Deadly Crush

Description

It’s the beginning of a new year, and for widowed single mom and recent L.A. transplant to California wine country, Cece Barton, that means green hillsides, flowing streams from winter rains, pruned vineyards—and a murder to solve . . .

After a mostly stress-free Christmas with her college-age daughter, and despite enjoying a current budding romance with fellow newcomer, Benjamin Cohen, it’s time for Cece to focus on Vino y Vida, the Colinas wine bar she manages. Electrical work and an outdoor security camera are needed, and she’s hired local electrician Karl Meier to do the job, along with the help of his nephew Ian. But she regrets her choice when she witnesses Karl needlessy berating Ian in her presence. On top of that, Karl leers at her, then presents her with an inflated bill before the work is complete. Still, she’s shocked when she gets a call from Karl’s ex-wife, Josie, that she’s found Karl . . . crushed to death beneath the lift in her automotive shop.

Cece convinces Josie to call the police, even though Josie is terrified. After all, Karl was an abusive husband, was threatening her, and she has no alibi. With Josie’s future on the line, and maybe her own, Cece starts her own investigation. From the customers Karl cheated to the other women he harassed, she finds there’s no lack of suspects—other than the shelter kittens to whom he was an uncharacteristically sweet volunteer. With a bouquet of motives and unanswered questions, Cece is going to need the help of her twin, Allie, who owns a nearby B & B, as she dives into Karl’s past—before the killer catches up with her, and the lights go out for good . . .Praise for Murder Uncorked
 
“A mouthwatering new cozy series. I’m looking forward to more of Cece Barton’s sleuthing in California’s wine country.” —Gigi Pandian, Agatha-Award winning author on Murder Uncorked
 
“Beautifully balanced plotting pairs nicely with rich sensory details and distinctive characters in this top-shelf debut. California dreaming at its finest, Maddie Day had me at Merlot.” —Carlene O’Connor, USA Today bestselling author of the Irish Village mysteries
 
“Murder Uncorked is cozy mystery perfection. Cece Barton is a wonderful protagonist; smart, intrepid, and compassionate. Maddie Day’s writing is so vivid that I can envision the rolling hills of California’s Wine Country and taste the delectable vintages that Cece pours at Vino y Vida Wine Bar. And the plot is full of unexpected twists and turns. A toast to a wonderful new series uncorked by a master of mystery.” —Ellen Byron, USA Today bestselling author of the Cajun County mysteries
 
“Cece Barton’s wine glass is definitely half-full in Maddie Day’s series debut, Murder Uncorked. Day’s genius is to pair a plotty puzzle of a murder mystery with a richly detailed small-town setting, like the perfect platter of bar snacks and the perfect pour. Cheers!” —Catriona McPherson, award-winning author of the Last Ditch Motel mysteriesMaddie Day is the Agatha Award-winning author of the Cozy Capers Book Club Mysteries, the Country Store Mysteries, the CeCe Barton Mysteries, and the Local Foods Mysteries, as well as other series and short crime fiction written under the name Edith Maxwell. A member of Mystery Writers of America and a proud lifetime member of Sisters in Crime, she is a regular contributor at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen and belongs to the Wicked Authors, a group of bestselling authors who blog at WickedAuthors.com. Day lives with her beau and their cat Martin north of Boston, although she knows Indiana, California, and Cape Cod intimately. She is a wine enthusiast, talented amateur chef, and former farmer and can be found online at MaddieDayAuthor.com.US

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