Customer Reviews

Silenced by Syrah (Center Point Premier Mystery (Large Print))

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Silenced by Syrah is the third book in the wine lover's mystery series. I loved it. The characters are rich and full of life and just keep growing on me. Nikki Sands the amateur sleuth, is a very true to life character and investigates as an amateur sleuth would without the privelage of law enforcement knowledge or the resources they have at hand. Instead she uses good old fashioned deduction and brain power.
All of the characters are well drawn and rounded out. They are also sympathetic and quite believable, not larger than life or too quirky, which can distract from a book. I find myself rooting for them from page one and throughout the entire book. The secondary characters bring so much to the story as well through their own trials and tribulations. The nice part is that everything is expertly interwoven and all a part of the storyline, so it is not disjointed leaving you scratching your head. Through all three books I've seen the characters grow as well, some have even matured in certain ways, and special bonds/friendships formed. Especially Simon and Marco. At first I thought them annoying, now they are very likeable and good allies to Nikki. You know a book is written well when the characters can grow along with a series.
Ms. Scott's plots are always cleverly woven throughout the book and almost anyone could be the villain. I thought that I had the killer all figured out in this third book but I didn't. I'd like to say I was pleasantly surprised but I wasn't. I like to beat the author at their own plotting game but she won this time as she has the other three times, but all is forgiven. Maybe one of these times I can outsmart this author. But her plotting skills are exceptional.
She is also a wonder at weaving in some sexual tension between Nikki, Derek and Andres, which can put Nikki in quite a predicament at times, and it does, but it NEVER distracts from the mystery. It only adds to the realism of the book, the characters and the plot.
Ms. Scott does a masterful job with the setting and atmosphere in these books. She makes you want to be a part of the wonderful Malveaux Estate and hang out with Nikki Sands and the gang. The Napa valley and all it has to offer in this wine lover's mystery series is as comforting as sitting down with one of Ms. Scott's books and getting away from it all. The only thing that could be better is knowing that she also writes a Horse Lover's mystery series that is just as good. I always look forward to her next book and am a big fan. She is a superb author and I'm glad I bought that first book!
The recipes and wine pairings are an added bonus to this series. My only suggestion is to eat before reading one of Ms. Scott's books. You will get hungry. I would also suggest reading this series from the beginning as you will see the character growth of all of the main characters in the series and this will only add to the entire reading pleasure of this excellent mystery series. Try the Horse Lover's Mystery Series as well. You don't have to be a big horse love to enjoy the book. The writing and storyline will drawn you in from page one. Enjoy!

I've read every book in Michele Scott's "wine lover" series, and I really enjoy the premise. Nikki Sands is a failed actress (she had a short-lived TV series as a detective) who ends up as manager of a Napa valley winery. Whereupon she just happens to stumble on bodies, and for whatever reason feels it's necesary to find out The Truth herself. So far, so good.

This entry, however, is... okay. Only okay. The mystery itself is fine, in regard to the whodunnit and the author's ability to share clues without spotlighting them. (Sometimes it's contrived, but that's okay for this sort of book.) Scott continues to intersperse recipes between chapters, and that really *does* work, in a very charming way; so does her lighthanded education on wine and food pairing.

Where Silenced By Syrah stumbles is in the plot. In the earlier books, Nikki had perfectly good reasons to be an amateur sleuth. This time, her reasons weren't all that strong, and as I commented to a friend, "She really *is* being a nosy parker!" And while I recognize that other people enjoy the "which man shall I choose" romantic ambiguity, as Nikki has to deal with two compelling beaus... well, I grew tired of it. (Look, girl, make a decision already!) More to the point, it was a distraction from the mystery, and it got in the way of storytelling.

Plus, this book is a little less polished than the others. At one point Nikki leaves the dog at the roadside while she runs after a bad guy, and the poor dog disappears for about 100 pages. I kept worrying that Ollie was _still_ sitting next to the road, until thankfully he appeared in the last chapter or two. Whew, the critter got back home okay. Yes, that's a trivial issue but (a) of such trivia are mystery book clues created (b) Scott made the relationship between Nikki and Ollie far more real than she did for some "main" characters who are barely charcoal sketches and (c) it shows that the book needed one more pass by an editor.

Oh darn, that sounds way too serious. This is a fun book. It's not *quite* as fun as the others, but they were outstanding and this is "only" good. I took Silenced by Syrah with me on a cross-country plane trip, and at no time did I feel that reading the airline magazine would be a better use of my time. If you liked earlier books in the series, you'll like this fine, though you might grab another one off the Summer Reading Pile first. If you haven't read earlier books... well, this is okay, but you really should start with the earlier books just to gain from the character development.

Sensual bath treatments, facials, massages . . . mouth-watering Italian food. The atmosphere is fabulous. The book takes place in California grape-growing country, with a winery, an elegant hotel, an Italian restaurant, and a spa. The book also has recipes for that wonderful Italian food.

Nikki finds a body and she is determined to find out who the killer is. The adventures she goes on in order to solve the mystery are fun and interesting, but also tense and edgy. Once she starts going on these adventures, the book was hard to put down.

Nikki is the main character, and I love her. I also love the character of Alyssa, even though she is not a main character. I think she adds a lot to the book.

The solving of the mystery was clever. It had a nice twist.

I can't wait to make the Margherita Pizza. It sounds like the most scrumptous thing ever.

The new restaurant, Georges on the Vineyard, is about to open in the new boutique hotel and spa at Malveaux Estates. It features star chef Georges Debussey. He is well-known for his cuisine as well as his lack of couth.

Georges goes for a Syrah bath splash at the spa to relax before the restaurant grand opening. When he doesn't return, Simon and Marco get Nikki to find out what's wrong. She finds him dead from a gunshot.

Detective Robinson rubs Nikki the wrong way when he tells her to not play Nancy Drew. She sets out to investigate on the sly.

During all this, Andres asks her to go to Spain with him. Nikki is upset most with the way he asks. And she isn't sure what she should do. And then there's Derek.

Nikki finds herself in danger along the way. Can she figure out who the killer is before someone else dies?

I really like this series. Nikki is such a fun character. The sexual tension created between Nikki, Andres, and Derek really adds to the storyline, but I do hope she makes a decision soon. When I first met Simon and Marco, I found them to be obnoxious, but now I really enjoy them. They add to the story and help Nikki along the way.

The Napa Valley setting really adds to the story as well. It seems so serene in the midst of the murder investigation. I would love to spend a week at the new hotel at Malveaux Estates.

Whether you like wine or not, give this series a try. I recommend reading them in order, but you don't have to. I highly recommend this book and the complete series.

This is the third book in the ongoing series set in the Napa area of California. The stories are well constructed and the characters are likeable. This is the perfect summertime read, preferably with a chilled glass of Fume Blanc.

Thank you, Michele! Enjoyed it from cover to cover. Best with any type of wine you prefer. Put up your feet and open. (don't forget to lock your door first) Just the right blend of mystery, red herrings and romance.
Can't wait for the next installment!

I loved this book and I love the series. But this was the best book so far. I did not want to put it down. I did not want it to end. The author had me from beginning to end. I am not a wine drinker but I think I might pour myself a glass of wine and put my feet up and read the next one that comes out. I hope the next one comes out soon, for I am dying to see if Nikki ends up with Derek or Andres. My vote is for Derek. Nikki will never be happy with anyone until she gets her feet wet with Derek first!

Silenced by Syrah: A Wine Lover's Mystery is another good read from Michele Scott. Loved her first books in this series and this one does not disappoint. It captured my imagination from the beginning and left me wondering at the end. Can't wait for her next offering!

I have been reading the Wine Lover's Mysteries since Murder Uncooked debuted. I think that with each entry in this series, Ms. Scott continues to develope her characters well and the mystery is very engaging. There is humor and romance and this novel leaves the reader with a cliff hanger of who Nikki will ultimately choose. Readers were invited to go to Ms. Scott's website and vote and the answer to the voting will be revealed in the next novel. What a ploy to keep readership.

If you are a mystery lover, a wine lover, a foodie, or all of the above, do not miss any of this series. You will want to start with Murder Uncorked, and read the books in order so that you can follow some of the ongoing storylines. Can't wait for the next entry. At least Ms. Scott has another series, the Horse Lover's series, to tide me over until the next Wine Lover's.

The best so far ! As I read each one , the mystery is weaved and weaved thru the pages and I am enthraled !! Cannot wait for the next one -get busy writing Michele !!Love the themes !!