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Myrtle Clover Mysteries #24
A Toast to Murder
Uncorking secrets, one grape at a time.
Myrtle Clover had quite a fondness for getting things for free. So she was delighted when a former student and current winery owner invited her and a friend to a free tasting. When Myrtle and Miles visited the charming Serenity Springs Winery for a relaxing afternoon of tastings, she anticipated nothing more than sipping fine vintages and enjoying the picturesque vineyards. But as any seasoned sleuth knows, murder occurs in the most unexpected places.
She and Miles were savoring the various offerings and relaxing in front of the winery's large fireplace when they realized the guest dozing in the armchair nearest them was not just napping--he was out for good.
Can Myrtle and Miles find the killer before more trouble ferments?
Myrtle Clover had quite a fondness for getting things for free. So she was delighted when a former student and current winery owner invited her and a friend to a free tasting. When Myrtle and Miles visited the charming Serenity Springs Winery for a relaxing afternoon of tastings, she anticipated nothing more than sipping fine vintages and enjoying the picturesque vineyards. But as any seasoned sleuth knows, murder occurs in the most unexpected places.
She and Miles were savoring the various offerings and relaxing in front of the winery's large fireplace when they realized the guest dozing in the armchair nearest them was not just napping--he was out for good.
Can Myrtle and Miles find the killer before more trouble ferments?
- GenresCozy MysteryMystery
191 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 9, 2024
27 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Spann Craig
92 books480 followersAuthor also writes under Elizabeth Craig
Elizabeth is the bestselling cozy mystery author of the Southern Quilting mysteries, the Myrtle Clover Cozy Mysteries, the Village Library Mysteries, and Memphis Barbeque mysteries for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently. Find out more about her books and sign up for her newsletter on her website: http://elizabethspanncraig.com . Find her books on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list...
Elizabeth is the bestselling cozy mystery author of the Southern Quilting mysteries, the Myrtle Clover Cozy Mysteries, the Village Library Mysteries, and Memphis Barbeque mysteries for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently. Find out more about her books and sign up for her newsletter on her website: http://elizabethspanncraig.com . Find her books on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list...
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 27, 2024
Elizabeth Spann Craig’s A Toast to Murder is an entertaining and quick read. I love the larger-than-life characters as well as the fun small-town drama. However, the mystery is rushed and choppy. This is the twenty-fourth book in the series and it doesn’t really work as a standalone.
Former English teacher and octogenarian sleuth Myrtle Clover finds herself mulling over a new mystery! Myrtle and her sidekick Miles accompany Myrtle’s daughter-in-law Elaine to a wine tasting event. Of course, there’s no serenity at the new winery Serenity Springs because Myrtle quickly stumbles over a dead body! The victim is rival winery owner Gerald Greystone. Gerald was a cold man with no shortage of enemies including his estranged daughter, his flighty girlfriend, as well as a disgruntled neighbour. Myrtle and Miles must uncork the mystery before the bodies pile up!
I am a longtime fan of the Myrtle Clover mystery series and I did enjoy this light and easy book. I like the mystery and how quickly it started. There is good action with interesting twists, good action, and some great red herrings. I also love the abundance of well-crafted and viable suspects. They are well-written and interesting with so many motives!
However, there is wasted potential. I think that much more could have been done with the suspects, especially in terms of sleuthing and their interactions with Myrtle. The big reveal is exciting and I am pleased that I didn't guess the murderer’s identity until that final moment. However, the overall mystery plot is a little rushed and choppy. I would have liked to see much more build up.
My favourite thing about this series is Craig’s dedication to hilariously and wonderfully depicting small-town life. The familiar scenes are all here and funny as ever: Myrtle wrangling her unruly house help, struggling through book club, and snooping at the victim’s funeral.
I love re-meeting the familiar townsfolk like nosy Erma the neighbour, Wanda the helpful psychic, and formidable Tippy. However, I do think that the side characters could be used much more to liven up Myrtle’s investigations. I do love the consistency of this series but I think it would benefit from having new situations.
🍷🍷🍷 ½ out of 5 wine glasses!
Former English teacher and octogenarian sleuth Myrtle Clover finds herself mulling over a new mystery! Myrtle and her sidekick Miles accompany Myrtle’s daughter-in-law Elaine to a wine tasting event. Of course, there’s no serenity at the new winery Serenity Springs because Myrtle quickly stumbles over a dead body! The victim is rival winery owner Gerald Greystone. Gerald was a cold man with no shortage of enemies including his estranged daughter, his flighty girlfriend, as well as a disgruntled neighbour. Myrtle and Miles must uncork the mystery before the bodies pile up!
I am a longtime fan of the Myrtle Clover mystery series and I did enjoy this light and easy book. I like the mystery and how quickly it started. There is good action with interesting twists, good action, and some great red herrings. I also love the abundance of well-crafted and viable suspects. They are well-written and interesting with so many motives!
However, there is wasted potential. I think that much more could have been done with the suspects, especially in terms of sleuthing and their interactions with Myrtle. The big reveal is exciting and I am pleased that I didn't guess the murderer’s identity until that final moment. However, the overall mystery plot is a little rushed and choppy. I would have liked to see much more build up.
