In Antoine Verlaque, M. L. Longworth has created a very sympathetic hero, a French Peter Wimsey without a title: he knows his food and wine, is witty and intelligent and attractive even though his love of good food is causing him to put on a few pounds. He is independently wealthy but has chosen to work in the legal system. He has an intelligent, beautiful and scholarly wife who helps him in solving crimes. However, Antoine lives in Aix-en-Provence, land of lavender, cypress, sunshine, vivid colors and vineyards: no fog and rain for him, just le mistral.

This series of novels is a pleasant read. Plotting is very secondary to milieu here. The author has created a world worth returning to, peopled by well-developed characters.