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Vulture au Vin
Death in a Wine Dark Sea
Ebook series2 titles

Jean Applequist Series

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this series

Theodore Lyon, oil billionaire and wine collector extraordinaire, asks San Francisco-based wine writer Jean Applequist to cover a historic tasting at his Southern California compound. It's a career coup for Jean and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to taste great Sauternes from as far back as the 1811 comet vintage. What could possibly go wrong?

A tragic end to Jean's first luncheon with Lyon foreshadows trouble to come. Her worried boyfriend, Zeppo, insists that their friend Roman Villalobos, a gay martial arts expert, accompany Jean to Lyon's palatial Phoenix Gardens for protection. At Lyon's estate, Jean and Roman find not only a world-class wine cellar, but a museum-quality collection of Chinese art. Jean discovers an outrageous ulterior motive for her invitation to the tasting. She and Roman also befriend Bernie Lyon, the scion of the Lyon clan and a struggling filmmaker.

It turns out Zeppo was right to be concerned. Jean and Roman encounter family drama, drug dealing, manmade disasters, betrayal, and murder, all against the backdrop of ever-present vultures. Is there a connection between the stabbing death of a young local woman and the Lyon family? Are all of Lyon's eccentric guests really who they claim to be? As great wine flows, the body count mounts. Before the weekend's out, Jean and Roman must prevent their own brutal murders and flee a raging wildfire.

Back in San Francisco, all seems well until repercussions from the Phoenix Garden fiasco lead to a brutal resolution that leaves Jean, Zeppo and Roman deeply shaken and changed forever.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 1, 2012
Vulture au Vin
Death in a Wine Dark Sea

Titles in the series (2)

  • Death in a Wine Dark Sea

    1

    Death in a Wine Dark Sea
    Death in a Wine Dark Sea

    Imagine a 32-year old Nancy Drew who's seen a thing or two, has a sophisticated career as a wine magazine writer, is not interested in monogamy, and has the kind of sex appeal only an independent woman can possess. Though she despises the groom, Jean Applequist boards an elegant yacht in San Francisco Bay for the wedding of her good friend Diane and wealthy real estate developer Martin Wingo. But things go terribly wrong: the evening ends in tragedy, not celebration when, after exchanging vows, Wingo disappears into the bay. Diane asks Jean to investigate Martin's murder out of fear that the police will uncover too many of his secrets. Jean agrees, but discovers it's not easy to find out who killed a blackmailer and a womanizer. The list of potential suspects is long. Joining forces with the young and geeky Zeppo, Martin's former assistant and armed with the details of Martin's operation, the two soon find themselves way ahead of the San Francisco homocide detectives, a dangerous place to be. Their questioning of Martin's victims elicits strong reactions, from fear to rage to attempted murder that endanger them both and force Jean to fight for her life - twice.

  • Vulture au Vin

    2

    Vulture au Vin
    Vulture au Vin

    Theodore Lyon, oil billionaire and wine collector extraordinaire, asks San Francisco-based wine writer Jean Applequist to cover a historic tasting at his Southern California compound. It's a career coup for Jean and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to taste great Sauternes from as far back as the 1811 comet vintage. What could possibly go wrong? A tragic end to Jean's first luncheon with Lyon foreshadows trouble to come. Her worried boyfriend, Zeppo, insists that their friend Roman Villalobos, a gay martial arts expert, accompany Jean to Lyon's palatial Phoenix Gardens for protection. At Lyon's estate, Jean and Roman find not only a world-class wine cellar, but a museum-quality collection of Chinese art. Jean discovers an outrageous ulterior motive for her invitation to the tasting. She and Roman also befriend Bernie Lyon, the scion of the Lyon clan and a struggling filmmaker. It turns out Zeppo was right to be concerned. Jean and Roman encounter family drama, drug dealing, manmade disasters, betrayal, and murder, all against the backdrop of ever-present vultures. Is there a connection between the stabbing death of a young local woman and the Lyon family? Are all of Lyon's eccentric guests really who they claim to be? As great wine flows, the body count mounts. Before the weekend's out, Jean and Roman must prevent their own brutal murders and flee a raging wildfire. Back in San Francisco, all seems well until repercussions from the Phoenix Garden fiasco lead to a brutal resolution that leaves Jean, Zeppo and Roman deeply shaken and changed forever.

Author

Lisa King

Lisa King is a visionary fiction author and amateur nature photographer who lives in Brisbane, Australia. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking though lush rainforests, taking notes for her novels and capturing the diverse and complex ecosystems where she feels most at home. Lisa loves to transport readers to worlds where the heroes have everyday struggles, flaws and inner conflicts, and the natural world is part of the nurturing and healing process. As an advocate for education and empathy for trauma survivors, Lisa hopes her books will encourage readers on their own healing paths.

Read more from Lisa King

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