Murder at the Festival

A Read Between the Wines Cozy Mystery #1

by Dani Simms

Back in her hometown, city girl Avery Parker is finally settling in after her husband's sudden passing.

The town is abuzz with the annual wine festival and Avery is amped to show off Le Blanc Cellars' newest release. But between pours of their famed Chenin Blanc, a lifeless body is found.

A curious gray stone clutched in the cold grip of a dead tourist intrigues the locals, and no one expects his death would be ruled a murder.

Driven by empathy for the dead man's widow, Avery pieces together the puzzle and unearths a scandal larger than she could ever have imagined.

As long as she doesn't get in her own way, Avery might bring justice for a tourist's untimely demise. That is, unless she doesn't become a victim herself.

With more twists than the vines at Le Blanc Cellars, Murder at the Festival will have readers guessing this whodunit.

Wine pairings and irresistible recipes included!

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Amazon, Ebooks, Cozy, Fiction

164 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2023

About the author

Dani Simms is a big dog lover, oenophile, and author of wine and canine themed cozy mysteries. She lives in the Orange County area of California with her three sons and oversized German shepherd mix. In between writing projects, Dani loves visiting central California to research wines and plot her upcoming books.

Grab a copy of Dani’s FREE novella “Murder at the Cellar” and be the first to know about new releases when you sign up for her newsletter at https://danisimms.com

Reviews

[Jeanetta Hardy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Annoying main character

I got to chapter 7 but I don't really want to read more. Avery is most annoying and her attitude towards Charles is ridiculous. It's like she thinks she's smarter than everyone else and she mad that the others aren't agreeing with her.

[Kirsty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, got to chapter 9. I found chapters 1-8 a mixture of tedious and irritating in that none of the people were in the least endearing, especially the heroine who seemed to be sure she was always right and everyone else was wrong. It may improve but I couldn't summon up the energy to care...

[Maggie Hindman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t think this author has quite reached her full potential yet. I think everyone should watch for her future books.

[Carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried. I really did. But I just could not stand Avery. She pretty much every space on my Bingo card of “self-centered, jackass female main character”. No spoilers but it was just too painful.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avery Parker is recouping from her husband’s
death. He had been a mystery writer.
She has set up a booth at the Wine Festival.
She is featuring the newest wine from Le Blanc
Cellar’s, the winery she owns.
A tipsy man bumps into her spilling wine on her
blouse. What a mess!!
But the bigger mess is when the man is later
found dead clutching a stone with Heron written
on it.
Next day Avery discovers two stone with the same
lipstick….one says Follow and the second says The.
Avery with her best friend, Tiffany and Charlie who
works at the winery plus he is a former police
officer and a PI consultant to the police get involved
in finding the murderer.
A past paced, short read with interesting and intriguing
characters.
This is the new Beginnings Cozy Hometown Mystery
series.
A Kindle Unlimited Read.
A Kindle Unlimited Customer.

[Vickie Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great short mystery.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yikes! This is the third book this week with the main character trying to solve a murder with or without the help of law enforcement. This one even had her gathering her girlfriends to help solve the murder - meanwhile risking their lives in the process. Stopped at 29% AUTHORS - STOP USING THIS PLOT DEVICE!


Amazon synopsis:
Back in her hometown, city girl Avery Parker is finally settling in after her husband's sudden passing.

The town is abuzz with the annual wine festival and Avery is amped to show off Le Blanc Cellars' newest release. But between pours of their famed Chenin Blanc, a lifeless body is found. A curious gray stone clutched in the cold grip of a dead tourist intrigues the locals, and no one expects his death would be ruled a murder.

Driven by empathy for the dead man's widow, Avery pieces together the puzzle and unearths a scandal larger than she could ever have imagined. As long as she doesn't get in her own way, Avery might bring justice for a tourist's untimely demise. That is unless she becomes a victim herself.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of new beginnings and moving forward after loss. Also a story of a murder and the tricky investigation to find the culprit. A festival of wine and celebration turned deadly for one. Now newly returned to her home town Avery is caught up in investigating when she seems to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
I loved the characters and the setting. A beautiful town and vineyard as a backdrop. Quirky residents who all know everyone and everything about them. Great mystery plot, very enjoyable to sleuth along with Avery. Good start to a series.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

An extra star because it came with RECIPES

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Charles a lot but Avery… I’m not sure. I will give it one more book. ^.^

[Tari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like I really needed to read the prequel that’s been offered free from various authors as a way to promote this new author and series because there wasn’t a lot of backstory given in this book. I found out more about Avery and Tiffany’s friendship in the prequel. And I did think it’d be nice to know where exactly this town’s located. All I really knew was it was cold and winter which made me think possibly this was a New York vineyard. Also, there was more background info on the wine club Avery was in when I read the prequel. I’d honestly stopped reading this after the first chapter just to read the prequel hoping some of my questions might be answered since I was feeling a bit lost, and they were answered.

