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Wine Country Mysteries #13
Deeds Left Undone
It’s harvest time and trouble is fermenting for Virgina winemaker Lucie Montgomery in this warm-hearted, twisty mystery featuring small-town rivalries, buried secrets and full-bodied murder.
When a vineyard accident during harvest season leaves Lucie Montgomery without a valuable employee, it’s her worst nightmare. But before she can search for a replacement, there’s more bad Paul Merchant, her winery manager’s husband, is found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool.
Police rule Paul’s death an accident, but his wife insists he was murdered because of his leadership of Don’t Pave Paradise, a conservationist group lobbying to keep the region’s beautiful country roads unpaved. And six weeks ago, Paul’s predecessor also died under mysterious circumstances.
As Lucie is drawn into investigating Paul’s death, she discovers more than one motive for the crime—and more than one person in their close-knit community who wanted Paul dead. And when she finds an old photo of a beautiful local heiress who died tragically in a fire eighty years ago among Paul’s papers, she starts to wonder if the modern-day crime might have roots in the past.
Either way, someone is determined to make sure Lucie, who’s agreed to continue the work of Don’t Pave Paradise, hits a dead end before she even gets started. Even if it means committing murder. Again.
Ellen Crosby’s Wine Country novels are “compulsively readable” (Publishers Weekly) and “a treat for oenophile mystery fans” – if you haven’t met Lucie before, curl up with a glass of wine and jump right in!
When a vineyard accident during harvest season leaves Lucie Montgomery without a valuable employee, it’s her worst nightmare. But before she can search for a replacement, there’s more bad Paul Merchant, her winery manager’s husband, is found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool.
Police rule Paul’s death an accident, but his wife insists he was murdered because of his leadership of Don’t Pave Paradise, a conservationist group lobbying to keep the region’s beautiful country roads unpaved. And six weeks ago, Paul’s predecessor also died under mysterious circumstances.
As Lucie is drawn into investigating Paul’s death, she discovers more than one motive for the crime—and more than one person in their close-knit community who wanted Paul dead. And when she finds an old photo of a beautiful local heiress who died tragically in a fire eighty years ago among Paul’s papers, she starts to wonder if the modern-day crime might have roots in the past.
Either way, someone is determined to make sure Lucie, who’s agreed to continue the work of Don’t Pave Paradise, hits a dead end before she even gets started. Even if it means committing murder. Again.
Ellen Crosby’s Wine Country novels are “compulsively readable” (Publishers Weekly) and “a treat for oenophile mystery fans” – if you haven’t met Lucie before, curl up with a glass of wine and jump right in!
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 5, 2025
19 people are currently reading
1314 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Crosby
26 books486 followersEllen Crosby is the author of the Virginia wine country mysteries, the Sophie Medina mysteries, and MOSCOW NIGHTS, a standalone. DEEDS LEFT UNDONE, her 13th wine country mystery, will be out on August 5, 2025 in hardcover, as an ebook, and as an audio book from Tantor Media. Previously she was a freelance reporter for The Washington Post, Moscow correspondent for ABC Radio News, and an economist at the US Senate. She lives in the Washington, DC suburbs of northern Virginia after living overseas for many years and is currently busy writing the 14th wine country mystery which will be out in 2026. More at www.ellencrosby.com.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 8, 2025
Ellen Crosby's Wine Country Mysteries are the perfect blend of lighter investigation, balanced side stories, complex stories, and beautiful character portraits. No gimmicks or exaggerated situations, generations of conflict exist in this small Virginia town, ripe with political and American history. I always look forward to reading them, and Deeds Left Undone is the latest release coming out in about a week. How could an 80-year-old fire and current local town political rivalry be connected? Three deaths, all within the same families, and no one truly understands the layers swept between the generations. So many great possibilities... loved it!
July 26, 2025
Winemaker Lucie Montgomery is having a rough harvest season. An employee is seriously injured in a vineyard accident leaving her short-handed. To make things worse, wine manager Frankie’s husband Paul Merchant is found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool, leaving Lucie yet another employee short. Both deaths happen just as all hands are needed to harvest and process delicate Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, a task that can’t be left to the untrained.
Was Paul’s drowning accidental? Lucie starts to wonder when she realizes that Violet Rossi, Paul’s predecessor as leader of Don’t Pave Paradise, also died under mysterious circumstances. Could someone want the rural roads paved badly enough to kill? And why does the name of socialite Eleanor Blake keep popping up? Is there a connection to her death eighty years ago in a theater fire?
