The Critic The Critic by Peter May is the second mystery featuring Enzo Mcleod, Scottish forensic investigator and professor. Entertaining and also informative, the story line is fast-paced and packed with action. The characters are a good assortment of diverse personalities. Along the way, the readers picks up a treasurey of knowledge about the production of wine and the world-wide rivalries which are part of the industry - rivalries, in the experience of Enzo, lead to murder more than once. Another feature which will please many readers is the puzzle-solving element and breaking of a code. Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy a good read as you follow Enzo in a French vineyard.
Rated of 5
by Linda (Three Oaks MI)
The Critic
It took me about 15 pages to get hooked into the story but from there, I never looked back. It was so very easy to embrace all the characters particularly the lead, Enzo MacLeod, who was enchanting in brusque kind of way. I liked that the author was able to weave in a story about Enzo’s sidekick, Nicole, without detracting from the main mystery. Peter May puts in enough twists and blind alleys to keep the reader fully engaged and writes with a great deal of wit and humor. If you’re a wine lover, you will enjoy this book on an even more intimate level. This was my first Peter May book. I took so much pleasure from it, I immediately secured the first in the series, “Extraordinary People” and look forward to all future endeavors.
Rated of 5
by Steve & Linda (North Clarendon VT)
For Love of The Critic
If you love wine or just wish you knew more about the art of wine making with a great mystery thrown in; this book is for you! The heady smell of grapes hanging heavy on their vines permeates this regional novel.
Join Enzo Macleod as he drinks and solves his way through this clever mystery. This is a smartly-written, fast-paced page turner. Don't miss it!
Rated of 5
by Anne (Austin TX)
The Critic by Peter May
Before I began this one, I went to my local library to find Extraordinary People, the first in the Enzo Macleod series by Peter May, and I'm glad I did -- otherwise some of the relationships between Enzo and his various "women" would have been confusing to me. And there are plenty of women!
There's also a good deal of oenology to keep up with, but as I enjoy an occasional glass myself, The Critic just added to my [admittedly small] store of knowledge about French wines and wine-making. This is a good mystery set in a part of France I don't know at all, although I teach French [and I am appalled at the spelling errors May's "editors" allowed him to get away with in his first book; for someone who actually lives in France, he has a limited grasp on the language, or so it seems] and have travelled there extensively. I'd love to see this part of the country and, having very much enjoyed this book [and I'm looking forward to more of the series], will put this area on my itinerary.
Not really suited for a book club, but mystery lovers should enjoy it.
Rated of 5
by Lynn (Santa Rosa CA)
The Critic, by Peter May
This is a good read: the sleuth is appealingly lame with women, deft at crime-solving, and just slow enough apprehending danger to keep the reader engaged. He's also dealing with the intrinsically fascinating wine industry and a relatively unfamiliar region of France. The action is fast enough--slowed only by inviting descriptions of Gaillac*--and the ending is scary enough to accelerate the page turning. The action develops well from hints of foreboding to believable outcomes. Characters are well-drawn--some some as likable as sleuth Macleod--with the notable exception of the murderer, who stays hidden until the end.
Rated of 5
by Eileen (Drexel Hill PA)
Mystery and wine The Critic is a good read. the plot keeps you turning the pages and the characters keep you interested in the resolution. There is a lot of information about the French wine industry, which I enjoyed. This may not be for book clubs but would be enjoyed by mystery readers.
Rated of 5
by Gerald (Pompton Lakes NJ)
A Wine-Lover's Mystery
I am not a wine aficionado and could care less about the wine-making process or the nuances of wine tasting. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this well crafted mystery. Enzo MacLeod is one of the most unusual crime solvers I have ever met; sort of a cross between James Bond and Inspector Clouseau. The characters are well developed and the plot moves along at a rapid pace. Despite the seriousness of the story there are even a few moments of falling down laughing humor. For wine lovers a 5; and a 4 for the rest of us.
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