09/10/2018
The discovery of a skull on the property of vintner Lucie Montgomery in Atoka, Va., kick-starts Crosby’s well-crafted seventh Wine Country mystery (after 2017’s The Vineyard Victims). Besides trying to determine the origin of human remains on her family land, Lucie must deal with the emotional impact of the appearance of a previously unknown half-brother. Meanwhile, French winemaker Jean-Claude de Marignac, to whom she was attracted 20 years earlier in France, arrives to take over as head winemaker at a neighboring winery. De Marignac’s subsequent murder once again puts Lucie on the sleuthing trail. The action is complemented by thoughtful, nuanced considerations of Virginia’s history of rocky race relations, modern agriculture’s dependence on immigrant farm labor, and fascinating digressions into the history of slavery-era textile design. Crosby is a steady hand in unraveling the tangled subplots, and she populates Lucie’s world with sympathetic secondary characters who come fully alive. Fans of contemporary regional mysteries will be well satisfied. Agent: Dominick Abel, Dominick Abel Literary. (Nov.)
Harvest of Secrets
Narrated by Christine Marshall
Ellen CrosbyUnabridged — 8 hours, 23 minutes
Harvest of Secrets
Narrated by Christine Marshall
Ellen CrosbyUnabridged — 8 hours, 23 minutes
Overview
The search for the killer of an aristocratic French winemaker who was Lucie Montgomery's first crush and the discovery of dark family secrets put Lucie on a collision course with a murderer.
It's harvest season at Montgomery Estate Vineyard-the busiest time of year for winemakers in Atoka, Virginia. A skull is unearthed near Lucie Montgomery's family cemetery, and the discovery of the bones coincides with the arrival of handsome, wealthy aristocrat Jean-Claude de Marignac. He's come to be the head winemaker at neighboring La Vigne Cellars, but he's no stranger to Lucie-he was her first crush twenty years ago when she spent a summer in France.
Not long after his arrival, Jean-Claude is found dead, and while there is no shortage of suspects who are angry or jealous of his ego and overbearing ways, suspicion falls on Miguel Otero, an immigrant worker at La Vigne, who recently quarreled with Jean-Claude. When Miguel disappears, Lucie receives an ultimatum from her own employees: prove Miguel's innocence or none of the immigrant community will work for her during the harvest. As Lucie hunts for Jean-Claude's killer and continues to search for the identity of the skeleton abandoned in the cemetery, she is blindsided by a decades-old secret that shatters everything she thought she knew about her family. Now facing a wrenching emotional choice, Lucie must decide whether it's finally time to tell the truth and hurt those she loves the most, or keep silent and let past secrets remain dead and buried.
Editorial Reviews
"A corker of an entry in a series that often pairs fascinating historical mysteries with clever modern ones."—Kirkus Reviews
"Well-crafted. Crosby is a steady hand in unraveling the tangled subplots, and she populates Lucie's world with sympathetic secondary characters who come fully alive. Fans of contemporary regional mysteries will be well satisfied."—Publishers Weekly
"The winery frame story supports the multifaceted plot, as do details layered into the tale about genealogical research, forensic anthropology, and DNA testing."—Booklist
"Crosby continues to display her superior narrative skills, her deft advancement of her recurring characters’ lives and her knowledge and love for the region of which she writes. Thought-provoking as well as entertaining, it marks another exceptional effort by Crosby."—The Free Lance-Star
Praise for The Vineyard Victims:
“Crosby's full-bodied eighth Wine Country mystery... keeps the reader guessing until the exciting climax.” —Publishers Weekly
“A fine mystery, solid characterization, and a shocking finale.” —Kirkus Reviews
"Author Ellen Crosby has uncorked a heady, suspenseful story...offering a sturdy plot and in-depth characters that enhance this colorful, complex page-turner."—BookPage
"Crosby concocts her usual absorbing plot, into which she blends her knowledge of Virginia's wine country. And in Lucie, she further develops a credible and captivating character who once again wins the reader's heart. Full-bodied and crisp, The Vineyard Victims goes down with ease."—Richmond Times-Dispatch
Praise for The Champagne Conspiracy:
“Charming, funny... a superior cozy.” —USA Today
“The wine industry and the ins and outs of running a winery provide the background for this mystery with its well-drawn characters and satisfying puzzles. Recommend to… anyone who enjoys mysteries in which historical research plays a key role.” —Booklist
“A series of cliff-hangers help propel the intriguing, well-paced plot. Like Lucie’s best wines, this story combines freshness, body, and considerable complexity.” —Publishers Weekly
“A sparkling and heady whodunit.” —Richmond Times-Dispatch
“Another cozy charmer!” —Library Journal
More praise for the Wine Country Mysteries:
“Crosby has constructed a neat whodunit, supported by enough wine-making lore to give it some extra body.” —The New York Times on The Merlot Murders
“Like a fine wine, Crosby’s debut is complex and intricate… This is a terrific kickoff to what promises to be a highly satisfying new series." —Publishers Weekly on The Merlot Murders
“Crosby imbues her work with a killer plot (and surprising conclusion), agreeable characters, polished prose and colorful detail. . . . Blended, they provide a superior yield.” —The Richmond Times-Dispatch on The Sauvignon Secret
“The meticulously researched historical background—always a hallmark in Crosby’s novels—is nicely balanced by an intriguing mystery.” —Booklist on The Vintage Vendetta
“If wine be the nectar of the gods, Ellen Crosby’s series of wine-flavored mysteries is a heady quaff for us mere mortals… The Bordeaux Betrayal is a long swallow of pure delight.” —Easton (MD) Star-Democrat
2018-08-21
Genealogy, history, and murder combine in a tale of passion and hatred.
Lucie Montgomery's day starts with a bang when one of the workers at her Virginia vineyard finds a human skull while cleaning up a damaged shed. The medical examiner who checks the site identifies the skull as that of a young woman long dead and recommends getting an expert to examine the site. Lucie, who has a feeling the dead woman may be a family member, resolves to check the family Bible and records to see if they hold a clue. Meantime, a hurricane is due to hit the area before part of the grape crop is ready to harvest. Lucie's fiance, winemaker Quinn Santori, makes the decision to pick the grapes if they can get help from the workers, who fear immigration raids. Even bigger trouble arrives in the form of Jean-Claude de Merignac, a Frenchman whose wealthy, aristocratic father has bailed him out of trouble with women throughout his life. Lucie's mother's family were friends of the de Merignacs, and Lucie had a crush on Jean-Claude when she was a teenager. As he settles into his job as winemaker for La Vigne, the neighboring estate, he's accompanied by rumors about his affairs. Another secret Lucie's hiding from Quinn is a DNA test that shockingly reveals that she and her siblings have a half brother, David Phelps, who's asked to meet and talk with her. David's mother is a well-known African-American politician who wants nothing to do with him. When Lucie does meet him, their talks about past history offer hints about who the unknown woman, now ascertained to be a murder victim, may have been. But Lucie's deepest crisis still awaits the moment when Jean-Claude is found stabbed to death.
A corker of an entry in a series (Vineyard Victims, 2017, etc.) that often pairs fascinating historical mysteries with clever modern ones.
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940169915211 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Blackstone Audio, Inc. |
| Publication date: | 11/06/2018 |
| Series: | Wine Country Mystery Series , #9 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
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