Review of Wine Tastings are Murder by Libby Klein #15BooksForChristmas #ChristmasReadingChallenge

Happy Publication Day to Libby Klein for Wine Tastings are Murder!

While this isn’t a Christmas story, it’s one of the books I put on my #15BooksForChristmas list. The cover looks pretty festive though!

When Poppy and Aunt Ginny agreed to host a Wine and Cheese Happy Hour for a tour group at their Butterfly House Bed and Breakfast on the Jersey Shore, they never anticipated such a sour bunch. Grumpy guest Vince Baker should be in a better mood–he’s filthy rich and on his honeymoon with his much younger wife Sunny, who seems to dote on him almost as much as her high-spirited teacup Pomeranian, Tammy Faye Baker.

But the honeymoon is over when Vince drops dead the next day touring the Laughing Gull Winery. Turns out he’s been poisoned, and it seems like everybody on the tour is hiding something. Now Poppy has to put her gluten-free baking on the back burner and bottle up her feelings for the two men in her life while she charges after a bitter killer with a lethal case of sour grapes…

Available on Amazon.

Book 5 in the Poppy McAllister mystery series is another intriguing, funny, delicious installment.

Okay, let’s get to the juicy murder mystery. Who killed Vince? Well, an easier question would be, who didn’t want Vince dead?! Is it his young, trophy wife? What about his spoilt daughter or her insufferable husband? Wait, other guests in this tour and residents of Cape May knew him too? What? There are suspects, suspects and then more suspects. Maybe a couple of them are connected? Maybe it just seems like they might be? Is everyone who or what they purport to be? While uncovering all these possible suspects, possible motives and trying to figure out just who had the best motive, you’ll also be treated to the investigative shenanigans of Poppy and her friends. Everything comes out in the Miss Marple-esque big reveal towards the end. I loved it!

Whether you want keto, paleo or regular, Poppy has a pastry cooking up to please your palate. I really wouldn’t mind trying some of those cakes and tarts she was busy describing and serving. The food, is certainly featured throughout the story but not in way that detracts from the mystery.

The romance: If you’ve read even one of the books in this series, you’ll know all about the Tim-Gia-Poppy triangle. Ugh! Finally we pretty much come to an end of the drama but there’s a twist. Sigh. I wanted this part of the story properly over and done with and for us to move into Book 6 with a ‘happy’ couple. Ah well, it still makes for some fun stories… for the most part.

Aunt Ginny and her friends are up to their usual antics, even if a bit crazier than usual. Umm, burlesque dancing exercise? My oh my… the visuals. But I dare you to read it and keep a straight face!

Overall Wine Tastings are Murder is another well-plotted, entertaining instalment in this series. I highly recommend it and serve up 4.5 espresso shots!