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Zusatztext " Killer Chardonnay offers a wonderful blend of suspense and humor. You’ll raise your glass to Parker Valentine, the charming sleuth at the center of this twisty and satisfying mystery. A most delightful debut!" —Cynthia Kuhn, Agatha Award winning author of the Lila Maclean Academic Mysteries "Parker Valentine...will steal your heart and pair it with a smooth mystery in this sparkling debut. A wine rack full of suspects won’t stop the determined sleuth and vintner from bottling up a killer and saving her dream. Killer Chardonnay has legs!" —Leslie Budewitz, Agatha Award winning author of the Spice Shop Mysteries " Killer Chardonnay is an engaging mystery filled with wine knowledge, romance, and a gutsy protagonist. Kate Lansing is a delightful new voice in the mystery genre and I can’t wait to read the next one in this series." —Nadine Nettmann, author of the Anthony, Agatha, Lefty, and Mary Higgins Clark Award nominated Sommelier Mystery Series. "A wonderful debut to a hopefully long-lasting series...A must-read for all cozy mystery fans, especially for those who enjoy a nice relaxing glass of wine while getting lost in a great book.” –Fresh Fiction "Lansing’s brisk style and her heroine’s efficient approach make her debut a treat." -- Kirkus Informationen zum Autor Kate Lansing is an award-winning short story author. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and a chair-napping tabby cat named Maple. Killer Chardonnay is her first novel. Klappentext A young winery owner won't let one sour grape ruin the bunch in the first installment of this exciting cozy mystery series. Parker Valentine has always dreamed of opening her own winery in her hometown of Boulder, Colorado. But she gets more than she bargained for when a food and wine critic unexpectedly shows up at Vino Valentine on opening day. A negative review could be fatal for her business, and not only does he seem to hate her chardonnay, he also collapses and dies shortly after drinking it. Although Parker hoped that the attendees would put a cork in it, soon her winery is at the center of a social media firestorm. With #killerchardonnay trending online, Parker's business is in danger of closing, and she has no choice but to investigate the murder herself. To restore her reputation, catch a killer, and keep her struggling business open, Parker needs only one thing: some good proof.Chapter One I arrange open bottles of wine behind the hard maple countertop from lightest to heaviest. A crisp white blend on the left, a jammy cabernet sauvignon on the right, and me, a cluster of nerves, right smack in the middle. Today is the grand opening of my winery-I still can't believe I'm saying that-my winery, Vino Valentine. The world will finally get to taste the fruits of my labor, which is equal parts exciting and panic-inducing. Because this is really happening. My crazy pipe dream is becoming a reality. Although, as I'm all too aware, my reality could very well turn into a nightmare. "Parker, where would you like these?" my assistant, Anita, asks, brandishing two baskets full of palate-cleansing crackers. Towering over me, her willowy frame is accentuated by wedge sandals, long blond hair pulled into a high ponytail, and a flowery tunic dress. "One on each end of the tasting bar," I answer. Anita places them as directed and then returns to my side. She caught me in the back earlier hyperventilating into a paper bag that was meant for packaging goods. Ever since, she's kept an extra-close eye on me. Which I appreciate. Really. Except sometimes a girl needs to have a meltdown in peace. She pushes thick-framed glasses up her nose. "So, are you ready?" "...
