Wine writer Ezra Brant's invitation to visit his old friend Matthew Sykes in Portugal's Douro Valley, where his family have owned a quinta - a port farm - for generations, promises a happy reunion and a valuable opportunity to research his forthcoming book on port. He is also looking forward to taking part in a unique celebration along with a number of colleagues and local dignitaries as the quinta marks its 200th anniversary.However, a dark shadow is threatening to cast a pall over the celebrations - a series of accidents that Sykes is convinced add up to more than merely bad luck. And for Ezra his research soon becomes a cover, as he agrees to help his friend uncover the truth - however dangerous it may be.But as he discovers more about the subject of his book, the controversial English portshipper Joseph James Forrester, who drowned in the Douro in 1861, Ezra becomes convinced he was murdered. And when a murderer strikes in Sykes's quinta, the twin investigations into past and present intrigues come together in a shocking climax. Read Less