Hey, y’all! Elise Beckett Landry here with my guy, Sheriff’s Deputy Jackson Landry. We’re coming to you from River Bend Winery and Vineyard in Delphine, Texas along the Colorado River. Say hello to the fine folks, Jax.
(Jackson gives a nod with the brim of his hat…)
Afternoon…
So, Dru reached out and asked us to stop by and give y’all an update on our recent nuptials and the fabulous honeymoon that—
(Jackson interrupts with a snicker…)
Fabulous? Well, I suppose it started out that way, darlin’. You gonna tell ‘em about the murder that followed?
For the love of mud, Jax! Why would you go straight to murder like that? Let me paint these lovely readers a picture of our big day and celebration first. After all, that’s the most important part, right?
(Jackson gives her a lazy smile…)
I suppose. Go on then.
(Elise sighs…)
Anyway, the wedding itself took place at Lodge Merlot, the event center out on our vineyard. My sister Madison is the coordinator for the Lodge and did an amazing job with the event right down to the last detail. It was everything I’d dreamed it would be. Jackson looking so handsome, the Lodge and grounds all decked out in such finery. It was really beautiful.
(Jackson gives her an adoring look…)
It was that, darlin’. And you were a vision. You took my breath away.
Aw, that’s so sweet. The honeymoon started out to be just as lovely. We spent ten glorious days in Napa Valley touring wineries, eating great food—
(Jackson rolls his eyes…)
And drinking more wine.
Alright, alright, yes, there was more wine. See, one of our friends from Delphine owns a controlling interest of Bella Luna Winery and Vineyard in Oregon, and since my family owns River Bend, she wanted us to see Bella Luna. So, she flew the entire wedding party up there for a week’s tour, and Jax and I joined them after our ten days in Napa.
(Jackson nods…)
Yep, and that’s where the trouble started.
Well, to be fair, it started long before that for Miranda and Bella Luna, but that’s another story. This first tour of the castle winery was supposed to show off its incredible architecture, and I was looking forward to seeing the wine operation, since propagation and such is what I do at River Bend. Unfortunately, as we took that first tour, we ran across a grisly scene.
(Jackson leans forward…)
And that’s were the murder comes in. My partner, Jim Stockton, was my best man, and he and I were first on the scene but waaay out of our jurisdiction.
Yeah, but that didn’t stop the Shiloh County sheriff from basically deputizing you and Jim, now did it?
Nor did it stop you from your normal snoopin’ and pokin’ around in police business, I will add.
Okay, that’s nothin’ for these folks to worry about. Anyhoo, y’all come down to River Bend sometime soon. We’ll open some wine, look at the wedding photos. Murder won’t even come up. I promise.
Champagne Toast, Murder Chaser – A River Bend Vineyard Mystery, Book 4
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: May 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Amazon | Barnes and Noble
The splashy wedding for Elise Beckett and Sheriff’s Deputy Jackson Landry was the event of the season at River Bend Vineyard in Delphine, Texas, and the first ten days of their honeymoon in Napa Valley wine country was just as lovely. Yet when the happy couple meets up with the rest of the wedding party at Bella Luna Castle Winery and Vineyard in Oregon, the end of their fabulous honeymoon trip takes a disturbing turn when the group tours the winery and discovers a body in a most bizarre setting.
Jackson and his partner, Jim Stockton are way out of their jurisdiction but are pulled into the investigation by the Shiloh County Sheriff. However, not to be sidelined, Elise starts digging. The mysterious death seems to have a connection to the original sale of the vineyard. It’s a history steeped in underlying land schemes, sabotage, and unsettled scores where secrets are plentiful and everyone is a suspect-even their good friend and majority shareholder, Miranda Rollins.
About the author
Champagne Toast, Murder Chaser is the fourth book in the River Bend Vineyard Mystery series and released on May 6th, 2025.
A native of Oregon, Joni Sauer-Folger spent twenty-two years with an airline traveling and moving around the country before settling down near the beautiful Pacific Ocean with her very spoiled cats. She writes Fantasy and Paranormal Romance under the name J.G. Sauer, and Cozy Mysteries under Joni Folger. When she’s not spending quality time with the characters she creates, she enjoys gardening, crafting, and working in local theater.