Rooted in Deceit by Wendy Tyson: It’s no summer vacation for environmental-lawyer-turned-farmer Megan Sawyer when a high-end yoga retreat opens in the next town over. But when up-and-coming artist and her ex-best friend Thana Moore is strangled in the back of her car, Megan is once again thrust into solving the latest mystery in Winsome.

Megan has no interest in the new retreat, but then the detectives on the case discover her father’s wife Sylvia had an explosive argument with Thana hours earlier, and the murder weapon is a scarf that looks suspiciously like Sylvia’s. Worse, Maria, the wife of Washington Acres Cafe’s superior-yet-grumpy cook, Alvaro, was fired after being suspected of destroying one of Thana’s paintings. Would Maria kill her out of revenge? Despite her attitude, would Sylvia truly be guilty of murder?

Megan must dive into her past to find Thana’s killer, even if she doesn’t like what she may find out about herself. If she doesn’t uncover the truth in time, will this idyllic Winsome summer turn into a nightmare.

Uncorking a Lie by Nadine Nettmann: 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 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.

Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente: A century ago, the Sentience Wars tore the galaxy apart and nearly ended the entire concept of intelligent space-faring life. In the aftermath, a curious tradition was invented–something to cheer up everyone who was left and bring the shattered worlds together in the spirit of peace, unity, and understanding.

Once every cycle, the great galactic civilizations gather for the Metagalactic Grand Prix–part gladiatorial contest, part beauty pageant, part concert extravaganza, and part continuation of the wars of the past. Species far and wide compete in feats of song, dance and/or whatever facsimile of these can be performed by various creatures who may or may not possess, in the traditional sense, feet, mouths, larynxes, or faces. And if a new species should wish to be counted among the high and the mighty, if a new planet has produced some savage group of animals, machines, or algae that claim to be, against all odds, sentient? Well, then they will have to compete. And if they fail? Sudden extermination for their entire species.

This year, though, humankind has discovered the enormous universe. And while they expected to discover a grand drama of diplomacy, gunships, wormholes, and stoic councils of aliens, they have instead found glitter, lipstick, and electric guitars. Mankind will not get to fight for its destiny–they must sing.

Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeroes have been chosen to represent their planet on the greatest stage in the galaxy. And the fate of Earth lies in their ability to rock.

Murder a la Mocha by Sandra Balzo Uncommon Grounds coffeehouse owner Maggy Thorsen is full of good intentions when she attempts to return Mocha, a lost chihuahua who jumped out in front of her car, to her owners. But a trip to the Satterwite's house and meeting their dog-sitter give Maggy a bad feeling... and leads to an even worse discovery. Can she solve another deadly puzzle?

Decanting a Murder

A Sommelier Mystery, #1

Nadine Nettmann

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Date of Publication: May 8, 2016
Number of pages: 264
Cover Artist: Pierre Droal/Deborah Wolfe Ltd.

Katie Stillwell focuses on two things in her life: work and practicing for her Sommelier Certification with her blind tasting group. The exam was supposed to be the hardest part of her week, but that was before a body was found at an exclusive Napa Valley winery party.

When all the evidence points to Katie’s best friend, the outspoken and independent Tessa, Katie drops everything to clear Tessa’s name. Using her deductive wine skills, she tries to track down the real killer. But when repeated attempts are made on her life, Katie discovers that everyone’s secrets must be uncorked—including her own.

Guest Post: 

Every chapter in Decanting a Murder has a wine paired with it, which means there are thirty-two wines to go along with the thirty-two chapters.

When I first started working on the book, I knew that wine would be a main focus of the story but I wasn’t sure how much. Don’t get me wrong, I knew that my main character would be a sommelier and the book would be set in Napa Valley, but it was only after I finished writing that the idea arrived to pair each chapter with a wine.

Sommeliers in restaurants help pair your meal with the perfect wine to accentuate the flavors. For example, Sauvignon Blanc complements light seafood dishes while Chardonnay pairs well with rich seafood. I applied this pairing idea to Decanting a Murder and provided a wine that went along with each chapter for a specific reason.

Chapter One is paired with Champagne because, as stated with the pairing in the book, it’s “ideal as an aperitif to get you started.” Champagne is a great aperitif to enjoy before a meal or perhaps during a cocktail hour. It starts the evening off nicely which is why I chose to start the book with Champagne.

To jump ahead to later in the book, Chapter Fourteen is paired with a Zinfandel because it’s “a rich and jammy wine filled with promise and intrigue.” Chapter Fourteen also has a lot of promise and intrigue, but I don’t want to reveal any spoilers so I’ll leave it at that.

Some pairings may not be as obvious, such as Chapter Nineteen. I paired this particular chapter with Chianti Classico and listed the reason as, “an Italian wine made from the Sangiovese grape, pairs well with game.” The reason for the pairing might become apparent as the reader goes through the chapter, and it might not. It’s all part of the fun of learning more about wine and enjoying wine for different reasons.

I decided not to list specific wineries in the pairings because I wanted readers to be able to apply their own favorite wineries or at least be able to select wines from the stores in their area. By listing varietal and location only, the specific winery is up to each reader!

I hope readers enjoy the pairings as they read along, but I would recommend only drinking one or two while reading, especially if they are fast readers. After all, there’s a mystery to be solved.

Giveaway: 

Author Bio:

Nadine Nettmann, a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, is always on the lookout for great wines and the stories behind them. She has traveled to wine regions around the world including Chile, South Africa, Spain, Germany, and every region in France. When she’s not visiting wine regions or dreaming up new mysteries, her travel articles have appeared in AAA Hawaii, New Mexico Journey, Modern Luxury Hawaii, and Inspirato. Nadine is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. She lives in California with her husband.

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