Curl up with a glass of merlot and travel to California wine country, where a sweet, unsuspecting town becomes the site of mischief and murder… This is a cozy mystery that will check all your boxes: a charming bed and breakfast, a clever heroine and a lovable cattle dog named Rex…you are sure to fall for this series! Weeding out killers wasn’t part of the job description . . . Kelly Jackson, … manager of the Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast, is excited to participate in an event to raise awareness for the plight of struggling veterans in their Northern California coastal community. Local wineries are sponsoring tastings, and to prepare for a culinary competition, professional chefs will forage for wild edible greens. Kelly plans to come along, despite a warning to beware of poachers, who have been stealing the highly valued succulent Dudleya farinosa. The senior sleuths who call themselves the Silver Sentinels join forces with environmental activists known as the Succulent Saviors to thwart the poaching operation. When a consultant for the sale of a local winery is murdered, the poachers are suspected—but so is a wine merchant, Kelly’s friend Phil. As Kelly and the Silver Sentinels attempt to root out the real killer, what she digs up might just put her permanently underground . . .
more
This book is the sixth book in the Kelly Jackson mystery series. This book had an interesting spin on the traditional cozy mystery, as it included missing people and poachers. I enjoyed the story quite a bit and had no problem getting to the know the characters despite this being the first novel in the series I’ve read. Kelly Jackson utilizes the help of the Silver Sentinels, a group of seniors who are interested in solving crimes. I really liked that these seniors seemed to have distinct personalities and were not the typical quirky seniors complaining of aches and pains and getting away with acting strange because of their age.
I thought this was an interesting premise for the book with the multiple layers and I would be interested to read the other books in this series.
A copy of this book was provided to me by #NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.
Murder in the Wine Country by Janet Finsilver takes us back to Red Cove, California. Kelly Jackson, manager of Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast, is participating in an event to raise awareness on the plight of veterans. Kelly is looking forward the foraging expedition to look for edible greens. She is surprised when the game warden advises them to go in pairs because of poachers making off with a rare succulent, Dudleya farinose. The Silver Sentinels need a new project, so they begin looking into the poaching problem. Before the events can begin, a friend of Phil’s, Eric Stapleton is killed. Eric was acting as a consultant on the sale of the Sagatini Winery. Everyone is shocked when Phil ends up at the top of the suspect list. Kelly and the Silver Sentinels set out prove his innocence. Murder in the Wine Country is the 6th A Kelly Jackson Mystery. Each book in this charming series can be read on its own. I like the variety of characters in this series especially the Silver Sentinels. Tommy, Helen’s son, is a cutie who is full of energy. The setting of Redwood Cove is just lovely. The author’s vivid word imagery brings the setting to life. I found Murder in the Wine Country to be well-written and engaging with the story moving along at a steady pace. It was interesting learning about edible greens. The chefs make some tasty dishes with their foraged ingredients. I appreciate that the romance between Scott and Kelly moves along slowly. The spend time together when they can, and they are taking their time getting to know each other. The mystery had a couple of different components to it (which I loved). I liked that Kelly took a more active sleuthing role in this book. It is always entertaining following Kelly and the Silver Sentinels as they dig up clues and uncover the guilty party. Murder in the Wine Country has a great conclusion that nicely wraps up the mysteries. Murder in the Wine Country is a diverting cozy mystery with foraging for flora, wonderful wines, succulent stealers, valiant veterans, and a perplexing puzzle.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
What a great addition to this book wonderful cozy mystery series! Kelly is all excited for an upcoming event that will have a wide range of activities. One of them includes foraging for edible ingredients but they all receive a warning about poachers in the area after a rare yet valuable plant. As if that is not bad enough during their first excursion they are met by a group that claims to be protecting the area only they come off rather intimidating instead. Hoping for the best the itinerary moves forward until a consultant for the sale of a winery is found murdered making both the group and a wine merchant the main suspects. Kelly knows the merchant so she starts investigating in between her duties at the B&B as well as the events. What follows is a fantastic blend of food, wine tasting, clues, and a variety of characters that create a story readers can really love. A must read for fans of cozy mysteries. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
Janet Finsilver always comes through with yet another great cozy mystery. I love her characters, the dogs, and a setting where I would love to visit. I can’t wait for the next book in this delightful series.
I am a fan of this series so I was looking forward to visiting Redwood Cove Inn Manager Kelly Jackson and the Silver Sentinels again. I was not disappointed and found this sixth book in the series to be just as entertaining and engaging as the previous five books. There is a lot going on in this book and it hooked me right from the beginning. Ms. Finsilver has a wonderful, descriptive writing style that allows the reader to clearly picture the setting. Her characters are hitting their stride and have become like old friends. As with previous books, there are some new secondary characters, that while temporary, fit in with the story nicely. The only criticism for me is that I felt like we didn’t get enough of the Silver Sentinels this time around. It seemed like the sleuthing and investigating fell on Kelly’s shoulders in this book.
