The French Paradox by Ellen Crosby

First Line: I found out about my grandfather's affair with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis when I read my grandmother's diaries-- ironically over Valentine's Day weekend.

The death of world-renowned landscape architect Parker Lord ripped vineyard owner Lucie Montgomery's attention from her rapidly approaching wedding. Not only did she find the body of her friend in her own vineyard, but she also had to wonder why he died. Was it because of his controversial book on climate change? Or did it have something to do with the fact that he violently opposed Harriet Delacroix's plans to use Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's private journal entries to drum up interest for her own book?

Lucie had only recently learned of the affair Jackie had had with her beloved grandfather when Jackie went to Paris for a year in 1949, and she can't wait to talk with him about it. However, as much as she wants to speak with her grandfather, Lucie won't be able to rest until she finds out why Parker Lord died-- and who's responsible.

~

I have a guilty confession to make. This is the eleventh book in Ellen Crosby's delectable Wine Country mystery series, and although I've greatly enjoyed every one that I've read, I haven't even read half of the series. Now that The French Paradox is one of my Best Reads of 2021, I should have more incentive to read the rest. 

What makes The French Paradox-- and the entire series-- so good? Having also read the two books in Crosby's Sophie Medina series (please, ma'am, I want some more!), I have to say it's because Crosby's writing is a feast for the intelligent, curious reader. If you love strong characters, intriguing mysteries, history, art, literature, vivid settings, learning about winemaking, and more, this is an author you should not miss. I read this book with a smile on my face because I felt as though I were spending time with a kindred spirit.

Whenever Crosby uses historical figures in her books, as she does in The French Paradox, she does so with great sensitivity and after doing much research. I am of the age where one of the defining moments of my life is knowing exactly where I was when I learned that John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. (Sitting in my third grade classroom.) I have a great deal of respect for the Kennedys, and I doubt very much that any of the clan would be upset with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's portrayal in this book.

Another reason to like this book is Crosby's drawing attention to the artist Élisabeth Vigée le Brun, friend to Marie Antoinette of France and the highest paid portrait painter of her day. Vigée le Brun is a fascinating figure in her own right and certainly deserves more recognition. The mere mention of the artist's name reminds me of the first time I ever saw one of her works. Marvelous!

I called The French Paradox a feast for the intelligent, curious reader, and as you can see by my review, I savored every page. I haven't even mentioned the vivid Virginia setting or the deep roots main character Lucie Montgomery's family has in the area. If you haven't read any of Ellen Crosby's Wine Country mysteries, I urge you to do so. The French Paradox can be read as a standalone, but don't be surprised if you discover you're hungry for more.

The French Paradox by Ellen Crosby

eISBN: 9781448304967

Severn House Publishers © 2021

eBook, 256 pages

 

Amateur Sleuth, #11 Wine Country mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Net Galley

The Vineyard Victims by Ellen Crosby

First Line: My mother warned me to stay away from bad boys even before I started dating, but she'd married one herself-- my father-- and, as they say, apples don't fall too far from the tree.

When a neighbor and former presidential candidate drives his SUV right into a stone pillar at the gates to her vineyard, Lucie Montgomery is convinced that the crash was deliberate, but everyone else is equally certain that Jamison Vaughn lost control of his vehicle on a rain-slick road. Vaughn may have had huge campaign debts, but what possible reason could he have for committing suicide...or was it murder?

In her insistence to carry out Vaughn's dying words to her, Lucie quickly uncovers a connection between the dead man, some of his old friends, and the thirty-year-old murder of a Ph.D. student. There is a man on death row for the crime, but Lucie believes he is innocent. However, her investigation into the two deaths soon involves someone from her own past. Now Lucie must confront some of her own demons while carrying out the last wishes of a dead man.

I first became aware of Ellen Crosby through her two Sophie Medina mysteries. I enjoyed them both so much that it didn't take me long to search out her Wine Country mysteries set in Virginia. Crosby writes such smart books; her stories have area history and culture woven lightly throughout the pages, and even though I'm a teetotaler, I appreciate learning about wine making.  Who knew?

Lucie is a strong main character whose life was forever changed by a tragic car accident. She has a weak leg and must walk with the aid of a cane, and this means that she relies on her intelligence to solve these mysteries, not in her belief that she's invincible. She also has strong opinions about things, and she may not always be right. The Vineyard Victims forces Lucie to confront circumstances surrounding the accident that crippled her-- an element that strengthens the already solid mystery surrounding Jamison Vaughn and what happened thirty years ago. 

If you like intelligent writing and strong characters, you won't go wrong with Ellen Crosby's Wine Country series. And you don't even need a corkscrew.
 

The Vineyard Victims by Ellen Crosby

eISBN: 9781466888104

Minotaur Books © 2017

eBook, 330 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #8 Wine Country mystery

Rating: A-

Source: Net Galley


 

The Champagne Conspiracy by Ellen Crosby

First Line: It all started with the dress.

Lucie Montgomery and winemaker Quinn Santori have decided to make champagne-- a first for the Montgomery Estate Vineyard in Atoka, Virginia-- but their plans are interrupted by Gino Tomassi. Not only is Gino Quinn's uncle, he's the owner of one of the biggest vineyards in the country. He needs help in solving the mystery of what happened to the first wife of his grandfather because he's being blackmailed. 

As Lucie travels around in the bitterly cold weather tracking down century-old information, she soon makes someone very nervous, nervous enough to kill.

I don't care what Ellen Crosby is writing-- if it's one of her Sophie Medina mysteries or one of her Wine Country mysteries-- I can count on her for fast-paced, exciting stories, fascinating historical tidbits, well-developed characters, and all-round intelligent writing. After reading two "Sophie" novels and two Wine Country mysteries, Crosby has become one of my favorite authors.

In The Champagne Conspiracy, I learned about Prohibition-Era Washington, DC; why all "champagne" is French; and had a little refresher course on President Warren Harding. In addition, some of the information Lucie learns is about her own family history, and (very true to life) it is not always pleasant.

Lucie is the strong heart of this series. Due to an automobile accident, she must use a cane to walk, but even though she may be a bit hampered by physical infirmity, her quick mind more than makes up for it. In fact, she comes across a saying that should be a staple in all crime fiction: "What you can't say owns you. What you hide controls you." She has a strong network of family and friends, which comes in very useful because she and her lover Quinn appear to be having difficulties. And speaking of difficulties, there's never any in finding out all the latest gossip in Atoka. All you have to do is stop by the General Store and talk with Thelma, who has amazing "God-given psychotic powers." There's nothing like having Mrs. Malaprop in charge of Gossip Central....

Although I did know the identity of two out of three bad guys very early on, The Champagne Conspiracy is still a first-rate read because Ellen Crosby doesn't have her entire book solely depend on whodunit. No, there's a lot of meat on the bone, and I enjoyed every bite. If you're in the mood for great characters, intriguing fast-paced mysteries, a bit of humor, and a few glasses of wine, I think you'll enjoy this book-- and the entire series-- too.
   

The Champagne Conspiracy by Ellen Crosby

ISBN: 9781250076557

Minotaur Books © 2016

Hardcover, 368 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #7 Wine Country mystery

Rating: A

Source: the publisher 

 

The Merlot Murders by Ellen Crosby

First Line: I have always been fascinated by alchemy, though I draw the line at black magic.

When Lucie Montgomery gets a wee-hours-of-the-morning phone call telling her that her father has been killed in a hunting accident, she leaves her job and home in France to travel back to the family vineyard in Virginia as quickly as possible.

It's Lucie's first trip home since an automobile accident left her dependent on a cane. When she arrives, she sees that the family home and winery are more than a bit worse for wear since her father never seemed to find a bad business deal he didn't like. Lucie's brother Eli is also short on cash and has convinced their younger sister to sell the estate and reap rewards from the valuable ground it sits on. 

Lucie doesn't want to sell-- especially when her godfather tells her that her father's death was no accident. Then her godfather dies, and Lucie is left as the sole holdout preventing the sale-- knowing that she's next in line for an "accident." The trouble is... all the prime suspects are living right on the property with her.

Having read and enjoyed Ellen Crosby's Sophie Medina mysteries, I was looking forward to reading this first book in her Wine Country series-- even if I don't like wine. I found The Merlot Murders to be every bit as intelligently written and absorbing as Multiple Exposure and Ghost Image.

Lucie Montgomery is a complex character, and the plot certainly isn't short of family dynamics with her obnoxious brother Eli, his greedy wife, and their gullible little sister. There's also a head vintner on the property whose motivations aren't very clear. 

Added to the first-rate mystery are fascinating snippets of the history of wine making in Virginia. Between this series and Martin Walker's series set in France, I have a feeling that I'm going to end up being a very knowledgeable oenophobe. Crosby also gives an outline of Lucie's family history as well as the house and vineyard. This information put me firmly in Lucie's No Sale camp, but it also made me wonder why no one else in the family felt the same way. 

See? Although the mystery is taken care of through the course of The Merlot Murders, I'm left with questions about Lucie and her family, and this is definitely going to make me continue reading the series. Bring on the chardonnay!
   

The Merlot Murders by Ellen Crosby

eISBN: 9780743293891

Scribner © 2006

eBook, 308 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #1 Wine Country mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased from Amazon