous as you feel like the author (a food consultant) who evidently knows a considerable amount about wine layers the dialogue with multiple references to wine terminology that is not self-evident to those of us on the outside. He compounds the effect with frequent exchanges in French which will either leave you running for the internet to translate the dialogue or making it up as you go if you’re not reading the e-book version (one of few reasons I can think of where I would prefer to read the electronic version). The story comes to the inevitable conclusion where the murderer is uncovered but it is the complexity of the story, the other bodies the naïf would-be detective encounters and the internecine rivalries between the various vintners all of whom likely have a grudge against the Robert Parker-ish wine critic that make the story it interesting.

The publisher (Counterpoint Press) is one that doesn’t output a large volume so naturally those books issued under its imprint have undergone a high degree of scrutiny for literary merit and of course sales potential. For what it’s worth, according to Wikipedia Wendell Barry & Gary Snyder are among its investors) which naturally sets a very high standard.

[Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is enjoyable as a first novel featuring an amateur detective. The detective is actually a wine expert and bar owner who is drawn in to help solve a murder.It is especially fun if you are into food and wine as the story travels (with exquisite detail)between Northern California wine country and Burgundy, France.

I had a quibble with something I find happens with too many (first) novels. That is the age/chronology of a character is wrong. I think it is not a spoiler to say that one character is referred to as a "boy" or "young" and by my math we find out later that he is actually over thirty (1978-2008/09) which to me changes the context of his interactions with the other characters (who I guess are 30's-40s).

If this is the start of a series I would read the next one to see what develops with the characters.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad for a first novel, this murder mystery begins when a wine writer’s body is discovered in a vat of wine. The writing gets better as the book goes on, and the plot is entertaining enough (especially after the first fifty pages), but I didn’t love it. The plot and characters seem half-finished, and the entire book comes across as an amateur effort. Recommended if, like me, one finished the Sunny McCoskey series and is desperate for a little more wine and mystery.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little like James Michener for wine bacteria. If one is an oenophile there is plenty of trivia here. Lewis knows food and wine. I found it hard to engage with the protagonist whose primary qualification to solve a murder is he was a slacker. The victim deserved what he got and was a good riddance.

The author also has the irritating habit of writing snippets in French and not translating them into English which to me is as irritating as someone writing their phone number as 800-TheSnob.

[Wendy Feltham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book set in Napa, San Francisco, and Burgundy. Peter Lewis brilliantly incorporates obscure facts about winemaking and his knowledge of French culture into this mystery. I especially liked the Napa scenes and the main character, Babe.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is this author's first book. I thoroughly enjoyed the twisted plot as it unfolds. A bonus for anyone familiar with the wine country in France (I'm not) or in northern Cal (I am). I worked in the restaurant and wine business, so I am familiar with the personalities of some of the characters.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun mystery that takes place in Napa and Burgundy. Wine lovers should like all the details of making and enjoying wine. My only real complaint about the book is that I thought the ending was too convoluted.

[Joy]

Peter Lewis is a co-founder of Seattle's Campagne restaurant (very good French restaurant) and worked on this book for 7 years. See review in Seattle Times - seattletimes.com/books.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story and writing seemed forced, but interesting for the lessons in wine production in France and Napa.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Checked this one out of the Library. Good wine mystery set in Napa and France.

[Shane McLennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read and fun for me having visited the wine country many times. Still not sure whether I have the mystery solved with so many murders and deaths of individuals in this story. I continued to be confused who was who, but still enjoyed it to the end