The Diamond Caper
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3.8 • 9 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
Bon vivant and expert sleuth Sam Levitt and his partner in love and intrigue, Elena Morales, return in the latest installment of the delightfully sun-splashed Provençal Caper series.
When a Riviera socialite’s diamonds are stolen—the latest in a string of seemingly unconnected but ever-more-audacious jewelry heists across France—Elena flies in to investigate the insurance claim. It’s a trip she’s more than happy to make, as it gives her a chance to meet up with old friends in Marseille—and, particularly, with Sam.
Once reunited, Sam isn’t entirely distracted by domestic matters. In the pattern of these “perfect crimes” he's beginning to see a master at work, and he’s quickly determined to connect and solve the cases. But as he and Elena dig deeper, they begin to realize just how much is connected and how dangerous it may be to pursue the whole truth.
Meanwhile, there’s a house to renovate, rosé to share, and feasts of Provençal summer bounty to enjoy. Full of Peter Mayle’s inimitable wit and style, The Diamond Caper is sure to charm faithful fans and new readers alike.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
From the engaging first sentence, bestseller Mayle's fourth novel featuring American detective Sam Levitt (after 2014's The Corsican Caper) delights more because of the French local color than any hardcore mystery solving. Sam and insurance investigator Elena Morales are on the hunt for a jewelry thief in the South of France. The thefts, which began small in 2002, have gradually escalated to include a two-million-euro necklace stolen from a party at the Cannes Film Festival. But the book's strength lies in the great descriptions of characters ("even voice sounded suntanned") and of all things French. As he does in his memoirs, Mayle excels at evoking French cuisine: the croissants and cafe cr me, the sauce mousseline, and the shopping trips to the outdoor market, where even the peaches, apparently, taste better than anywhere else. Fans of his caper series will enjoy finding out how Sam and Elena's romance develops (hint: a house is purchased, and the phrase kept woman is invoked).
