A Vintage Murder

by Michele Scott

Book Overview

Nikki Sands is back...this time she finds herself putting on her sleuthing hat in the land down under! Nikki and her boss-turned-boyfriend Derek Malveaux are in Australia to visit the Hahndorf Winery,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425222543
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Berkley
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.7" x 0.7" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Adventurous

This book takes place in Australia. Nikki and her business partner Derek are in Australia on a business trip; they will be back in Napa Valley soon. Even though Nikki and Derek are conducting wine business, this trip is definitely eventful, interesting, and adventurous, from Derek's hilarious brother Simon to a movie-making scene to murder. One interesting thing was the horrible-tasting wine at that horrible winery that Nikki visited. (Not the winery they are doing business with - just a winery they visited and test-tasted.) A movie is being made on site at the vineyard. It is a movie dedicated to someone who truly loved animals. Then a murder happens. Nikki is determined to solve the mystery of the murder. Nikki makes a decision between the two guys in her life. I will not say which one she chooses, but I will say she didn't choose the one I wanted her to! This is a Wine Mystery Series. The books in this series are awesome. Both the atmosphere and the mystery part are good, well-written, and fun. A person does not have to be a wine lover in order to like these books. In fact, I am a teetotalist. The most these books will make me thirsty for is sparkling grape juice. This author also writes a Horse Lovers Mystery series. In fact, that series is how I became attracted to her books. I felt sure I would enjoy a Horse Series. This book has such a beautiful cover. Even though I would have read the book anyway (as I read all the Wine and Horse books by this author), the cover alone would have been enough to attract me! Even though we aren't supposed to judge books by their covers - this book can be judged by its cover! When I saw the beautiful purple artwork, I immediately adored it! And this book does live up to its cover!

Delightfully Delicous Mystery

What's to say, but once again a great book from my favorite author. I have enjoyed all of the wine lover's mysteries and this one is no exception. Once again the reader is taken for a fun, comedic, mysterious ride and this one is set in Australia. In this segment, Nikki has made a decision on which man is the right man for her and to no surprise for followers the series, it is Derek Malveaux.I personally loved the charming Andres, but Derek is a hard one to resist. Things turn deadly as usual, when a big time "wench" of an actress ( I am being nice here) making a movie on a vineyard that Nikki and Derek are visiting winds up dead by a snake bite. Nikki believes it is foul play and she sets out to prove her theory correct. Lots of twists and turns and a surprise ending that reminds one of Hitchcocks's PSYCHO makes this book well worth the read. Pick up the entire series first though because it all leads up to this one and you'll be happy you did. I absolutely find this a fun and delightful series. Of course, Simon is a scene stealer. He is Nikki's BFF and a reader can't help but love him. Anyhoo, pick up the book and the series. I hope there's more to come.

Murder in Australia

Nikki Sands and her boss, and now boyfriend, Derek are off to Australia to try to get the licensing rights to distribute a wine in the states from an Aussie winemaker. When they arrive at the winery, they find a Hollywood film crew is taping a movie. Lucy Swanson, an up and coming starlet, is the leading lady. She appears to be making everyone's life miserable except her own. Also in the film are snakes, dingoes, and boxing kangaroos. When Lucy is found dead of a venomous bite from a brown snake, the police and everyone on the set say it was an accident. Nikki doesn't believe that and sets out to prove it wrong. She is offered Lucy's part in the movie and takes it to make her investigation that much easier. Simon, Derek's gay brother, is star struck with the leading man in the film and becomes Nikki's body guard and manager to stay close to the filming. Marne, a gossip columnist from Nikki's Hollywood past, stirs up the pot. Soon Nikki finds herself at odds with Derek. Can she find the killer without putting herself in harm's way and straighten things out with Derek? I love this series. Having this book set in Australia was a nice change of pace and a great location. Nikki is a wonderful character, and I'm thrilled to see her with Derek. The sexual tension in the book added to things quite nicely. Having Simon show up also threw a wrench into Nikki's and Derek's plans. The plot has many twists and turns and kept me guessing right up to the end. I hope there will be more in this series, although I'm not sure that's true. I love Nikki, Derek, and Simon. I highly recommend this book.

Next in a Favorite Series

Well, I had the pleasure of blurbing this book and I think I may have ended up at Ms. Scott's door, begging to blurb it had I not been asked! This is one of my favorite cozy series and A Vintage Murder is a fantastic addition to the Nikki line. I adore the romance angle of these books and think the author incorporates Nikki's love life into the book without compromising the solid mystery story. The Australian setting is so fun! It can be tough to read about characters you know and love when they are transplanted into a different setting, but again, the authors makes the change of scenery work. While some cozies follow rather dry, goody-goody main characters, Nikki has spunk and humor and I simply can't get enough of this series. Once again, Michele Scott draws vivid supporting characters and plots a strong mystery for her readers.

Excellent beach reading

This story is a nice addition to the set. We finally find out which man Nikki chooses; although, was there any serious doubt? The story advances nicely and takes a couple unexpected turns. The plotting is much tighter than previous stories. The resolutions involve more than just solving the crime; there are many personal issues that are also settled (or at least heading in that direction). I am already eagerly anticipating the next in the series 'Corked by Cabernet'-due out in February.