Killer Chardonnay
Parker Valentine has always dreamed of opening her own winery in her hometown of Boulder, Colorado. But she gets more than she bargained for when a food and wine critic unexpectedly shows up at Vino Valentine on opening day. A negative review could be fatal for her business, and not only does he seem to hate her chardonnay, he also collapses and dies shortly after drinking it.
Although Parker hoped that the attendees would put a cork in it, soon, her winery is at the center of a social media firestorm. With #killerchardonnay trending online, Parker’s business is in danger of closing, and she has no choice but to investigate the murder herself.
To restore her reputation, catch a killer, and keep her struggling business open, Parker needs only one thing: some good proof.
Series: A Colorado Wine Mystery – Book #1
Author: Kate Lansing
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Wine Shop
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Page Count: 301
Rating: 
From Berkley Publishing Group comes the first book Killer Chardonnay in a new wine shop-based cozy series, “A Colorado Wine Mystery.”
Parker is a new business owner; she wants to make her wine on her own but wants her family’s support. The problem is, her family doesn’t seem interested, or so she thinks, other than her brother. Opening a business is taking everything she has, but she isn’t sure if it’s going to be enough. Having one of the least-liked critics in the area die the first day she opens, doesn’t bode well for the future. Social media has a new hashtag, and her business is in the middle of a storm that Parker may not recover from.
The characters in this debut novel are still growing, and that is an excellent way to start. Parker needs confidence in her skills with wine blends and business know-how, but overall she has the quirks and personality to keep readers interested. I am not a fan of a love triangle, especially in the first book in a series, but hopefully, this will be resolved in book two and not dragged out over multiple books.
I had two issues with Killer Chardonnay. Number one is the police investigation. In real life, there is no way Parker would have been permitted to carry on with business if the police thought her business or products had anything to do with the death of a patron. Everything would have been confiscated, down to the open bottles of wine, and the place closed down until the coroner makes a determination as to the cause of death: number two, the killer. I knew almost from the moment the murder happened the identity of the killer. When in the end, the motive is brought to light, it is not a surprise.
In general, this was a good first book in a series that holds great promise. I love wine businesses as a focal point in a series. The writing is very smooth and pretty much flawless. The setting is intriguing, and most of the characters are fun. The murder, although routine in many ways, is made fresh by the location. The suspects and there are plenty of them, all have good reasons to kill the victim, and no one will feel any sympathy for him. I am happy to recommend this book.
Similar amateur sleuth or wine-based cozies readers may enjoy include J.C. Eaton’s delightful series “The Wine Trail Mysteries” or perhaps Gail Oust’s mouth-watering series “Spice Shop Mystery”.
About the Author:
Kate lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, three-year-old daughter, and a chair-napping tabby cat named Maple. Her love for mysteries began when she devoured From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler as a young girl and has grown from there.
An award-winning short story author, her work has appeared in the Brave New Girls Anthology and the Crossing Colfax Anthology. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.
Represented by Pamela Harty of The Knight Agency
Contact Kate: kate@katelansing.com
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