Having first met Peter Mayle’s detective Sam Levitt in The Vintage Caper, I was caught by Emily Brennan’s interview featuring Mayle’s newest crime mystery – The Corsican Caper – in the New York Times travel section.  Reminiscing about his “Year in Provence,” Mayle offers a glimpse into Marseilles,  the scene of Levitt’s latest escapades:

“he {Levitt} outsmarts a rapacious Russian oligarch who plans to seize his friend’s chateau…”

Mayle’s mysteries are more about the food and the wine than the action, and Mayle’s interview affirms he is more interested in the drama of his surroundings – using the story as a vehicle to introduce readers to his favorite dishes.  No wonder the article appears in the travel section, not the book review.  Nevertheless, I’ve downloaded the book for my next long flight – probably not to Marseilles, but I agree with Mayle’s statement:

“I only wish I had 50 million euros to have a go at it.”

Read my review of The Vintage Caper – here