Review - Murder Uncorked
The First Mystery Novel in the Wine Lover's Series
When a Napa Valley and winery owner offers Nikki Sands a six-figure position on his estate, she jumps at the chance to leave LA. Unfortunately, murder follows.
In this first installment of the "Wine Lover's Mystery" series by Michele Scott, the reader learns the beginning of Nikki's relationship with both Derek Malveaux, her blonde, blue-eyed boss, and Andres Fernandez, the tall, dark, and handsome owner of a neighboring small vineyard.
An Offer She Couldn't Refuse
It all started in LA where Nikki, a struggling actress and full-time restaurant server, meets Derek who is entertaining a glitzy and phony woman who can't seem to help finding fault with Nikki. So more so that she engineers an accidental spill that costs Nikki her job. As the frustrated heroine is drowning her sorrows at a bar around the corner, Derek (sans the offending woman) joins her and offers her a job at his winery in Napa Valley, a job that pays several times as much as she was making at the restaurant.
Murder at Malveaux
Nikki flies up to Napa with Derek on his private jet and lands in the middle of a fairyland estate, complete with her own lavish guesthouse. As she's getting settled, however, she spies something moving in the underbrush behind the cottage. When she goes to investigate, she finds the dead body of the Malveaux's winemaker, Gabriel Assanti. So much for the idyllic atmosphere.
No Lack of Suspects
It seems that the Malveaux Estate is populated with a wild group of Derek's dysfunctional relatives and hangers-on -- most of whom have a motive for killing Assanti. There's the "Botox Buddies," actually Derek's step-mother, Patrice, and his ex-wife, Meredith. There's his gay half-brother, Simon, and Simon's partner, Marcos. There's even Derek's seemingly loyal accountant, Minnie Lark, whose allegiances have been divided between Derek and the dashing winemaker.
As Nikki learns more about this wacky group of people, she is drawn into seeking out the truth of the murder, a truth that just might put her in danger.
Murder Uncorked is a great first novel, a fun and fast-paced read, set in lovely Napa Valley.
About Michele Scott
Michele Scott is a California native and the author of four mystery novels, including three in the wine country series. Aspiring writers take heart: it took Ms. Scott ten years of perfecting and submitting her writing to get published. Her next novel, Death Reins (the second in her horse series) is set to be published in June of 2007. Ms. Scott lives in San Diego with her husband, daughter, and two sons. You can read more about Michele Scott, as well as excerpts from her books, on her well-designed Web site.
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