It was the kind of invitation sommelier Katie Stillwell had only dreamed about: a dinner party at the Sonoma mansion of famed wine collector Paul Rafferty to celebrate a rare bottle. Everyone enjoys drinking the $19,000 wine, but Katie realizes it’s not the vintage listed on the label. When she confides in Mr. Rafferty, he asks her to investigate, and she soon discovers the deception goes beyond … goes beyond money–it includes an accidental death that might just be murder. As Katie falls deeper into the world of counterfeit wine, she learns everything is at stake…even her life.
Praise:
A finalist for the 2018 Mary Higgins Clark Award
Winner of the 2018 Silver Medal IPPY Award Winner in Mystery/Cozy/Noir
“Fake wines, charity auctions, collector obsession, and a splash of romance enliven this blend. Nettmann, a certified sommelier, certainly knows her stuff.”–Publishers Weekly
“Nearly every page sparkles with commentary about wine…Uncorking a Liefills an appealing niche with its likable heroine and enticing, engaging world.”–ForeWord Reviews
“A good mystery with a limited group of suspects and unlimited wine lore.”–Kirkus Reviews
“A good sophomore outing for a strong new series.”–Mystery Scene
“The books are lively and breezy, well-plotted and heightened by danger.”–Sonoma Index-Tribune
“Bright and delightful, Nadine Nettmann’s latest Sommelier Mystery offers another intriguing foray into the elusive world of wine auctions, collections, and rare vintages. Featuring the charming and refined Katie Stillwell, Uncorking a Lieserves up an imaginative blend of quirky characters and curious clues, with dashes of danger and hints of romance. Should be opened and enjoyed immediately!”–Susanna Calkins, author of the award-winning Lucy Campion mysteries
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UNCORKING A LIE by Nadine Nettmann
The Second Sommelier Mystery
Paul Rafferty has finally found the bottle he’s been searching for, the 1975 Chateau Clair Bleu, and is celebrating with a special dinner with friends, including sommelier Katie Stillwell. But when Katie opens the wine, she immediately notices something wrong. The $19,000 bottle of wine is a counterfeit! Cooper, the only other person aware of the fraud dies that night in an apparent accident, but Katie isn’t so sure his death was accidental. Finally telling Paul the truth about the wine, he hires her to find out who is behind the counterfeit wine. Between working her job at the restaurant and studying for the Advanced Exam, Katie will attempt to ferret out the truth and uncork a lie.
Like fine wine, the Sommelier Mystery series gets better with age. This second entry is crisp and clean delivering a well executed mystery. As an admitted oenophile, I love the wine descriptions at the start of each chapter. Nettmann’s knowledge and love of wine shines through increasing my own appreciation for this delightful beverage. Katie Stillwell continues to be a likeable and relatable protagonist, although there was a scene near the end that made me cringe at the stupidity of her actions. That being said, I enjoyed following her thought process as she reasoned through the mystery as she would an unknown wine, finding clues and discovering the truth.
Revealing collectors and counterfeiters, professionals and fans alike, UNCORKING A LIE shows that wine is an integral part of the lives of many. Nadine Nettmann skillfully guides readers through this infinitely fascinating world of wine while providing readers with an entertaining mystery. I savored this book and look forward to the next!
Sommelier Katie Stillwell is thrilled to receive a dinner invitation from a renowned wine connoisseur. As she witnesses the opening of a rare bottle of wine he bought at auction, her reaction isn’t one of elation but one of dismay. She detects the wine is a fake. Soon murder, greed and deceit swirl around the shady business of counterfeit wines and threaten Katie’s goal to win her Master Sommelier designation. So does police detective Dean, whose interest in Katie may prove more of a distraction. Can she figure out what’s going on so she can get back to what’s important in her life? This delightful murder mystery mixed with a bit of wine lore is a charming debut in the Sommelier mystery series.
Katie Stillwell is thrilled to be asked to join a dinner party where wine collector Paul Rafferty is planning to share a rare bottle he’s recently purchased with his friends. However, Katie doesn’t think the bottle looks or tastes like an old bottle of wine should. Before the evening is over, someone is dead. When Paul asks Katie to look into what happened, she finds people covering up secrets. Can she find the truth?
Despite growing up in this book’s setting of Sonoma County, California, I’m not a wine guy. That wasn’t a factor for me at all in following this plot based very heavily on wines. Everything I needed to know was expertly explained. The plot was fast with lots of twists and clues to keep me engaged. The book also has strong characters, both returning and new.