My favourite thing about this series is Craig’s dedication to hilariously and wonderfully depicting small-town life. The familiar scenes are all here and funny as ever: Myrtle wrangling her unruly house help, struggling through book club, and snooping at the victim’s funeral.
I love re-meeting the familiar townsfolk like nosy Erma the neighbour, Wanda the helpful psychic, and formidable Tippy. However, I do think that the side characters could be used much more to liven up Myrtle’s investigations. I do love the consistency of this series but I think it would benefit from having new situations.
🍷🍷🍷 ½ out of 5 wine glasses!
June 12, 2024
Done with the series. Too many cringe-worthy interactions, recycled through every book. In fact, over 25 tales, litle Jack doesn't grow up, Tomorrow's Promise never goes on break. Try to pretend that each murder story takes 2-4 weeks, each book has at least 2 murders, so that's 100 murders in a small town in a year or two? With the same woman being present every time? The town should pay to move her away, or set a minder to her!
Even outside of those annoyances, the plots are stilted and repetitive. The series, characters, scenes have lost their charm. NFM.
Even outside of those annoyances, the plots are stilted and repetitive. The series, characters, scenes have lost their charm. NFM.
July 25, 2024
A lovely murder mystery
Myrtle and Miles get up to their usual shenanigans, solving murders. This time they find a body at a wine tasting. Wanda delivers her usual warnings to Myrtle which she ignores. Puddin and Dusty are their usual lazy selves although Dusty did cart the Gnomes out of Myrtles shed and arranged them on the lawn to annoy her son Red. I really do enjoy reading these books the characters make me laugh.
Myrtle and Miles get up to their usual shenanigans, solving murders. This time they find a body at a wine tasting. Wanda delivers her usual warnings to Myrtle which she ignores. Puddin and Dusty are their usual lazy selves although Dusty did cart the Gnomes out of Myrtles shed and arranged them on the lawn to annoy her son Red. I really do enjoy reading these books the characters make me laugh.
April 13, 2024
Loved it as usual & didn't guess who it was this time
Read
July 9, 2024Excellent
March 26, 2025
Elizabeth Spann Craig has Ms. Myrtle in another great adventure. I love these Cozy Mystery Books! Ms. Myrtle is the sassy southern lady we all want to be in our old age!
April 15, 2024
A Toast To Murder
Another great book in this series. I have read all 24 of them on my IPad. I highly recommend them. Myrtle and Miles do a great job solving the murders.
Another great book in this series. I have read all 24 of them on my IPad. I highly recommend them. Myrtle and Miles do a great job solving the murders.
July 23, 2024
I love Myrtle Clover -- she is my favorite octogenarian who happens to solve mysteries.
This time, Myrtle and Miles accompany Elaine to a wine tasting as wine tasting is Elaine's new hobby (previous hobbies, as loyal readers know, haven't worked out) and of course, they are involved with a murder.
While I've enjoyed the Myrtle books previous and have read them all, I found this one fell a bit short from the others in that I didn't feel there were enough suspects that could have done it.
But be that as it may, it was still a fun read as all the Myrtle Clover mysteries are.
This time, Myrtle and Miles accompany Elaine to a wine tasting as wine tasting is Elaine's new hobby (previous hobbies, as loyal readers know, haven't worked out) and of course, they are involved with a murder.
While I've enjoyed the Myrtle books previous and have read them all, I found this one fell a bit short from the others in that I didn't feel there were enough suspects that could have done it.
But be that as it may, it was still a fun read as all the Myrtle Clover mysteries are.
September 5, 2024
Only Myrtle Clover can go to a wine-tasting and be completely nonchalant about finding an unexpected body. Then again, she's found so many, so she's all ready to solve a murder. There's no shortage of suspects, from a rival business owner to a disgruntled neighbor to the victim's daughter. Nobody is talking though despite plenty of motives and a lack of alibis. Myrtle and Miles begin to puzzle out the murderer, but they only have so much time. And when another body turns up, they realize it's a race against the clock before the killer decides they're next.
This is a great addition to the Myrtle Clover series. There's the usual cast of characters and side characters along with some very interesting new suspects. The mystery is intriguing and had me guessing until the reveal, and it's always nice to not know who the murderer is. This is one that surprised me as to whodunnit, but it was well-crafted and made sense once Myrtle explained it. A really good mystery, this book is good for anybody to pick up and read to get into the series. It contains all the usual schticks, like Pasha and Erma, Wanda, Elaine's hobby, etc., and it's got just as much charm as ever. Though some people may tire of the formula, I'd say it still works, and I can't wait to see what Elizabeth comes out with next for Myrtle and company.
This is a great addition to the Myrtle Clover series. There's the usual cast of characters and side characters along with some very interesting new suspects. The mystery is intriguing and had me guessing until the reveal, and it's always nice to not know who the murderer is. This is one that surprised me as to whodunnit, but it was well-crafted and made sense once Myrtle explained it. A really good mystery, this book is good for anybody to pick up and read to get into the series. It contains all the usual schticks, like Pasha and Erma, Wanda, Elaine's hobby, etc., and it's got just as much charm as ever. Though some people may tire of the formula, I'd say it still works, and I can't wait to see what Elizabeth comes out with next for Myrtle and company.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews