Book Review: Vengeance in the Vines

Vengeance in the Vines

Vengeance in the Vines is a lovely cozy mystery with a veterinarian sleuth in a beautiful Northern California setting.

• Series: Rylie Sunderland Mystery (Book 2)

• Written by: Rachele Baker

• Publication date: January 11, 2025

• Mystery type: Cozy mystery

Veterinarian Rylie Sunderland is excited to take a temporary job at an animal hospital in St. Helena in the Napa Valley wine country near her friends Sophie and Lucien. When Riley arrives in town, she learns that it’s not all wine and roses in Sophie and Lucien’s marriage, but she isn’t sure exactly what the problem is. The plot thickens when a man dies after eating dinner at Lucien’s restaurant.

Evidence piles up against Lucien, and it begins to look like he may have orchestrated the diner’s death. Rylie is worried for her friend and begins investigating the crime with the help of the victim’s son, Alex. Alex is handsome and charming, and Rylie can’t help but be attracted to him. The feeling is mutual.

The hint of romance is a nice balance for the suspense in the story, and the Napa Valley wine country setting provides a gorgeous backdrop for both the romance and the mystery. Rylie lives across from a vineyard, visits area attractions, and samples a delectable array of food and drink throughout the book.

Author Rachele Baker does a nice job of setting the mystery up, leading Rylie through the investigation, and creating believable, well-rounded characters. (Read an Interview with Rachele Baker to learn how she researched and wrote this story.)

I really enjoyed Vengeance in the Vines. I look forward to reading more books in the Rylie Sunderland Mystery Series.

Vengeance in the Vines is available from Amazon in ebook, paperback, and hardcover. It can also be read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Disclosures: As an Amazon Associate, Cozy Crime Reads may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Cozy Crime Reads received an advanced reader copy of Vengeance in the Vines from the publisher.