I believe I've mentioned before that I am a fan of Peter Mayle. I love his non-fiction (like this one) and I love his fiction (like this one), and I love his fun caper books. Like this one: The Vintage Caper.
Entertainment attorney Danny Roth's extensive wine cellar (one of the best in town) gets raided on Christmas Eve, $3 million worth of Bordeaux is carted out in the back of an ambulance. And it is up to insurance investigator Elena Morales to find the missing wines or her company has to pay out millions.
To help her out, Elena turns to Sam Levitt, a former corporate attorney who lost his taste for corporate bloodshed but had acquired a taste for the finer things in life it's hard to afford without a corporate attorney paycheck. Since leaving the rat race, Sam has does some questionable things but he does have the class to avoid guns, bombs, or drugs. And he knows an attractive offer (and an attractive woman) when he sees one.
The search to recover the Bordeaux takes Sam and Elena to France, through great restaurants and beautiful hotels (because that is just how Peter Mayle rolls), and to some of France's finest wine country. And because it is a caper story, you know that there will be a playful romp ending with a clever twist and a change of circumstances for everyone involved.
To me, this is perfect summer reading. It's fun, light, easy to read, and filled with all the sensual delights of a lovely vacation I don't have the money or time to take these days. But maybe someday! A girl can dream, and in the meantime, this girl can enjoy a really good caper book.