Decanting a Murder (A Sommelier Mystery, 1)

As someone that isn't an active reader, I picked up this book and couldn't put it down. Quite literally...I finished it in one long sitting! Nadine Nettmann has a talent for painting beautiful pictures with her writing. So often, I found myself being intoxicated by the smells that were described in the book and enchanted by the Napa scenery. I'm a sucker for a good mystery, and some of this reminded me of the Sherlock series from BBC. It was clever, witty and well-developed. I love how each chapter is paired with a different wine -- although, my liver would be destroyed if I attempted to drink along since I couldn't stop reading! It does seem like a fun activity for a book club. I've always been interested in the life of the sommelier since watching Somm on Netflix. This book gives you a unique glimpse into that life, and it's quite clear that Nettmann doesn't just have a love of wine - she truly knows all about it. I wasn't surprised when I saw that she was a Certified Sommelier in her bio at the end of the book. I already can't wait for the next couple of books in the series. From a non-reader, I'M HOOKED!

Easy read, Enjoyed it more because I'm a wine buff and went well on a cold winter night with a glass and a mystery book. Some mystery buffs looking to read complex story may be disappointed though. Pass it on to a wine club friend and bought the next one.

Not bad. Better than many "wine" oriented mysteries, which so often veer into the cozy category. This had a bit more noir to it but the use of almost totally unrelated wine tidbits to begin each chapter was tiresome, and the characters and the plotline were fairly standard. Nothing really exciting or creative here. The author writes well and I hope will improve, but this effort seemed very much the good "old college try."

There were many possible suspects and it kept me reading late into the night and finishing the book in just a few days because I had to know who the killer was! It was a fun and easy read and I very much enjoyed the wine element and setting in Napa Valley. I felt I was learning about the wine making process while reading an entertaining book. Each chapter is paired with a wine. It is a perfect book club book - setting up wine tastings along with discussions. The main character, a strong woman, isn't flat or stereotypical. She's bold, smart, and interesting. The locations were described so well that I had great imagery in my head of exactly how the vineyards looked. The writing style is good because the author sets the tone and scene and decribes what you need to know without adding a ton of extra fluff, which I like. However, if you are into the books where authors take 3 pages to poetically describe a hairbrush, then this isn't for you.

From one that really (really) enjoys good wine I thought this was a clever concept. The pairings were fun & informative. I’m unsure of any police detective allowing such freedoms of a civilian to participate in murder investigations. Ah, with one possibility… Miss Marpel. On to Uncorking a Lie… with glass in hand

I read The Bootleggers Daughter a few months ago, and I so enjoyed the writing style. I put the Sommelier Mystery books on my wish list. A birthday gift card let me add them to my Kindle. Decanting a Murder was a good story and one I had trouble putting down. The characters and story flowed so smoothly, I couldn't wait to get back to finish it. I can see why Katie and Tessa are such good friends. Katie is such a good detective and it will be fun to see where her relationship with Detective Dean goes. On to Uncorking a Lie.

Really satisfying mystery with an unusual protagonist and some great nuggets of information about wine. I loved that each chapter started with a wine pairing. The characters are well developed and the plot has some intriguing twists and turns.

It could have been a good story but there were too many holes and too much unbelievable stuff. The biggest unbelievable was Katie riding everywhere with the detective and guiding him in his investigation. Maybe the next book will be more realistic.

I'm torn. I was loving the book right up to page 208. And then I nearly threw it across the room. A plot point occurs that is too contrived and cliché for such an otherwise good book. No cop is that stupid. I won't say anymore, so as not to spoil things. Trying to put it down to first book syndrome. Otherwise, really enjoyed the wine theme, which was done very well.

I found this book to be both engaging and informative. The author possesses a lot of wine knowledge and the wine pairings with each chapter were a fun addition. I have even earmarked a few to try some varietals I have never heard of before. The characters are well developed and easy to visualise. Every time I started reading, I became immediately immersed in the story. I read it over several days because of other interruptions, but it was definitely a book you could and would want to finish in a sitting or two. I would definitely recommend and hope to see this become a series, as there are a few characters that would be fun to become more familiar with through several novels.