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“An arch-criminal clicks on his headlamp in his underground lair and
instantly, you’re hooked. Shadows in the Vineyard is nonfiction at its
nail-biting best, a literary true-crime thriller…Shadows in the Vineyard is so full of bizarre twists and one-of-a-kind characters that
if you think you know what’s coming next, just wait till you turn the
page.”
— Christopher McDougall, New York Times bestselling author of Born to Run
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“Mr. Potter…tells the story
quite vividly—and the book delivers a happy ending as well.”
— Wall Street Journal
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"[Potter] places the crime in a broad, rich,
historical and cultural context that is engaging.”
— USA Today
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“Books I devoured in the last few weeks impressed me mightily:…Shadows in the Vineyard, a nonfiction
blending of several genres—culinary, travel, history, true crime by Maximillian
Potter, who’s an enviably nimble writer.”
— New York Times
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“A gripping crime drama more
creative than most procedurals, and Potter does excellent working in fleshing
out both the involved players and the historical context of the Burgundy region
and its oenophiles.”
— Daily Beast
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“Details the tale of a threat
so bizarre it seems unreal: one deluded man’s attempt at a big score by threatening
a true culinary treasure…The prose is evocative…and captures the gravitas of
a crime with deep cultural resonance without becoming wonky.”
— San Francisco Gate
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“A whodunit with a culprit worthy of a Woody Allen film, Potter’s first
book is a rich study of a cinematic crime and bona fide
page-turner…Even the most devout teetotaler will have a hard time
putting this one down.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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“Inspired by a daring crime that a lesser writer might reduce to police
procedural, Maximillian Potter has opened a portal into a fabled world
unknown to outsiders. The story he so compellingly recounts in Shadows in the Vineyard breathes, like the hallowed wine at its heart, with life
and history and wonder.”
— Benjamin Wallace, author of The Billionaire’s Vinegar
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“Maximillian Potter has taken a sinister plot and woven an intriguing
story around the most revered wine estate in the world with the most
respected winemaker at its helm. Through this event he has painted a
colorful tableau filled with fascinating historical evidence on why the
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the terroir of Burgundy, and the culture of
Burgundy, are among the most treasured and special sites on the planet.
Bravo.”
— Daniel Boulud, James Beard Award–winning chef, and Daniel Johnnes, James Beard Award–winning sommelier