The hours that comprise my days are as diverse as the grape varietals I press, ferment, and sell in my winery. My winery, I still can’t believe I’m saying that. What used to be a fanciful pipe dream became a reality with Vino Valentine. Vino for the goods I’m peddling and Valentine for my last name—I’m Parker Valentine, BTW. And ever since I opened up shop, it’s proven to be beyond anything I ever imagined.

There are the amazing parts. Getting to share the fruits of my labor with the world. Pouring tasters for friends, family, and customers, who swirl, sniff, and sip their way through my Chautauqua Chardonnay, Pearl Street Pinot, and Mile High Merlot—each label paying homage to the locale, picturesque Boulder, Colorado.

And then there are the not-so-amazing parts. The dumpster-fire parts. Like, watching my chardonnay ripped to shreds by a renowned food and wine critic, and then discovering he died shortly thereafter, my wine being the supposed culprit. As if that weren’t bad enough, social media is now calling for my head on a corkscrew with the acerbic #killerchardonnay trending online.

No amount of yoga breathing, rock climbing, or snuggles from my cat Zin (short for Zinfandel) can cleanse my palate. The only way to salvage my vintner reputation and save my business is to put a proverbial cork in this murder case.

Killer Chardonnay is the first book in the NEW “Colorado Wine” cozy mystery series, released May 26, 2020.

A young winery owner won’t let one sour grape ruin the bunch in the first installment of this exciting cozy mystery series.

Parker Valentine has always dreamed of opening her own winery in her hometown of Boulder, Colorado. But she gets more than she bargained for when a food and wine critic unexpectedly shows up at Vino Valentine on opening day. A negative review could be fatal for her business, and not only does he seem to hate her chardonnay, he also collapses and dies shortly after drinking it.

Although Parker hoped that the attendees would put a cork in it, soon her winery is at the center of a social media firestorm. With #killerchardonnay trending online, Parker’s business is in danger of closing, and she has no choice but to investigate the murder herself.

To restore her reputation, catch a killer, and keep her struggling business open, Parker needs only one thing: some good proof.

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Meet the author
Kate Lansing is an award-winning short story author. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and a chair-napping tabby cat named Maple. Killer Chardonnay is her first novel. Visit her website at katelansing.com.

All comments are welcomed.