Kate Lansing

KILLER CHARDONNAY is a smart and juicy beginning to the Colorado Wine Mystery series set in downtown Boulder. The opening day of Vino Valentine turns into a disaster for owner Parker Valentine when a local wine & food critic dies after sampling her chardonnay. Of course Parker is horrified that this means the end of all her hard work, unless she can prove that her wine had nothing to do with his death.

This is the first cozy mystery I’ve read that centers around a winery, and it was a show more lovely change of pace. The rich descriptions of gourmet food and wine were delightful. Parker and the supporting cast of characters were well-developed and relatable, and their interpersonal challenges added to the enjoyment of the story.

Parker is a clever and determined amateur sleuth, and I enjoyed the intriguing mystery she was faced with solving. KILLER CHARDONNAY is a fresh and modern cozy mystery that will appeal to foodies and wine lovers. Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. show less

The Colorado Wine Mysteries by Kate Lansing keep getting better. Grab a glass of your favorite wine (I prefer a crisp Sauvignon Blanc… although since this is a Valentine themed book, you may prefer a juicy, red Dornfelder…) and get to reading!

In this series what really shines for me is how well Lansing incorporates wine making and history into the story. Some cozies use the food or hobby as more of a gimmick to get readers to pick up their book, but you can tell Lansing really enjoys her show more subject matter.

Along with the fabulous wine and delicious food accompaniments (thanks to Parker’s love interest) we also get an insider’s view into Colorado’s cities and countryside. My husband and I love to vacation in Colorado, but if I had never been there before, Lansing’s books would definitely make me want to plan a trip.

Besides all the above mentioned wonderfulness, the reader also gets to enjoy well developed and complex characters… no one dimensional people here. And in Mulled to Death there were a couple of incidents that read more like a thriller than a cozy, which was a fun change of pace and really had my heart racing.

The Colorado Wine Mysteries is a cozy series I highly recommend! show less

A Pairing to Die For by Kate Lansing is another great book in the Colorado Wine Mystery series! Once again, Lansing does an amazing job with character development. We meet Reid’s family right away in the book and see that Lansing can write characters who are horrible people, as well as characters you want to be friends with. The dinner scene at the beginning was so excruciating, but felt true to life for me. And if you’ve never experienced a dinner like that before, then I am very happy show more for you!

Romance is often a part of cozy mysteries since you have to have a contact in the police/legal/newspaper field, but I really enjoy the romance in this cozy series. The way Reid stands up for Parker is wonderful to see in a relationship. I know it’s just a book, but I have seen many couples in real life who do not have this important fundamental part of a relationship, so it’s nice to be able to read about one. Even though Parker’s faith in Reid truly being innocent gets tested a bit, of course, it all turns out well.

I did have a strong and correct suspicion about who the killer was early on, but Lansing really did do well with the red herrings and twists. I just read so many mysteries, that you kind of get a feel for it.
But I will say, with the killer’s reveal, it will add an interesting dynamic to future books in the series. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all will play out, and am looking forward to book three in the Colorado Wine Mysteries. show less

This is basically a chick lit/teen romance disguised as a cozy mystery (the characters are not teenagers but they act like one). And the mystery is so light weight I guessed who the murderer was way before the half way mark. A huge letdown because I don't like to guess (I like to be surprised!) but it was so glaringly apparent, I couldn't help it.

All could've been forgiven if the side stories were compelling and the characters warm, funny or endearing but nope. Characters were flat, boring show more & not all that interesting. The book was also overly maudlin in parts causing the whole story to just drag.

It was a chore to finish this. The story is padded with so much filler and stretched out in such a deliberately contrived matter...it was annoying to read! The exact antithesis of fun. Akin to watching a tediously long, boring movie when you know how it's going to turn out and the end cannot come fast enough. show less