Pinot Red or Dead? (The Wine Trail Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Lyrical Underground (March 26, 2019)
Paperback: 206 pages

Synopsis

There’s a lot of noir surrounding this rare pinot.

As the vineyards in Seneca Lake, New York, prepare for the seasonal “Deck the Halls Around the Lake” festivities, someone is determined to keep pinot noir off the wine list. Hijacked trucks and sabotaged ingredients have made it a hard-to-acquire vintage for the six local wineries—including Norrie Ellington’s Two Witches Winery.

The case of the stolen and spoiled wines gets stranger when Arnold Mowen, owner of the company distributing the wine, is found dead, the apparent victim of a hunting accident. As Norrie tries to find the connections between the pinot’s problems and Arnold’s death, she uncovers a conspiracy among many locals whose hatred for the wine distributor was bottled up for far too long . . .

Character Guest Post

Can Someone Explain My Dwindling, Disappearing Checkbook?

By Norrie Ellington, screenwriter and winery babysitter (The Wine Trail Mysteries)

It’s a mystery I’m still trying to solve and it’s worse than any horror movie or screenplay I’ve ever read or hope to write. And it’s happening right in front of me every time I open my checkbook or log into my online account. My money’s gone! Vanished! And quickly, too, I might add. When I think I should have a decent sum to get me through the month, I take a look and it’s indecent!!!

So where is it all going?  I finally decided that even Adrian Monk and Agatha Christie combined would have a hard time. But I’ve come to the following realizations if I want this nightmare to cease. Here goes:

• I’ve gotten too used to creature comforts. And so has my sister’s dog for that matter. We’re sharing her house in upstate New York so she and her husband can chase down some elusive insect in balmy Costa Rica. Anyway, I like warmth. So I keep the thermostat set at 75 degrees. My sister said to keep it at 69 but even medieval monasteries were warmer than that. Granted, each additional degree probably costs us twenty or thirty dollars a month, but who’s counting? And please don’t tell me to put on an extra sweater. I’m already walking around like an overstuffed goose.
• I’ve gotten used to good food. Flavorful food. I tried to vary my diet with cheaper alternatives but the result was a garbage can full of half-eaten meals and a very grumpy disposition. I didn’t dare change the dog’s food because I already knew what would happen. Trust me, I do enough cleaning up around here.
• Paper products. I use them abundantly. But I was willing to try less expensive versions. But here’s the caveat – I needed more of them to accomplish what the other brands did in the first place. Without the cursing.
• I thought dressing in style was costly when I lived in Manhattan but the attire for managing a winery is mind blowing. Forget gorgeous pashminas. Seems like I spend a fortune on L.L. Bean outdoor wear including fleece lined jeans! Not to mention the myriad of chambray shirts for the tasting room. Who knew cotton could be so expensive?
• The car. My trustworthy but old Toyota is a regular money pit. And upstate winters don’t help. I got by with one set of tires in the city, but here in little Siberia, I need snow tires, studs, and possibly chains!
• Coffee, lattes, and cappuccinos. Okay. I admit it. This is probably my biggest culprit. I thrive on coffee and its relatives. And please don’t suggest I brew weak tea or worse yet, drink warm milk. Without a daily burst of a wonderful and warm caffeinated product, my mind would go to mush. And I need that mind for my real job. I write romance screenplays for a Canadian film company when I’m not suckered into solving murders around here.

So, it looks as if this is one conundrum I’m not about to tackle. Because I really don’t want to know the answer.  I’ll just open the checkbook slowly and hold my breath…

About the Author

Ann I. Goldfarb

New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, she has authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington) set for release in June 2017. In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name.

James E. Clapp

When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. His first novel, Booked 4 Murder (Kensington) is set for release in June 2017. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching.

Website * Time Travel Mysteries * Facebook * Twitter

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway