MURDER IN THE VINEYARD (THE MAGGIE NEWBERRY MYSTERY SERIES)

In this 12th volume of Kiernan-Lewis’ mystery series, American expatriate and amateur detective Maggie Newberry sees her husband charged with murder after he discovers a corpse in the Domaine St-Buvard vineyard.

Maggie has convinced her elderly parents to move to France so that she can better help her mother, Elspeth, care for her dad, John, whose symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease have worsened. Maggie drives back and forth between the vineyard where she, her French husband, Laurent Dernier, and their two small children live, and the nearby city of Aix-en-Provence, where her parents reside in a rented apartment. After two harrowing days of problem-solving in Aix, she returns home, only to be awakened by Laurent in the middle of the night. He’s found the lifeless body of Henri Dupree, who works for him at the vineyard, and the police are on the way. When police detective Roger Bedard asks Laurent to return with him to the station, Maggie knows that her spouse is in trouble, despite his reassurances. Although there are a few other potential suspects, the police have fixated on Laurent, who has a shady past as a successful con artist. Kiernan-Lewis ably catches newcomers up regarding the series’ regular characters and backstories, even as she introduces this episode’s new players, which include a diverse collection of refugees who’ve been given sanctuary at the L’Abbaye de Sainte-Trinité, run by Frère Jean, a monk who’s wrestling with personal demons. The travails of Maggie’s parents add a poignant side story to a narrative propelled more by relationships than by action. A variety of individual, secondary dramas keep this cozy mystery engaging, despite its slow pace. The author also constantly rotates locales, from city to vineyard estate to monastery, which gives the narrative a sense of forward momentum. The vivid descriptions of French cuisine, and especially the region’s delectable pastries, are a series trademark, and, once again, a definite bonus.

Despite its lack of tension, this is an enjoyable mystery with a touch of pathos and a final, unexpected twist.