The Bordeaux Betrayal (Center Point Premier Mystery (Large Print)) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Ellen Crosby (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2008 | Series: Center Point Premier Mystery (Large Print)

Now in mass market, Ellen Crosby’s third suspenseful tale set in Virginia wine country features a bottle of Bordeaux that Thomas Jefferson may have purchased for George Washington—and it just may be a wine to die for.

When a noted author and historian turns up dead the night after a brawl with a famous wine critic on the grounds of George Washington’s home, vineyard owner Lucie Montgomery is certain that the death is related to the authenticity of a priceless bottle of Bordeaux. As Lucie investigates the history of the Washington wine, she uncovers a web of deceit and a long-forgotten scandal that affects not only the international wine world, but also her own. Combining winemaking detail and rich Virginia history with an intriguing mix of characters, this whodunit is a feast for the senses.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Harvest time dumps a jeroboam of trouble on the doorstep of vintner Lucie Montgomery in Crosby's fizzy third mystery set in Virginia wine country (after 2007's The Chardonnay Charade). During an oenophilic supper at Mount Vernon, glamorous guest lecturer Valerie Beauvais hints there's something suspect about the prize bottle—a Bordeaux Thomas Jefferson supposedly bought for George Washington in 1790—to be auctioned at the upcoming charity fund-raiser Lucie will be hosting. But before the wine scholar can make it to Montgomery Estate Vineyard for a personal inspection, she's the victim of a fatal accident. Or is it murder? Turning detective, Lucie quickly finds plenty of bad blood—and deadly secrets—even among the horsey set she counts as friends. Despite a host of lesser players with no more dimension than a wine label and a confusing denouement, the action canters along briskly, infused with plenty of local color and wine lore. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Vintner Lucie Montgomery—The Merlot Murders (2006), The Chardonnay Charade (2007)—is getting ready for the harvest at her vineyard near Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. When she attends a lecture at Mount Vernon, she learns about the wines that Thomas Jefferson discovered in France and brought to George Washington. The lecturer later turns up dead, and Lucie suspects that the murder is related to the authenticity of a bottle of Chateau Margaux supposedly purchased for Washington that will be auctioned at a charity fundraiser she is planning. As Lucie investigates, her beloved grandfather comes to visit from France and provides valuable historical information about the wines to be auctioned, leading to the discovery of fraud and betrayal in the wine world, as well as World War II ties that some local aristocracy would prefer to leave hidden. This will have broad appeal for its wine lore and historical detail and has enough action to keep the pages turning fast. --Barbara Bibel --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 359 pages
• Publisher: Center Point Large Print; Lrg edition (December 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602853266
• ISBN-13: 978-1602853263
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,027,342 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ellen Crosby is the author of Moscow Nights (Piatkus, UK) and five books in the Virginia wine country series: The Merlot Murders, The Chardonnay Charade, The Bordeaux Betrayal, The Riesling Retribution and The Viognier Vendetta. The Riesling Retribution was a fiction finalist for the 2010 Library of Virginia People's Choice Award and is the 2010 US winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Award for Wine Literature. Before writing fiction, Crosby was a freelance reporter for The Washington Post, Moscow correspondent for ABC Radio News, and an economist at the US Senate. After living overseas for many years, Crosby now resides in Virginia with her family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deep and savory like a full-bodied wine!, September 10, 2008

By 

Nice Lady "a reasonable person" (Alaska) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Bordeaux Betrayal: A Wine Country Mystery (Wine Country Mysteries) (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

This story is simply terrific!! It is well-written and thoroughly engrossing. The author demonstrates superb character development and paints beautiful scenery with words.

The mystery is a lot of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This book represents the third in the line of the Wine Country Mystery series. It tells the ongoing saga of Lucie Montgomery, the heir of the family vineyard in Virginia. The Bordeaux Betrayal begins at the time of the harvest of the grapes. It is autumn and the author describes the seasonal changes in Virginia beautifully. A critical event is a charity auction of a very rare bottle of wine that Thomas Jefferson bought for George Washington.

The mystery surrounds an unexpected, unexplained murder and the fun then really begins!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very mixed feelings on this one ....., September 5, 2008

By 

Holly Kincaid "Book addict" (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bordeaux Betrayal: A Wine Country Mystery (Wine Country Mysteries) (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

This is the third book in the "Wine Country Mystery" series by Ellen Crosby. To be very candid, if this were the first book in the series, I would probably have given it a 4-star rating based upon potential. Since it's the third one, I have to give it a 3-star since some of the issues with the book should have been ironed out through author experience/editing.

I was really looking forward to reading this. I truly enjoy a good "cozy" mystery and it is a genre I read regularly (Coffeehouse Mysteries by Cleo Coyle, Teashop Mysteries by Laura Childs and the Gray Whale Inn Mysteries by Karen MacInerney). It is one of my favorite types of reading when in the mood for something light after reading "heavier" books. I also know a little bit about wine and find it very interesting, so I thought I really had a winner here! To be candid, I'm not really sure how I would classify this book and I can't say that I enjoyed it but I did't dislike it either (how's that for taking a stand?).

As you can read from the product description, this book is set in the wine country of Virginia. It is an area steeped in history with Thomas Jefferson and George Washington being major figures in its history. The book was more a wine making/history lesson than true mystery. While there was a murder early in the book which is resolved at the end, it was a minor part of the whole thing. At times I enjoyed all the history and wine making lessons and thought it was very good; at other points in the book I thought "enough already", let's get on with it. Some parts of the books were engrossing and others very boring -- too much of a good thing.

There are some interesting characters in the book, but I think there may have been too many -- it became difficult to tell them apart and I would have to go back and re-read sections to make sure I knew who was being talked about or what the character had done previously. I would have preferred to have fewer characters and more in-depth understanding of each of them. This may be a result of jumping into the series with the third book, but I don't think so. It felt like the first in a series where the author is trying to get everyone introduced and then build on them as the series progresses.

While I had moments of true enjoyment, I am not sure how quickly I will go back and read the first and second books ..... don't really feel compelled to read more but if there is nothing else in my reading stack, I would probably pick it up at the beginning.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bordeaux Mystery, September 13, 2008

By 

tree leaf "Pati" (Mishawaka, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Bordeaux Betrayal: A Wine Country Mystery (Wine Country Mysteries) (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

My favorite kind of mystery is one where you don't know "Whodunit" until the very end. This one definitely qualifies. With lots of little surprises and twists and turns the reader is constantly turning pages to see what's next. And if the reader is also a wine lover, all the better. There are lots of little intimate facts about wine-making that makes one appreciate the process all the more. There is also a facinating mini trip through history involving wine that Thomas jefferson was to give to George Washington. All in all a great read and a really good mystery with tantalizing characters. I'm definitely going to check out the Ms. Crosby's other wine mysteries.