Vulture au Vin

San Francisco-based freelancer Jean Applequist, a woman of lusty appetites for wine, men, food, and fast cars, has opportunities to satisfy them all in King’s enjoyable, if overlong, follow-up to 2012’s Death in a Wine Dark Sea. Jean’s editor at Wine Digest offers her a plum assignment to cover a wine tasting at Phoenix Gardens, the San Diego County estate of billionaire Theodore Lyon, though Jean is displeased that the price of an exclusive story is allowing Lyon to have final say on the article and photos. A shocking death that occurs shortly after she accepts the job foreshadows more mayhem to come. At Phoenix Gardens, both Jean and her gay friend, photographer Roman Villalobos, find surprising sex partners among those attending Lyon’s less-than-convivial gathering. Jean also manages to discover another body, a meth lab, a peeping tom, and a deadly scam, all accompanied by a dazzling array of fine wines. The appealing lead compensates for the overly busy plot. Agent: Sally van Haitsma, van Haitsma Literary. (July)