Lucie unravels the case with help from Thelma Johnson, “sassy octogenarian” owner of the General Store, while trying balance work and life with her new husband, Quinn. Since this is the first book I’ve read in this series, I feel like there’s a lot more about these two characters I’d like to know! (Yes, I’ve already added the series to Mount To-Be-Read.) An usual aspect of Thelma’s character is that she uses a Ouija Board to talk to the dead. We don’t get to see that in this book but it adds a fun woo-woo possibility. I also get the impression that California-born Quinn has been adapting to life in wine-horse-and-hunt Virginia, perhaps not always easily.
Besides the characters, I really like the vineyard setting. I knew little about wine or winemaking before reading this book and learned a lot along the way. Did you know that Oenology means “the science and study of wine and winemaking”? That wines contain tannins? I also learned how delicate Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are and how to process them to make wine. In addition to wine, Virginia is horse country, so Lucie also attends a race where she find more clues about the mysterious deaths. The clues are well-paced but an astute reader might piece together the solution before Lucie does. Even so, the ending is satisfying.
Fun facts: the plot is based on a real-life plan to save rural roads in Loudoun County, VA and the movie theater is based on the real Hollywood Theater in Middleburg, VA which, sadly, no longer exists.
I recommend this book (and series) to anyone interested in rural Virginia, wine, or horses. You can read this book without reading the rest of the series. Or do what I’m going to do: read this book, then start from the beginning!
Was Paul’s drowning accidental? Lucie starts to wonder when she realizes that Violet Rossi, Paul’s predecessor as leader of Don’t Pave Paradise, also died under mysterious circumstances. Could someone want the rural roads paved badly enough to kill? And why does the name of socialite Eleanor Blake keep popping up? Is there a connection to her death eighty years ago in a theater fire?
Lucie unravels the case with help from Thelma Johnson, “sassy octogenarian” owner of the General Store, while trying balance work and life with her new husband, Quinn. Since this is the first book I’ve read in this series, I feel like there’s a lot more about these two characters I’d like to know! (Yes, I’ve already added the series to Mount To-Be-Read.) An usual aspect of Thelma’s character is that she uses a Ouija Board to talk to the dead. We don’t get to see that in this book but it adds a fun woo-woo possibility. I also get the impression that California-born Quinn has been adapting to life in wine-horse-and-hunt Virginia, perhaps not always easily.
Besides the characters, I really like the vineyard setting. I knew little about wine or winemaking before reading this book and learned a lot along the way. Did you know that Oenology means “the science and study of wine and winemaking”? That wines contain tannins? I also learned how delicate Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are and how to process them to make wine. In addition to wine, Virginia is horse country, so Lucie also attends a race where she find more clues about the mysterious deaths. The clues are well-paced but an astute reader might piece together the solution before Lucie does. Even so, the ending is satisfying.
Fun facts: the plot is based on a real-life plan to save rural roads in Loudoun County, VA and the movie theater is based on the real Hollywood Theater in Middleburg, VA which, sadly, no longer exists.
I recommend this book (and series) to anyone interested in rural Virginia, wine, or horses. You can read this book without reading the rest of the series. Or do what I’m going to do: read this book, then start from the beginning!
June 11, 2025
In this thirteenth title in the Wine Country Mysteries series, vineyard owner Lucie becomes suspicious when the husband of the vineyard manager dies in an apparent pool drowning. Paul was heading up a conservationist group advocating to keep local country roads unpaved; his predecessor died mysteriously just six weeks earlier. Coincidence, or is someone willing to stop at nothing to halt the conservation efforts?
I liked the inclusion of the conservationist group; I had no idea there were historical unpaved roads in that part of the country, or that individuals would lobby to keep them that way. I did not like the inclusion of the historical element (a gorgeous local heiress died tragically in a fire eight decades earlier, is she somehow connected to the present-day deaths?) as a major part of the plot---it seemed incredibly far-fetched. It's also grating that Lucie's family members are just insanely talented. Her half brother isn't just a photographer, he's a photographer for National Geographic. Her cousin doesn't just own a restaurant, she owns a Michelin-starred restaurant. It's a little much after awhile. I didn't get the immersive feel of being in the vineyards/part of the winemaking process with this book that I did from other titles in this series, and the accident with her employee near the book's beginning had no impact on the story other than being a very convoluted way of getting Lucie to interact with two other characters in the story. Recommended for series completionists only.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy.
I liked the inclusion of the conservationist group; I had no idea there were historical unpaved roads in that part of the country, or that individuals would lobby to keep them that way. I did not like the inclusion of the historical element (a gorgeous local heiress died tragically in a fire eight decades earlier, is she somehow connected to the present-day deaths?) as a major part of the plot---it seemed incredibly far-fetched. It's also grating that Lucie's family members are just insanely talented. Her half brother isn't just a photographer, he's a photographer for National Geographic. Her cousin doesn't just own a restaurant, she owns a Michelin-starred restaurant. It's a little much after awhile. I didn't get the immersive feel of being in the vineyards/part of the winemaking process with this book that I did from other titles in this series, and the accident with her employee near the book's beginning had no impact on the story other than being a very convoluted way of getting Lucie to interact with two other characters in the story. Recommended for series completionists only.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy.
May 11, 2025
It has been three years since book 12 of the Wine Country Mysteries, so long that I thought maybe the series was over. To my great delight, Book 13, Deeds Left Undone, will be published in August 2025. To my even greater delight, I received an ARC of the book from NetGalley. And to my greatest delight of all, the book is as good as I remember the series being!
Having lived in Northern Virginia, many of the areas and descriptions in the series are familiar to me. Knowing the location even a little bit makes the story more enjoyable, and Crosby does a great job of describing the Leesburg area. And the setting plays a big part of this mystery, with a debate over how much development is good and how much is bad seeming to set in motion a murder--or maybe two murders.
Both of the leaders of the opposition group to paving more local roads have died recently--ruled accidents by the police. But Lucie Montgomery, owner of a local vineyard and lifelong resident of the area, suspects that these deaths were not accidental at all.
As she begins to investigate, she uncovers secrets some of her friends and neighbors would prefer to keep hidden. She also learns more about the ongoing development debate and ends up taking over for the latest victim. With the previous two leaders already dead, will Lucie be the third victim?
Deeds Left Undone continues the excellent storyline about murder in the wealthy wine country in Northern Virginia, and as always Ellen Crosby does a great job of incorporating the history of the area, the (somewhat) unspoiled beauty of the small towns and large farms, and an engaging mystery to be solved by Lucie, her friends, and her family. I'm so happy this series has resumed!
Having lived in Northern Virginia, many of the areas and descriptions in the series are familiar to me. Knowing the location even a little bit makes the story more enjoyable, and Crosby does a great job of describing the Leesburg area. And the setting plays a big part of this mystery, with a debate over how much development is good and how much is bad seeming to set in motion a murder--or maybe two murders.
Both of the leaders of the opposition group to paving more local roads have died recently--ruled accidents by the police. But Lucie Montgomery, owner of a local vineyard and lifelong resident of the area, suspects that these deaths were not accidental at all.
As she begins to investigate, she uncovers secrets some of her friends and neighbors would prefer to keep hidden. She also learns more about the ongoing development debate and ends up taking over for the latest victim. With the previous two leaders already dead, will Lucie be the third victim?
Deeds Left Undone continues the excellent storyline about murder in the wealthy wine country in Northern Virginia, and as always Ellen Crosby does a great job of incorporating the history of the area, the (somewhat) unspoiled beauty of the small towns and large farms, and an engaging mystery to be solved by Lucie, her friends, and her family. I'm so happy this series has resumed!
September 9, 2025
Previously living in Northern VA, I enjoy this series because I can picture some of the settings. Always an interesting twist and Lucie is one of my favorite book characters. A quick read for a lazy Sunday.
"When a vineyard accident during harvest season leaves Lucie Montgomery without a valuable employee, it’s her worst nightmare. But before she can search for a replacement, there’s more bad Paul Merchant, her winery manager’s husband, is found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool.
Police rule Paul’s death an accident, but his wife insists he was murdered because of his leadership of Don’t Pave Paradise, a conservationist group lobbying to keep the region’s beautiful country roads unpaved. And six weeks ago, Paul’s predecessor also died under mysterious circumstances. As Lucie is drawn into investigating Paul’s death, she discovers more than one motive for the crime—and more than one person in their close-knit community who wanted Paul dead. And when she finds an old photo of a beautiful local heiress who died tragically in a fire eighty years ago among Paul’s papers, she starts to wonder if the modern-day crime might have roots in the past. Either way, someone is determined to make sure Lucie, who’s agreed to continue the work of Don’t Pave Paradise, hits a dead end before she even gets started. Even if it means committing murder. Again."
