Release: April 24, 2018
Series: Cypress Cove #3
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Author Website: carleneoneil.com

Synopsis

In Cypress Cove, someone is playing ruff. . .
Amateur sleuth Penny Lively is working her tail off trying to keep her family winery afloat. For the first time in her life she’s too busy to go looking for trouble. But when drugs are stolen from town veterinarian Annie Moore, Penny is there to help. After all, Annie is her cousin and best friend.

When Annie is later found over the body of her business partner, Penny knows it doesn’t look good. The police dig up a motive for Annie and she quickly becomes the primary suspect. Penny knows Annie is no murderer, and is determined to find the real culprit. When a second body turns up, Penny knows she needs to find the killer before anyone else is muzzled, permanently.

Meet Penny Lively, owner of Joyeux Winery
I hate to start out with complaining about the weather. I know in certain parts of the country it still feels like winter, and it’s already mid-April. I wouldn’t be complaining at all, but my poor vineyards are looking water-logged and rather sad. We need the rain in California, but for weeks now it’s been cold, damp and gray. Owning a winery may sound glamorous, but only if you aren’t trying to balance the books. My aunt left me the winery, but one catastrophic year, and I could lose everything to the bank.

On a brighter note, the stall in the harvest has given me plenty of free time, which I’ve been putting to good use helping my cousin Annie, the town veterinarian, prove she isn’t a murderer. Yes, I’ve managed to get involved in another horrible crime, but this time, honestly, what was I supposed to do? Annie, a murderer? She was found with her business partner, and yes, he had a knife in his back. Plenty of possible explanations, right? Now I just need to convince Lucas, our Chief of Police, that other suspects have more motive than Annie. Of course, when I find out Annie is getting more than a million dollars in insurance money, things get a little more interesting. . .


Carlene is giving away one set of wine charms. Leave a comment to be included in the giveaway. U.S. entries only, please. The giveaway ends May 2, 2018. Good luck everyone!


About the author
National bestselling author Carlene O’Neil is a former television writer, and is also a commercial real estate broker. Originally from wine country in northern California, she is certified by the Wine and Spirits Education Trust.

The Cypress Cove Mystery Series is set along the central California coast, and the similarities between the fictional village of Cypress Cove and the stunning town of Carmel are no accident. Currently she lives in Valencia, California, where she is at work on her next book.

Hair of the Dog is the third book in the Cypress Cove Mystery Series. Visit her on Facebook.

All comments are welcomed.