My methods for picking out which mystery books to read is a rather strange process. One of the methods is to read a book by an author that I like, once I’m done with the book, I flip to the last pages. Often times on the back page there is a recommendation list of authors and books from the same publisher they suggest I read. I usually start there. My second method is to look at the book titles and pick the ones I like. I read the back cover and if I like what I read I check it out from the library or download it to my Kindle. These methods almost never let me down. The latter method is the method I used when I picked up Murder Uncorked by Michele Scott.
This is the first book in the Wine Lover’s Mystery and the first book by Michele Scott that I’ve read. I’ve got to say “pretty good book”. I found myself wanting to get to the end of the book, not because it was bad, but because I wanted to see who the murderer was who I thought it was. After finishing the book, I can say I was way off base. WAYYY OFF!! Ms. Scott threw all us readers for a loop. To solve this murder, we readers need to think outside the box.
This book revolves around Nikki Sands, who when we first meet her is a struggling actress who is currently a waitress working at an upscale restaurant. She comes across a couple, whom she starts talking to about the dishes and wines they offer. When the female counterpart of the couple goes to the ladies room, she asks Nikki to tone down her knowledge of wines. Nikki decides not to, and for her non efforts, the lady decides to get her fired by staging a spill. Rather than get fired, she quit and left. She goes to a bar and has a drink, when who should show up, but the male counterpart of the couple. He found her to apologize and buy her dinner. After a while, she learns that he is Derek Malveaux, owner of Malveaux Wines. He offers her a job working for his winery and that’s when all goes wrong.
On her first day, she finds the body of Gabriel Asant, the winery’s winemaker and Derek’s friend. The next day at Gabriel's memorial, she finds the body of Minnie Lark, who not long before she turned up dead confessed to Nikki that she and Gabriel were lovers. The police are interested in Nikki because she keeps finding the bodies and are in interested in Derek. Along the way we meet Derek’s crazy stepmother, Patrice, his half-brother, Simon, and his ex-wife, Meredith. We also see a spark ignite between Nikki and Derek.
I liked this book. I loved the story line and the mystery. I loved how the author puts recipes throughout the book and pairs them with different wines. That's definitely something to try. I’m admitting now that I hope Derek and Nikki get together. They would make a nice couple. Then again that could just be the romantic in me.
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