“[A] barrel full of textured plot twists, robust characters, and sparkling suspense . . . [A] mystery of the highest reserve.”
—Jenn McKinlay, New York Times best-selling author
"O’Neil has penned a witty and welcome entry into the field of the traditional mystery, with a smart and level-headed sleuth and a plot with as many twists as a grapevine. Welcome to Joyeux Winery--but do watch your step."
—G.M. Malliet, Agatha Award-winning author of the St. Just and Max Tudor mysteries
“Piquant, heady, and satisfyingly surprising.”
—Carolyn Hart, New York Times best-selling author
“[A] good series, with just the right amount of mystery to keep the reader coming back for more.”
—Suspense Magazine
“The author’s experience as a wine specialist shines…This novel accurately reflects the pressure, competition, and pride all vineyard owners have over their crops. Equally delightful is the truly likable heroine, whose intelligence is matched by her wry humor and dedication to upholding her particular ethics and sense of justice.”
—Kings River Life Magazine
“A well-rounded mystery that is a welcome addition to the cozy genre. This was a good read and I can’t wait to see what happens next in Cypress Cove.”
—Dru’s Book Musings
“The breathtaking setting and stellar cast of characters—from protagonists Penny and Antonia to their various employees and family members to Penny’s pets, gray tabby Petite Syrah and malamute Nanook—made this a sparkling debut.”
—Melissa’s Mochas, Mysteries & Meows
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Welcome to the Cypress Cove Mystery Series. The first two books in the series, One Foot in the Grape, and Ripe for Murder, are published by Berkeley Prime Crime. The series features Penny Lively, a former photojournalist that inherits a struggling family winery along the central California coast. Running the winery is hard work, but that doesn’t stop Penny from sniffing out crime, or the likely suspects. When you are as adept at finding killers as Penny is, “full-bodied” doesn’t just mean the wine, and so, armed with only a glass and her determination, she sets out to get her man, knowing if she doesn’t, someone else with be left withering on the vine…
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