All that aside, I really enjoyed this mystery a lot. I’d come to know Avery and Charles from the prequel and had been rooting for them to get to be a little more than friends. It’s probably early for that, but at least we learned more about Charles being a former police officer and how he currently served as a consultant to the police. He did seem like he’d move mountains for Avery.

I know I’d never have had the nerve to confront the killer like Avery did, and it’s a good thing she thought ahead or she might’ve not gotten the backup when she needed it. The ending was really good and how I like endings to be: friends and food. I’m eager to see what adventure Avery gets to in the next book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the author via BookSprout, and my opinions are my own.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder at the Festival by Dani Simms is A Read Between the Wines Cozy Mystery. Avery Parker is manning Le Blanc Cellars stall at the town’s annual Winter Wine Festival. While walking with her bestie, Tiffany, a man bumps into Avery dousing her blouse with wine. The man collapses and is helped to a nearby bench by bystanders where he is later found dead. Avery understands the pain the widow is experiencing being a recent widow herself. It compels Avery to investigate the victim’s death. Avery discovers a curious clue, but the police are not interested in her find. Avery is determined to uncork the truth. Murder at the Festival is a lighthearted cozy mystery. Avery is a widow running Le Blanc Cellars. I admit that I was not a fan of Avery. Her behavior and thoughts remind me of a selfish teenager. Avery spent more time thinking about Charles, her employee who works in the tasting room, than the mystery. The whodunit was straightforward. There is a dead guy, a couple of suspects, clues, and misdirection. One little detail gives away the identity of the killer early in the story. The clues become more obvious as the book progresses. I wanted to like this story, but Avery prevented it. I also felt that details about the town were lacking plus there is a repetition of key details. My favorite character is Avery’s dog, Sprinkles. Murder at the Festival is a closed cozy with a stained shirt, a bumped off brew master, illustrated stones, compromising pics, a displeased colleague, a secret stakeout, and a pleasant pooch.

[Melanie Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avery gets a bit of a wake up call in this book. We are told several times that she is lonely but it doesn't seem like she can move on yet. Through her friend group, she learns that maybe there exists a second chance for her. She also shares a personality trait that I am familiar with; she can't let things go when they take hold of her. That trait gets her into trouble as she works with her friends to find the truth. This soul searching is set against a picturesque small town in wine country. The author does a very nice job of setting the scene in that town. I've read some of the other books in the series, but didn't recall that Avery's late husband was a mystery writer. Perhaps, that set the stage for her sleuthing. Regardless, said sleuthing, gets her into trouble. Charles to the rescue in more ways that one. She is starting to see him in a new light.
Avery's friends and loyal companion round out the team helping with the mystery.
I think some of the other books in this series are better but this book provides a lot of background on Avery's headspace and makes her relationships in future books seem more genuine. I can't write a book review without mentioning the dog, Sprinkles. I adore the cover picture of him and am glad to know he will continue to be part of future stories.
I would definitely recommend this series.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avery just working through her husband's death decides to put up a booth in the town's annual Wine festival so she can show off from Le Blanc Cellars’ her newest wine manned by her workers. With her best friend, Tiffany, they go to the festival are having a lot of fun when a very drunk man trips and spills his wine down the front of Avery's blouse. How rude, hope he can sleep it off. To fix the wine stains, Tiffany comes up with the idea to spill lots more wine on the blouse to make it look like it is supposed to be there. They had a bit much to drink. When they come back to the main road in the festival, they find the man who bumped her is sitting on a bench, clutching a rock with the word heron on it, very dead. Feeling empathy for the dead man's widow, since she knows what that feels like, Avery who is very strong willed decides she needs to help figure out who wanted this man dead. With her friends Tiffany and Charlie who was a former police officer and now a PI and consultant to the local police, she goes off trying to find the answers while staying out of the way of the local police. Can she find the answers or will the twists and turns and dead ends get to her and stop her? I really recommend this book if you like a good, fun, mystery with some humor to make you chuckle. I received and ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Debbie Orazi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a winery cozy mystery.

