A Sip Before Dying: Wine and Dine Mysteries Book #1

Gemma Halliday

May 2019 · Wine & Dine Mysteries Book 1 · Gemma Halliday Publishing

About this ebook

From #1 Amazon, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Gemma Halliday comes a brand new series full of mystery, laughter, and murder in wine country...

The Oak Valley Vineyard has been in Emmy Oak's family for generations. So when the small Sonoma winery is suddenly in financial trouble and in danger of being gobbled up by the corporate giants, Emmy moves home to try to save her legacy with her modern culinary know-how. First step-she throws a party showcasing her latest vintage and signature tasty treats to a group of wine country's most elite enthusiasts. Only when one of her VIP guests sips a glass of poisoned wine and dies in her cellar, Emmy's name is on everyone's lips for all the wrong reasons.

The victim was the young, boy-toy husband of one of Silicon Valley's most successful female CEOs... and his playboy ways and suspicious spending habits have almost no one mourning his death. Enter Detective Christopher Grant, recent SFPD transplant, who is assigned to the case and immediately hones in on Oak Valley. But Emmy is determined to clear her winery's name-even if Grant's dark eyes, sexy smile, and mysterious past threaten to distract her. After calling in the big guns to help her-a.k.a. her jewelry designer best friend and copious amounts of cookie dough ice cream-Emmy finds herself digging through a slew of suspects to uncover crimes, grudges, and secret affairs that could put a soap opera to shame. Can Emmy find out just which of the upper crust poisoned the victim's vintage...or will Emmy's next sip be her last?

**Simple and delicious recipes included!**

Ratings and reviews

This was a fun start to a new series. Emmy seems like a smart, capable woman, and the other characters were fun to read. Emmy is trying her best to keep her family's winery afloat. She hosts a party in the hope that she will then acquire some new customers. Unfortunately a VIP guest is found dead in the cellar, meaning Emmy's hopes of new business are dashed, as the bad news of a dead body spreads through town. Using her own initiative, Emmy tries to find out what really happened, and in return, hopes that finding the killer will alleviate anyone's concerns about her winery. I really enjoyed this story. Not too intense, but enough intrigue to keep you reading. Look forward to book 2!

A Sip Before Dying is an interesting cozy mystery set in wine country. There are many suspects and a lot of plot twists. A bonus is that I did not guess the murderer! Emma and Ava are both very vested in seeing their businesses succeed. When a murder occurs at the invitation only party Emmy planned to showcase her winery, she and Ava attempt to find the murdered. With sparkling characters and a hunky detective, this is a cozy mystery you will not want to miss.

About the author

Gemma Halliday has worked as a film and television actress, a teddy bear importer, a department store administrator, a preschool teacher, a temporary tattoo artist, and a 900 number psychic, before finally deciding to be a writer. Gemma has written several mystery novels and been the recipient of numerous awards, including two National Reader's Choice awards and three RITA nominations. Her books have hit both the USA Today and the New York Times Bestseller lists. Gemma is the author of High Heels Mysteries and the Marty Hudson Mysteries as well as several stand-alone titles.