Silenced by Syrah (Wine Lover's Mystery Series #3)

Enjoyed this installment of the series

Silenced by Syrah is the third novel in Michele Scott's Wine Lover series. It's set in the Napa Valley on a vineyard. The sleuth, Nikki, is the owner's assistant and in this tale she is helping with the opening of a spa, restaurant and hotel at the vineyard. However, when Nikki finds the head chef murdered in his bath at the spa, she decides that she has to find the killer.

I've enjoyed this series from the start and this book was no exception. Ms. Scott has created an interesting set of characters and a fascinating world. And there is a touch of romance, which warms my heart. For those cooks out there, recipes and wine pairings are included to enhance the reading experience. I strongly suggest reading these books from the start of the series (Murder Uncorked and Murder By the Glass).

Missed the mark.

Although I love this series, I felt the author missed the mark with this third book. The plot just seemed strained and not interesting like the first two books.

Delicious wines

This is an entertaining series. Wine information is intwined in its story as well as recipies with wine. I liked the characters; I liked the mystery attached. I found lots of humor with a couple of characters which you will determine who they are when you read this series of books. I have read all of her books in this series; you need to read them in the order they were written as it helps the reader understand the author's character development.

Wine and Murder at the Spa

The new restaurant, Georges on the Vineyard, is about to open in the new boutique hotel and spa at Malveaux Estates. It features star chef Georges Debussey. He is well-known for his cuisine as well as his lack of couth. Georges goes for a Syrah bath splash at the spa to relax before the restaurant grand opening. When he doesn't return, Simon and Marco get Nikki to find out what's wrong. She finds him dead from a gunshot. Detective Robinson rubs Nikki the wrong way when he tells her to not play Nancy Drew. She sets out to investigate on the sly. During all this, Andres asks her to go to Spain with him. Nikki is upset most with the way he asks. And she isn't sure what she should do. And then there's Derek. Nikki finds herself in danger along the way. Can she figure out who the killer is before someone else dies? I really like this series. Nikki is such a fun character. The sexual tension created between Nikki, Andres, and Derek really adds to the storyline, but I do hope she makes a decision soon. When I first met Simon and Marco, I found them to be obnoxious, but now I really enjoy them. They add to the story and help Nikki along the way. The Napa Valley setting really adds to the story as well. It seems so serene in the midst of the murder investigation. I would love to spend a week at the new hotel at Malveaux Estates. Whether you like wine or not, give this series a try. I recommend reading them in order, but you don't have to. I highly recommend this book and the complete series.

Excellent Series - Highly Recommended

Silenced by Syrah is the third book in the wine lover¿s mystery series. I loved it. The characters are rich and full of life and just keep growing on me. Nikki Sands the amateur sleuth, is a very true to life character and investigates as an amateur sleuth would without the privelage of law enforcement knowledge or the resources they have at hand. Instead she uses good old fashioned deduction and brain power. All of the characters are well drawn and rounded out. They are also sympathetic and quite believable, not larger than life or too quirky, which can distract from a book. I find myself rooting for them from page one and throughout the entire book. The secondary characters bring so much to the story as well through their own trials and tribulations. The nice part is that everything is expertly interwoven and all a part of the storyline, so it is not disjointed leaving you scratching your head. Through all three books I¿ve seen the characters grow as well, some have even matured in certain ways, and special bonds/friendships formed. Especially Simon and Marco. At first I thought them annoying, now they are very likeable and good allies to Nikki. You know a book is written well when the characters can grow along with a series. Ms. Scott¿s plots are always cleverly woven throughout the book and almost anyone could be the villain. I thought that I had the killer all figured out in this third book but I didn¿t. I¿d like to say I was pleasantly surprised but I wasn¿t. I like to beat the author at their own plotting game but she won this time as she has the other three times, but all is forgiven. Maybe one of these times I can outsmart this author. But her plotting skills are exceptional. She is also a wonder at weaving in some sexual tension between Nikki, Derek and Andres, which can put Nikki in quite a predicament at times, and it does, but it NEVER distracts from the mystery. It only adds to the realism of the book, the characters and the plot. Ms. Scott does a masterful job with the setting and atmosphere in these books. She makes you want to be a part of the wonderful Malveaux Estate and hang out with Nikki Sands and the gang. The Napa valley and all it has to offer in this wine lover¿s mystery series is as comforting as sitting down with one of Ms. Scott¿s books and getting away from it all. The only thing that could be better is knowing that she also writes a Horse Lover¿s mystery series that is just as good. I always look forward to her next book and am a big fan. She is a superb author and I¿m glad I bought that first book! The recipes and wine pairings are an added bonus to this series. My only suggestion is to eat before reading one of Ms. Scott¿s books. You will get hungry. I would also suggest reading this series from the beginning as you will see the character growth of all of the main characters in the series and this will only add to the entire reading pleasure of this excellent mystery series. Try the Horse Lover¿s Mystery Series as well. You don¿t have to be a big horse love to enjoy the book. The writing and storyline will drawn you in from page one. Enjoy!

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