There are actually two different mysteries running parallel in this book. It takes a bit of time to determine if they are related or just two different mysteries to solve. The author does a great job of sending her reader foraging for clues trying to figure out which one will lead to the killer’s identity. Both are wrapped up with different climactic conclusions.
I always finish a book in this series having been entertained and looking forward to the next adventure for these characters.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
I’ve enjoyed the previous books in this series, so when I was in the mood for a familiar cozy mystery series I decided to pick this one up. Returning to this series always feels like spending time with familiar characters and it’s always fun to pick up another book in this series. This was again a great read and I liked seeing all the plot lines develop.
Murder in the Wine Country has a lot going on, at times I thought it might be too much for one book, but it sure made for an engaging read. There is this big event that the main character’s boss is putting together which forms the backdrop for a lot of the story. Then there are poachers who are active and a dead body. Kelly and the Silver Sentinels have to band together again to help solve this mystery. And then there are plenty of smaller side plot lines regarding the characters that are progressing as well.
So this book actually had multiple mysteries sort of running alongside each other, at first it was unclear what was related and what not, but that worked to keep the mystery up. I enjoyed seeing how everything developed, but looking back it did feel like a certain mystery was put on the back burner for most of the middle of the book and then got resolved rather quickly toward the end. There wasn’t as much figuring out suspects and finding clues, both mysteries were rather straightforward and most of the tension was in seeing how it all played out. With everything going on it definitely held my attention even with the mystery being not as strong as in some of the other books.
As this is book 6 in the series I really enjoy spending time with the by now familiar characters. Seeing the silver sentinels and Kelly try and solve the mysteries and seeing the intricacies of each of the characters. Then there is Helen and her son Tommy, the local law enforcement officer, Scott, as well as Phill, Daniel and other characters Kelly knows through her work. It has a rich cast of characters and it’s a joy spending time with all of them. Through the previous books I’ve gotten to know all of them, so even tough it’s a large amount of characters it’s never confusion. Then there is a whole new group of characters related to the event and some side plot lines regarding them that progress throughout the story.
To summarize: I enjoyed returning to this series for another great cozy mystery read and spending time with the by now familiar characters. This book has a lot going on with some main mysteries as well as various side plot lines, but it all works out and made for an engaging read. Looking back I did feel like one of the mysteries was put on hold for a large section of the book. The murder mystery was resolved rather easily by the end and lacked the longer looking for clues parts other books have due to the other mystery going taking place as well. It still made for a great read and I liked the unique twist to have two mysteries going on in the same book. One of my favorite parts of this series is spending time with all the characters again and seeing what’s going on. There are some character related side plot lines as well and I liked reading it and seeing how everything developed.
“Plant poaching? Who knew?”
Murder in the Wine Country is the first book I’ve read by Janet Finsilver – and, therefore, the first book I’ve read in the Kelly Jackson mysteries. While there was a little bit of a learning curve as far as learning who everyone was & how they were connected, overall I think it works perfectly well as a standalone.
Kelly is a very likable heroine, the kind of amateur sleuth who wisely calls the police when needed… though she certainly also has moments where she jumps in to save the day at risk of her own life. She’s also the kind of character who genuinely seems to care about other people, and even as a fairly recent transplant to the area she has a wide circle of friends. These friends – from romantic interest Scott (any mystery purists needn’t worry – it’s a very very light romance thread) to local law enforcement, wine people (makers & tasters), Helen & Tommy (and of course doggy Fred), and the Silver Sentinels. The latter – a group of senior citizen amateur sleuths – is a delight to follow. Their dedication to crime solving and their intuitive natures, as well as their unique personalities, keep a smile on your face anytime they are on the page.
The mystery in Murder in the Wine Country is actually multi-layered. There’s a murder (as the title suggests) but also plant poaching in the area, wine theft, and a couple of missing people. Kelly & the Sentinels certainly have their jobs cut out for them as they race to clear a friend & solve the crimes before anyone else gets hurt! I enjoyed the progression of the clues & the reveal of the culprit(s) – it all was presented with a steady pace and clever plotting that easily holds your attention & keeps you engaged in the outcome.
Bottom Line: Murder in the Wine Country by Janet Finsilver is a smooth, easy read with charming characters and a picturesque setting. From exotic plant poaching to murder and everything in between, the mysteries in this cozy keep Kelly & the Sentinels busy and readers on their toes too. A delightful installment for fans of this genre and of the series!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
This mystery had very little mystery – the author felt the need to explain every thought she had which left little for the reader to think about. It’s a boring read.
Murder in the Wine Country by Janet Finsilver is the sixth book in her Kelly Jackson cozy series and did not disappoint.
The story immediately engaged my interest from the first chapter. Ms. Finsilver’s smoothly paced and well-crafted plot kept me turning the pages. The descriptive writing makes me feel right at home in this northern California coastal community now. I confess that I want to join forces with the Silver Sentinels in each investigation. There is actually more than one mystery in this book that needs to be solved and Kelly manages to be involved in all of them. I love this series and look forward to each book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Press via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.