Wining and Dying
Book Summary
Wining and Dying by Daryl Wood Gerber has Crystal Cove buzzing as it prepares for the Fifth Annual Art and
Wine Festival. Jenna Hart is a finalist
in the art competition, and she is busy completing her creation. At the opening
ceremony, Jenna receives praise for her painting while a fellow finalist
creates discord. Late that evening,
Jenna receives a frantic call from Yardley asking her to quickly come to the
Crystal Cove Inn. She arrives to find the
problematic artist from earlier in the evening dead in a cabana. Unfortunately, the evidence points to a
friend’s husband and a fellow artist as the guilty party. Jenna knows he would not harm anyone and
works to prove it. Chief Cinnamon
Pritchett does not appreciate Jenna’s involvement or her speculation. That is not about to deter Jenna who will not
let a friend be the fall guy.
My Thoughts
Wining and Dying by Daryl Wood Gerber is the 10th A Cookbook Nook Mystery. It is always a pleasure to visit Crystal Cove
where Katie is sure to be whipping up a delectable treat for Jenna and her
friends. Jenna Hart and Rhett Jackson
are working with their wedding planner on their upcoming nuptials. The final touches are also being done on their
new home. The characters are the
backbone of this charming series. They
are warm and friendly. I like how they
have evolved since the beginning of the series.
The author lets this engaging cast of characters continue to grow, but
she has not rushed it (like the romance between Rhett and Jenna). I just love Jenna’s cat, Tigger (I have a
weakness for ginger cats). There are plenty of cozy moments for readers to
enjoy interspersed with the mystery.
When a fellow artist is killed and a friend is framed, Jenna works to
uncover the truth. There are several
suspects along with good clues and a red herring. I liked piecing together the clues and
solving this whodunit. I also enjoyed
the suspenseful reveal. One of these
days, Chief Cinnamon Pritchett will arrest Jenna out of pique. There were some great cookbook references including
a couple for cookies (those are the ones I jotted down). I look forward to Jenna and Rhett’s wedding
(hopefully in the next book). There are
recipes at the end of the book including one for Katie’s wine cookies. Wining and Dying can be read as a standalone
if you are new to the series, though, I think it is best read in order. Wining and Dying is a delightful tale with
wonderful wines, pretty paintings, tasty treats, a departed painter, wedding
woes, a curious cat, and a framed friend.
Kris
The Avid Reader
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