Title: A Riesling to Die

Author: J.C. Eaton

Publisher: Lyrical Underground

Publication Date: March 27, 2018

Page Count: 234

My rating:   3 1/2 stars

About the book:

A deadly search for sour grapes . . .
 
Norrie Ellington is a successful screenwriter living in New York City. She’s also been a silent partner for her family’s winery upstate—until her sister and brother-in-law take a year-long sabbatical. With an experienced staff doing the work, Norrie figures Two Witches Winery will run itself while she enjoys the countryside and writes in peace and quiet.

Unfortunately, there’s a sour grape in the town of Penn Yan who doesn’t care for vineyards. Bed and breakfast owner Elsbeth Waters complains to everyone who’ll listen that the local wineries are bad for her business. But when Elsbeth’s body is found on Norrie’s property, the victim of foul play, the screenwriter-turned-vintner dons a sleuthing cap to uncover the identity of a killer who told the B&B proprietress to put a cork in it—permanently . . .

A Riesling to Die  by J.C. Eaton is the first book in the new cozy The Wine Trail Mysteries series. Norrie Ellington has been asked to return home to upstate New York by her sister to oversee the family business, Two Witches Winery. Norrie’s sister and her brother in law have been given a grant to study a species of insect in Costa Rica for the next year and while Norrie has made her life in New York City she would be able to continue her job as a successful screenwriter anywhere.

While she’s a silent partner in the winery Norrie has really had no interest in learning the actual business or running it but she finds she just can’t say no and hold her sister back. Upon arriving back home Norrie finds herself quickly learning the ins and outs of the business and those employees that help run the winery and keep it successful.

The one person Norrie doesn’t find welcoming upon her return is neighbor Elsbeth Waters who runs the local bed and breakfast. Norrie’s encounter with Elsbeth didn’t go well with the irate neighbor complaining of the family dog coming upon her property. Little did Norrie expect though was to find Elsbeth dead body in the vineyard and with so many disliking the B&B owner Norrie decides to help the police solve the murder.

Having read another series by J.C. Eaton and really enjoying it I had high hopes for The Wine Trail Mysteries. While I didn’t think this was a perfect start to the cozy series I did however still enjoy this beginning. What I really found myself wishing for with this one though was a bit more into building the characters and suspects. The beginning felt a little slow building the setting but the characters felt a bit buried in that too. I would still give the next book a go though knowing the authors’ other work.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online: 

Goodreads  /   Amazon

About the author: