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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful combination of history, winemaking & murder, September 8, 2006
Crosby has topped her first novel, Moscow Nights, by exchanging the bleak Soviet landscape for the luscious hills of Virginia. Other reviewers have reiterated the plot, so I'll confine my comments to the feel and breadth of the book. When I pick up a contemporary murder mystery (not so often these days) I don't expect to be wowed by the historical and technical detail in it. Somehow the author works Virginia, Civil War and wine making history into the story without interfering in the unfolding events of multiple murder. By the end of the book, I felt I needed to know how wine is processed and aged in order to fully grasp what was happening. I found myself rereading the descriptions of the barrel room and surroundings instead of skimming over them. I agree with the reviewer who thought Lucie was the only likeable character in the book. The first person narrative had us inside her skin and her paranoid, askewed perceptions. The old adage, "just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you," certainly applies to Lucie's predicament. Crosby expertly evokes Lucie's combined anger and grief over her injury, heart break and familys deaths. Somehow the character reaches into herself to get the strength to hold onto what was dear to her mother, the person most beloved by her. The oppressive heat and humidity only compound the heavy atmosphere of the book. The many (quirky)characters suggest a real community and also offer a cast for future stories. It will be interesting to see if and how Crosby develops Lucie's personality and allows her wounds to heal.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A PROMISING DEBUT FOR A NEW MYSTERY SERIES, August 25, 2006
"Murders don't happen in Atoka, Virginia. People don't even litter there." At least that's what Lucie thought when she returned to her family's vineyard after two years in France. She had gone to Europe in order to recuperate from a near fatal auto accident which left her with a badly disfigured leg and dependent upon a cane. Greg had been driving the car. He not only left her physically injured but also heartbroken. So, escaping to Grasse where she worked as a perfume institute guide had seemed like an excellent idea. She is coming home after a telephone call from her brother, Eli, informing her of their father's death. She is told he died in a hunting accident. Losing her father so suddenly is trauma enough but Lucie is all but devastated when she sees the state of her family's home and winery - utter disrepair. Further, Eli has already made funeral arrangements for their father without consulting her. It's going to be quick, too fast for Lucie. Eli isn't at all the brother she remembered. He's now the picture of sartorial elegance, married to Brandi who reminds all of a Playboy centerfold, and eager to get his hands on cash by selling their vineyard. Selling is out of the question as far as Lucie is concerned: "My mother had been excited by the renaissance in Virginia wine making that took place in the 1970s, among the first to see the possibilities of converting some of our acreage from growing hay to growing grapes. To give up now on her dreams, when our vines were just coming into their best production years, was unthinkable." Greg still has the burnished good looks of a Greek god and is dating Lucie's younger sister. Her godfather, Fitz, has taken to the bottle far too often. When he's found dead in a vat of Merlot some would like to say he fell in during a drunken stupor. Two mysterious deaths are two too many, and when Lucie realizes that someone would like her out of the way she determines not to be the third. She finds an ally in a most unlikely man. Ellen Crosby, a reporter for the Washington Post, enriches her story with information about wine making and descriptions of the verdant Virginia countryside. She builds suspense with a practiced hand, keeping readers turning pages until the mystery is solved. A promising debut! - Gail Cooke
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Complex Wine Mystery Début, August 17, 2006
In the 1st book in the Wine Country mystery series, we meet siblings Lucie, Eli, and Mia Montgomery. They are descendants of a once-wealthy family who owns a 500-acre vineyard in Virginia along with their father and godfather. Lucie has been hiding in France for two years, recovering both emotionally and physically from a devastating car accident that crippled her left leg and left her using a cane to walk. She receives a call from Eli early one morning, only to discover that their father has died under mysterious circumstances. Lucie goes home for the funeral, and discovers that their beautiful estate has become run-down and is deep in debt. Now that her father has died, Lucie's brother and sister want to sell the vineyard and split the proceeds. However, the vineyard is still owned in part by Lucie and her godfather, Fitz, who sides with Lucie and refuses to sell. When Fitz is found dead from another "accident", Lucie quickly begins to question whether one of her siblings is desperate enough for money to kill their father and godfather. Lucie must work fast to put a stop to the killings and try to save the vineyard that she dearly loves and wants to keep within the family. Being unlike many cozies on the market today with its complex and intricate plot, I was intrigued with the style and the writing in this book. The plot was interesting, and offered plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing as to the identity of the killer. I enjoyed the somewhat "tragic" character of Lucie, and how she continued to fight for everything she loves despite her disability. I look forward to reading more books in this fascinating new series. Enjoy!
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