An L.A. attorney finds family secrets, betrayal, greed, and murder in Napa Valley in this mystery by the author of Green-Eyed Lady.
Philippe Giroux, estimable patriarch of the ChΓ’teau Giroux wine empire, has tragically lost a son. Or has he? Once confirmed by the court, Alain Girouxβs death will pave the way for his brother Phil to inherit Americaβs most storied winery. Or will it? Andy Clarkson, Alainβs boyhood chum, covets the ChΓ’teau Giroux vineyard acreage for his neighboring golf resort. Or does he? Claudia Giroux, Philippeβs hauntingly beautiful daughter, has proof that Alainβs death may not have been all that it seems. Or does she?
As the scions of a privileged California wine dynasty grapple for control of their familyβs legacy, attorney Jack MacTaggart is caught in a crossfire of estrangement, betrayal, and murder. To complicate matters, Jack is being shadowed by film star Ethan Scott, who hopes to spin the dross of a familyβs private travails into box-office gold.
Amid the stately oaks and sylvan vineyards of Californiaβs fabled Napa Valley, Jack learns the hard way that while blood may be thicker than water, money is a powerful anticoagulant. As the long-buried secrets of a troubled family are finally revealed, only one question remains to be answered: Who will survive to become the Last Heir?
Praise for The Last Heir
βIf you think a case with so few suspects will be simple, think again. Very few readers will be able to identify the last heir.β βKirkus Reviews
βA gripping look at a world where great resources and the best intentions can go horribly wrong.β βBooklist