I was as frustrated with Avery being a busybody as Charles was, she was acting like a self centered entitled brat and she lied to him about leaving the investigation alone when he put himself on the line for her. She solved the mystery but her character was sadly lacking in this book. Fortunately I've read the rest of the series and she does redeem herself.

It is time for the annual Winter Wine Festival in Los Robles, California. Avery Parker, owner of Le Blanc Cellars, has a sales booth for the week of the festival. She and her best friend Tiffany are walking around sampling wines when an apparently drunken man bumps into Avery spilling wine in her blouse. The man is taken to a bench to sober up and the ladies continue on their way. Avery is shocked to find out the man died clutching a stone with Heron written on it. The next night she is on clean up duty and finds two stones with Follow and The written on them. She brings the stones to the police. She decided to investigate the man's murder and takes incriminating photos of the man's wife and the mayor. Charles gets angry at her for interfering with the police investigation. After taking a drive in the rain and getting into a car accident she solves the crime.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Avery Parker returns to her hometown of Los Robles after the death of her husband. Though she has been locked in sorrow, Avery is finally moving on with her life, overseeing her parents' old vineyard. Throwing herself into the town's affairs, Avery runs a booth at the wine festival, where she bumps into a man who later winds up as a murder victim. Shocked by the encounter and convinced of the local police force's ineptitude, Avery takes it upon herself to bring the killer to justice.

As I started the story, I was wholly on the main character's side; that didn't last more than a chapter or two. Avery proved to have a low emotional IQ alongside a smugness that made me clench my teeth. Her romantic interest seemed to have similar feelings. And, rather than give her a hefty dose of reality, her friends egged her on to more and more stupid stunts.

As for detecting, Avery needs to get a new hobby because, frankly, she is not talented in deduction or investigating. She missed clues left and right, let her bias lead her judgment, and allowed emotion to dictate her reasoning. To be fair, I wouldn't have done any better, but I know not to interfere in a police case.

I wanted to like this story, but while the scenario was enticing, the main character and I were not sympatico.

[Aparna J · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "Murder at The Festival," as Avery Parker strolls through the vibrant Los Robles festival alongside her best friend Tiffany, an unexpected encounter with a drunken man alters the course of events. Amidst the lively atmosphere and spilled wine, the inebriated man finds an ill-fated resting place on a nearby bench, where his lifeless body is discovered later on.

Dani Simms masterfully intertwines this unexpected encounter with the festival's fervor, painting a vivid scene of bustling activity and unforeseen tragedy. Avery's journey to uncover the truth behind this puzzling death unfolds against the backdrop of swirling excitement and hidden dangers lurking within the festival's charm.

Simms' storytelling prowess shines as the plot twists and turns, intricately weaving the threads of mystery, suspense, and unexpected turns. "Murder at The Festival" becomes not just a gripping tale but an immersive experience, inviting readers into a world brimming with intrigue, where the line between festivity and foul play blurs.

In this spellbinding narrative, Simms captivates with a seamless blend of festival cheer and chilling suspense, ensuring readers are held in suspense until the final revelation.


I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeffrey Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a charming and well crafted addition to the cozy mystery genre, blending intrigue with the warmth of small town life.

The story’s plot is a standout, balancing the suspense of a murder mystery with the personal growth of protagonist Avery Le Blanc.

Clever twists keep you guessing without feeling forced.

The characters are another highlight.

Avery is a relatable and resourceful protagonist whose journey of resilience adds depth to the narrative.

Her loyal dog, Sprinkles, and the eclectic Stammtisch group inject humour and heart into the story, while Charles Hoyt’s wit and charm make him an ideal sidekick.

Each character feels distinct and contributes to the plot.

Simms’ writing style is accessible and expressive, capturing the idyllic yet secret filled atmosphere of Los Robles.

The vivid descriptions of the vineyard and the wine culture lend authenticity and a unique charm to the setting.

One area for improvement might be the dialogue, which occasionally feels expositive.

Also, some minor characters could benefit from more development.

However, these issues don’t detract from the overall enjoyment.

With its mix of mystery, heart, and humour, Murder at the Festival is a delightful read for fans of cozy mysteries.

