IN VINO VERITAS

There's no shortage of suspects for the murder of Martin Beaumont--bully, womanizer, and very successful owner of Abbey Vineyards, who is found shot in the head inside his Jaguar. Narrator Jonathan Keeble vividly portrays the vineyard's diverse and articulate staff as well as Beaumont's long-suffering wife and many enemies. His best renderings are protagonists Chief Superintendent Lambert and his assistant, Bert Hook, who have a close working relationship despite their opposite personalities. The lighthearted banter of Hook's teenage sons provides comic relief and offers a warm glimpse of domesticity. Gregson's fine writing continually improves: Details, description, and dialogue are superlative, with characters being his crowning achievement. Everything is splendidly enhanced by audio, including the less well-known Gloucestershire accent and setting. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2013]