Book Review: Wine Country Mystery Series

The Wine Country Mystery books stand out in the cozy mystery genre for their storytelling, sense of history, and strong sense of place. Here’s why you should add them to your reading list:

• 🍇 Authentic Wine Country Setting – Set in Virginia, these mysteries give readers a fascinating look into the winemaking process while highlighting real locations that inspire the fictional setting. Ellen Crosby gives information on her site about the real locations!
• 🔎 Engaging Mysteries – Each book presents a new murder to solve, keeping you guessing until the very end.
• 📚 Historical and Cultural Depth – Crosby weaves in historical details and intriguing facts about Virginia, making the series educational as well as entertaining.
• 🕵️‍♀️ A Strong, Smart Protagonist – Lucie Montgomery is a compelling heroine who doesn’t back down from a challenge, whether it’s running a vineyard or solving a crime. (And, of course, there is some romance, but it’s authentic and enjoyable.)

Books in The Wine Country Mystery Series

The twelve-book series (expected to be 13 by 2025!) began with The Merlot Murders, where we first meet Lucie Montgomery, a headstrong young woman who loves her family and history. She’s living in France when her brother calls with the news that their father has been killed in a hunting accident on the family vineyard. Of course, that is tragic enough, but then Lucie discovers that the vineyard is in disarray (and is broke) and, even more disturbing, she begins to doubt that her father’s death was truly an accident. Lucie is on the case, determined to both save the vineyard and uncover her father’s murderer.

Throughout the series, we see Lucie and the vineyard grow and mature…and continue to solve murders. Many of the characters return throughout the series, and the location itself plays a big role in shaping the stories.

The rest of the books in order are:

• The Merlot Murders (2006)
• The Chardonnay Charade (2007)
• The Bordeaux Betrayal (2008)
• The Riesling Retribution (2009)
• The Viognier Vendetta (2010)
• The Sauvignon Secret (2011)
• The Champagne Conspiracy (2016)
• The Vineyard Victims (2017)
• Harvest of Secrets (2018)
• The Angels’ Share (2019)
• The French Paradox (2021)
• Bitter Roots (2022)
• Deeds Left Undone (2025)

Each book offers a unique wine country mystery with a fresh twist, making it easy to get lost in the series. Whether you’re a longtime cozy mystery reader or new to the genre, these books will transport you straight to the vineyards of Virginia.

My Favorite Part of the Series

Along with entertaining stories, each book also features well-researched historical facts about topics like growing grapes, Thomas Jefferson bringing wine to the United States, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s time in France. Ellen Crosby, the author, spent most of her career as a journalist living all over the world, and you can tell by how well-researched her books are—the facts are seamlessly woven into the story, so it never feels like a history book or news report.

I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Ellen Crosby speak and, as mentioned, visiting some of the locations that inspired the series—it’s been absolutely delightful! (The wine was also quite tasty…🍷). If you love cozy mysteries, wine, and history, I highly recommend this series—especially for any of my Virginia friends!

(This series is also included in my list of books about wine—a fun list for wine lovers!)