[Big Fat Hairy Man · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It was an interesting mix of whodunnit mixed with a touch of grief therapy. Avery is gradually moving on with her life while probably heading toward a future love interest close to home. I would have liked to have known where exactly this was set rather than just a vague reference to a city and a vineyard in the country. I'm guessing it was set somewhere in CA. My only complaint about the story is the heavy emphasis on the illegality of the photos, which when you review the location of both the picture-taker (in a car on a public road) and the subjects (standing just outside the front door of a house), is incorrect. Both are located in a public location and therefore are not illegal. Had she been standing on the private property or zooming into the inside of the house, then that would be a privacy issue. I would suggest changing some of those details to resolve the issue so that you can keep the illegality of the act. Other than that, I enjoyed the story.

I'm a member of the ARC team and have left an honest review voluntarily.

[Teresa Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very enjoyable read from new-to-me author Dani Simms. There are enough red herrings to keep the reader from being 100% sure they have figured out who the killer is. Well, at least for this reader. There is the typical amateur detective who gets involved and manages to get herself into more trouble than she started out with. Ms. Simms'writing style is easy to read and moves the story along quite well. The only mild complaint I have, if one could call it that, was the lack of physical description of any of the characters. (I've noticed this in the last few books I've read and I'm hoping it's not becoming a trend.) I don't need all the little details, but it is easier for me to connect with a character if I have an idea of their age and how the author pictures them. As it is, I have no idea. Maybe the next book will provide more details. I will be checking it out to see.
I received a review copy from the author at my request and this is my honest opinion.

[Fred Masek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avery, a recent widow, and her best friend Tiffany are attending a festival when a stumbling man spills wine on her blouse then falls down while yelling she did it. Soon Avery sees he is dead and his wife (Daya) wailing loudly and sobbing. He is holding a stone with the word Heron and Avery finds two more stones with Follow and The. A few days later Avery sees Daya in a coffee shop reading a magazine and after Daya answers her phone she starts joking and laughing. Avery seeing a Heron on Daya’s neck becomes convinced that Daya killed her husband. While trying to gather proof, Avery manages to get her good friend Charles ( a consultant for the police) in trouble and upset at her, to take a picture of Daya kissing the mayor, and to overthink most emotions.
Even though this was the first crime I solved before the end of the book, I enjoyed the book and recommend it. I received a free copy and am writing this honest review voluntarily.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avery is back home in her home town taking over the winery her family owns. It's the annual Wine Festival and everyone is having a great time until a man bumps into her and spills his wine on her. As he falls he say something that she vaguely listens to. A few hours later he's found dead with his wife crying over his body. A few days later she sees the new widow sitting in a coffee shop looking anything like grief stricken. Things don't add up. As she is helping to clean the area where the festival was she finds two stones that seem to compliment a third stone the dead man held in his hand. The friendship between her and Charles, her helper at the winery, is strained. Too many things don't add up and Charles isn't speaking to her. What can she do? Will she be able to help in finding clues? Her mind is too jumbled to make sense.
Fantastic mystery that will keep the reader guessing as to who the killer is.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in the series. The main character is Avery and Charles. Avery is the owner of a winery and the town is having a wine tasting festival. On the first day, a man is murdered. He had bumped into Avery and spilled wine all over her. She thought he was drunk but now she wants to help figure out who did it. Charles works for her and is all so a cop. When Avery decides to follow the dead man's wife and she goes to the mayor's house, Avery takes a picture and sends it to Charles. He tells her that was the wrong thing to do but that just makes her mad. When he sends it to the cops he loses his job as a cop. Now she feels guilty and Charles isn't talking to her any more. She doesn't know what to do anymore but then in a downpour the mayor runs into her car with the dead man's wife in the car with him and enough luggage to suggest they are running away. Now she doesn't know what to do. Can she figure this out?

[Shannon M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avery, the owner of LeBlanc Cellars, is showcasing her wine at her town's wine festival when a man who bumped into her is found dead soon after. With her curiosity peaked, she begins her own investigation with the help of her wine club, much to the chagrin of Charles, her employee and current police consultant. She is determined to help solve this crime with or without help.

While I really liked the characters and setting of this book, I did feel a little lost in the beginning because I did not read the prequel, Murder at the Cellar. I do wish there had been more back story so I didn't feel like I was coming in during the second act. Avery is likable although a bit stubborn and I'm looking forward to seeing where her relationship with Charles goes in the future. Happy Reading!

* I received a free copy of this book but this review is my honest opinion.

