In Coq au Vin, mystery writer Charlotte Carter serves an exciting entree garnished with a bit of jazz history. Following her saxophone-playing, French-speaking sleuth Nanette Hayes on a mission to save Vivian, the sophisticated, reckless, and missing aunt the detective has adored since grade school, the reader wanders through the same mystique-cloaked Paris streets that have lured émigré#s from all areas of the world. In her search, Hayes hooks up with a band of seedy characters and gets rescued herself when sexy American expatriate violinist Andre enters the story. The two musicians begin to harmonize and become partners as Nanette’s hunt for Auntie Viv spins into a grand whodunit. Carter reads from and sign copies of her book at noon at Vertigo Books, 1337 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free. (202) 429-9272. (Nefretiti Makenta)