I am so delighted today to provide a review for you at my blog stop for Pinot Read or Dead? by Ann I. Goldfarb and James E. Clapp on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. Scroll down to enter your chance to win the Giveaway!
Pinot Red or Dead? (The Wine Trail Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Lyrical Underground (March 26, 2019)
Paperback: 206 pages
ISBN-10: 1516108035
ISBN-13: 978-1516108039
Digital ASIN: B07F5XDH41
There’s a lot of noir surrounding this rare pinot.
As the vineyards in Seneca Lake, New York, prepare for the seasonal “Deck the Halls Around the Lake” festivities, someone is determined to keep pinot noir off the wine list. Hijacked trucks and sabotaged ingredients have made it a hard-to-acquire vintage for the six local wineries—including Norrie Ellington’s Two Witches Winery.
The case of the stolen and spoiled wines gets stranger when Arnold Mowen, owner of the company distributing the wine, is found dead, the apparent victim of a hunting accident. As Norrie tries to find the connections between the pinot’s problems and Arnold’s death, she uncovers a conspiracy among many locals whose hatred for the wine distributor was bottled up for far too long . . .
Norrie Ellington is subbing for her sister and brother-in-law when he gets calls out of the country on a bug-hunting mission. The Two Witches Winery has a talented and independent, capable crew and for the year her sister was to be gone, she figured she could continue her work as a screenwriter just as well in Penn Yan as New York City. Norrie was to oversee the operations temporarily as a legal, if often absentee, co-owner, but circumstances seem to interrupt intentions.
The area wineries are gearing up for the annual “Deck the Halls Around the Lake” celebration as the season turns to late autumn and Thanksgiving is around the corner. Unfortunately, Norrie has discovered more than her share of bodies around the vineyards and dabbled in the crime investigations. Now, there is a highjacking of the distribution truck delivering area Pinot Noirs. Then, their own barrel of Pinot Noir is discovered to have been tampered with and destroyed. If that isn’t enough, Norrie’s Plott Hound, Charlie, finds a wallet that Norrie discovers leads to the body of the Lake-to-Lake Wine Distributors owner, Arnold Mowen. He is actually face down in a ditch separating their vineyard from the Grey Egret Winery.
As they prepare for the flood of holiday shoppers on the wine tour, Norrie is busy ferreting out clues. Apparently Mowen was not observed as a beloved boss and few who was stuck with his distribution service were thrilled with his tactics, so there becomes a long list of suspects, each heading to the forefront as Norrie examines their motive and opportunity. And there is no lack of well-developed characters, filling in a well-plotted device with humor, first person observations and discoveries. Norrie makes for a fun, flawed, and slightly neurotic protagonist, who is bound and determined to flush out the felon, as usual against local law enforcement advice.
Mowen had instructed his attorney to read his will at Two Witches Winery at midnight twenty-nine days following his death. Tension builds toward the big reveal with more than one thinking they would inherit Mowen’s money. With all the twists, all loose threads are tied very neatly, but is it possible that Norrie decided on the culprit too soon?
The third in the series but satisfying and could well function as a standalone.
I was given this ebook download by the publisher and NetGalley for this blog tour and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Recommended for all who enjoy a well-paced cozy with a spritz of red wine.
Here is your chance to sign up to win (1) Print Copy – Pinot Red or Dead? (The Wine Trail Mysteries) by J.C. Eaton (U.S. Only) in this Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author(s): J C Eaton
Ann I. Goldfarb
New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, she has authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington) set for release in June 2017. In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name. Visit the websites at www.jceatonauthor.com and www.timetravelmysteries.com
James E. Clapp
When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. His first novel, Booked 4 Murder (Kensington) is set for release in June 2017. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching.
Visit their website at www.jceatonauthor.com and Like and Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JCEatonauthor/
Purchase Links
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Google Play IndieBound
Thank you for visiting my stop on the tour and please visit the other stops listed below!
Tour Participants:
March 25 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
March 25 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 25 – fundinmental – REVIEW
March 26 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
March 26 – Reading Is My SuperPower – GUEST POST
March 26 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
March 26 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
March 26 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST
March 27 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
March 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 27 – I’m All About Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 28 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 28 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
March 29 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 29 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 30 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
March 30 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
March 30 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
March 31 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
March 31 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 31 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
Thanks to Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this cozy mystery!
2019 V Williams
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