Dial M for Merlot

What a delectable treat of a book. Extravagant events, love, passion, foreign beauty, wine, crazy adventures, wine, and mysterious motives. This wino/mystery was a delight to read. Whenever I had a bad day I would pick up this book and be consumed with the optimistic and ever changing story. This book literally makes you want to buy all the wine in the local liquor stop and try it all! This is a unique book, I stopped by the local bookstore last week and was looking for something to read after finishing M for Merlot, couldn't quite find something to fix my new found wino taste. Howard K I want more!

What a great read! If you're a fan of wines and a fan of novels that keep you on the edge of your seat, this is a must read!Follow a wine "newbies" journey into learning about and experiencing the joys of wine! From his first palate pleasing taste...to experiencing the wine event of the year. But it's not all about wine...there's scandal, there's sex with an unbelievable finish! Grab a nice Bordeaux...sit back and enjoy

What a FUN read! Great storyline with such a fulfilling ending -- you won't want to put it down, whether you're a wino or not. Definitely worth your while!!

Very much enjoyed reading this book! It was easy to read and hard to put down. I highly recommend this book.

I was smitten and bitten in the very first chapter of “Dial M for Merlot” by Howard K. Who doesn’t love a hero that starts out looking and behaving like a complete nerd only to be awakened by his first taste of really good wine? Then, be teased with a snippet of the end of the story to learn that he will soon be at the center of a murder mystery? (Not to mention that wine 101ers will also learn a little more about wine, and visit Bordeaux for a huge wine event. And it proved to me that I don’t have to read all non-fiction books to learn about wine!)Our hero, Justin James, has his “a ha” wine tasting moment by page 11 and by page 50 he is on the receiving end of a sexual exploit after a very long dry spell. The suddenness and frequency of his now active sex life is akin to the sudden gratuitous sex for Miles in “Vertical” by Rex Pickett, however readers will like James’s character, and his transformation, so the sex is well deserved.Soon our hero is well-attached to the woman of his dreams, and new wine friends that introduce him to a world of wine tasting that culminates in a trip to VinExpo in Bordeaux, France. Once there the sinister plot begins to unfold involving a wine business magnate that is hated by his young sexy wife, her lover/his employee, an aged nun, a nunnery, a former business partner, most of James’ friends and soon James himself.The reader plunges ahead, garnering generous virtual tastes from around the world in the multi-day VinExpo event, touring the countryside and enjoying the local fare – all while the plot thickens around James.This isn’t a “who done it” but more of “who didn’t do it” kind of story. The end of the tale, of which I will give you no further clues, is shared like a rare bottle of exquisite Bordeaux that is open to all.

I am First Reads winner of Dial M for Merlot by Howard K. I enjoyed reading about Justin James and his discovery of fine wine and the friends he gained all because of his newly discovered hobby. He was amazed that he had a passion and love of fine wine.He is well liked at his place of employment, but has no friends with whom to spend his time with. Justin was stood up again while waiting on his date, which he had only been on one date with. He wonders into a local wine shop to get in out of the rain (his window won’t roll up and the wipers don’t help), the owner offers to let him in free. Justin is truly overwhelmed while tasting wine for the first time he discovers that his taste buds are awake for the first time ever. He loves the wine tasting and all the different wines available to him. Justin’s discovery changes his life.Justin goes on a thrilling, fascinating and possibly dangerous journey of discovery and conversion which leads him out of his nerd like shell and into the world of fine wine and even finer living. Traveling from Florida to France and then back, he discovers there is so much more to life than just Star Trek, Star Wars or Harry Potter, exciting, seductive things like extraordinary wine, incredible food, sex and even murder.This book contains romance, mystery, comedy, and a lot of information about wine. I am no wine connoisseur, but I loved all the descriptive words used to illustrate the nuances of each of the wines tasted. The author did a great job in my opinion of tying everything together to make a very entertaining read. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

I really enjoyed this novel about the transformation of a nerdy, somewhat antisocial young man into a wine enthusiast who finds friends, love, and a little bit of danger. Howard K writes his protagonist with plenty of wit and self-deprecation and surrounds him with colorful, intriguing characters. A book with humor and a dash of suspense, Dial M for Merlot is definitely a worthwhile read..

I quite enjoyed this book and rank it at the top of the "wine novels" I have bought. The whole situation is romanticized and exaggerated, but that's part of the fun. Howard K's writing is clear and assured. The plot twists are well crafted and I can easily see this as an inspiration for a "wine geek" movie.