[Dave Measner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avery Parker is a winery owner taking part in the town wine festival when a drunk man bumps into her and her, spilling wine and collapsing to the ground. He's helped to a bench where he is found dead a short time later. Avery's coworker Charles is a former police officer with a consultant gig with the police. As the investigation into the death evolves into a murder investigation as it turns out to be a poisoning.
Avery's stubborness and nosiness have her looking into the matter, along with her friends, against the best wishes of Charles. Her single mindedness brings her into conflict with Charles as she plows ahead withour thinking of the cosequences of her enquiries.
A quick easy read with characters that evolve as the story plays out. There is much to look forward to in future stories.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Paula Stiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like this one as well as I did the series prequel, Murder at the Cellar, though this one was published first. Murder at the Festival feels more preliminary and the prequel does a better job at setting up the main character and her situation. I suggest reading that one first.

On the flip side, I thought the mystery was more interesting in this one than in the prequel, though its development was undercooked. I also found Avery and Charles' conflict to be a case of two people blaming each other for dumb decisions, which got old fast. Avery, in particular, needs to listen to her gut a lot more (oddly enough, she acts with much more realistic fear in the prequel about stumbling on a possible murder). I'm curious to see how the rest of the series (so far) goes, as those books are longer and I do like the series setting, so I'm still giving this one four stars.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the first in a cozy mystery series. Avery is a widow who has returned to her hometown and taken over the family vineyard. This book involves a wine festival that is going on and where Avery has a booth. Unfortunately, Avery is roughly bumped into by a seeming drunk man ruining her favorite blouse.

This same man is found dead and the mystery of solving his murder begins. Thoughts of the murder - and trying to solve it - consume Avery even when her friend and employee, Charles, tells her to leave it with the police.

Avery's overthinking and preoccupation with the murder was a little annoying sometimes, as well as her inability to take responsibility for her actions instead blaming Charles. But it is still a good story and I do recommend this series. It is a fun cozy mystery read.

I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avery's Investigation . . .

When her husband died, Avery Parker moved home to take over the family wine making business. With the annual wine festival bringing in large crowds, Avery plans to introduce Le Blanc Cellars' newest addition. A man who appeared to be drunk spills wine on Avery and his dead body is discovered later on, still on the bench where he had been placed. Avery empathizes with the widow and decides to do her own investigation along with her friends Tiffany and Charlie, a P.I. and police consultant. The odd thing is that the man had been holding a stone with “Heron” written on it. Did that have anything to do with his death? Although headstrong and stubborn, will Avery be foolish enough to confront the murderer herself?

[Barbara Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Murdered Man and Three Stones!

by Barbara Kelley

Murder at the Festival is Book 1 of A Read Between the Wines Mystery series, written by Dani Simms. This book is about Avery, the owner of a wine vineyard. The story is about a wine tasting festival that lasts for several days. On day one, the body of a drunk man is founding sitting on a bench at the festival. Avery sees a stone clutched in his hand. The stone had one word printed in red on it: Heron. The next day, after the festival was over, Avery was cleaning up her festival stall, and decided to look closer at the bench where the dead man was found. She found two more stones with one word printed on each of them: The on one stone, and Follow on the other stone - thereby making a complete sentence between the three stones "Follow The Heron". She took the two stones she found to the police station, and the officers practically laughed in her face, saying they weren't adequate evidence. She told Charles, a former police officer, and who now works for her at the vineyard, but he, too, claimed it wasn't adequate evidence. What's a girl who loves solving a good mystery to do. Her late husband was a mystery writer, but his books were fiction! Will the evidence that Avery found put her in danger from whoever killed the man at the festival? I loved the characters, especially Avery, Tiffany, and Charles, as well as Sprinkles, the yellow Labrador, and Brie, the dog trainer. I gave this book 4 stars because I thought Avery was childish for a grown woman, always mentally blaming Charles for all of her problems. I received an advanced reader copy from booksprout and have posted an honest review. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series.

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book . I didn’t get much sleep last night through reading until the final pages ( including the recipes 😉) Great Characters good storyline and plot. Avery hasn’t been to the wine festival in years as she’s wandering along with her best friend Tiffany she couldn’t be happier . The Cellar Vie Guest house was fully booked and Le Blanc Cellars was benefiting very much by the festivities. That is until she’s abruptly bumped into by a drunken man that later ends up dead. Then entails plenty of sleuthing and twists and turns to find out the mystery with the help of her friends and much to the chagrin of another. I love the developing relationships and the humour in this cozy Stellar Cellar Mystery.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.