"When a vineyard accident during harvest season leaves Lucie Montgomery without a valuable employee, it’s her worst nightmare. But before she can search for a replacement, there’s more bad Paul Merchant, her winery manager’s husband, is found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool.
Police rule Paul’s death an accident, but his wife insists he was murdered because of his leadership of Don’t Pave Paradise, a conservationist group lobbying to keep the region’s beautiful country roads unpaved. And six weeks ago, Paul’s predecessor also died under mysterious circumstances. As Lucie is drawn into investigating Paul’s death, she discovers more than one motive for the crime—and more than one person in their close-knit community who wanted Paul dead. And when she finds an old photo of a beautiful local heiress who died tragically in a fire eighty years ago among Paul’s papers, she starts to wonder if the modern-day crime might have roots in the past. Either way, someone is determined to make sure Lucie, who’s agreed to continue the work of Don’t Pave Paradise, hits a dead end before she even gets started. Even if it means committing murder. Again."
July 13, 2025
Another engrossing mystery in the Wine Country series, set in Virginia and featuring winemaker Lucie Montgomery and her husband Quinn.
They are in the midst of grape harvest when multiple crises intrude. One of their top men is seriously injured and requires emergency surgery, and then they receive word that their tasting room manager's husband has been found drowned in a swimming pool. The victim had just taken over a local action committee dealing with blocking the paving of historic roads in the horse and hound district, thus setting the stage for some major development. And conveniently, several months before the previous leader of the group had died in a single car accident.
It's hard for Lucie, or the families, to believe the deaths aren't related to their campaign. When she starts digging, Lucie also discovers a link to another tragic death decades earlier. How are all these events connected?
These stories are intertwined with some history and some interesting winemaking tidbits. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
They are in the midst of grape harvest when multiple crises intrude. One of their top men is seriously injured and requires emergency surgery, and then they receive word that their tasting room manager's husband has been found drowned in a swimming pool. The victim had just taken over a local action committee dealing with blocking the paving of historic roads in the horse and hound district, thus setting the stage for some major development. And conveniently, several months before the previous leader of the group had died in a single car accident.
It's hard for Lucie, or the families, to believe the deaths aren't related to their campaign. When she starts digging, Lucie also discovers a link to another tragic death decades earlier. How are all these events connected?
These stories are intertwined with some history and some interesting winemaking tidbits. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 28, 2025
#DeedsLeftUndone #NetGalley is an intense cozy mystery that had so many twists and turns, I kept reading until the last page.
Lucie and her husband Quinn are harvesting the grapes at their vineyard when tragedy strikes.
First, their employee has a horrible accident, keeping him out of work for an extended time.
Then their manager receives a devastating call, her husband has been found, unresponsive, at the bottom of their pool.
While Lucie tries to help Frankie through this horrible time, she can't believe his death was an accident, and she's determined to find the truth.
As the story goes on, horrible secrets are revealed and Lucie finds the answers she's looking for, but if she's not careful, she may be grieving her own loss.
I really loved this book and I'm happy to recommend it to other readers.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
Lucie and her husband Quinn are harvesting the grapes at their vineyard when tragedy strikes.
First, their employee has a horrible accident, keeping him out of work for an extended time.
Then their manager receives a devastating call, her husband has been found, unresponsive, at the bottom of their pool.
While Lucie tries to help Frankie through this horrible time, she can't believe his death was an accident, and she's determined to find the truth.
As the story goes on, horrible secrets are revealed and Lucie finds the answers she's looking for, but if she's not careful, she may be grieving her own loss.
I really loved this book and I'm happy to recommend it to other readers.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
July 17, 2025
When is a tragic accident (or three) not accidental but carefully crafted murder. Lucie has a difficult time sorting through the politics and confrontations that make up conservationists against concrete progress. The plot twists were so sneaky and diabolical! Really enjoyed this mystery but want to go back and dig around in some of the earlier ones, too.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Severn House via NetGalley.
#DeedsLeftUndone by @ellencrosbyauthor #WineCountryMysteriesBk13 @severnhouseimprint #NetGalley ***** review #goodreads #bookbub #storygraph #librarything
#cozymystery #friends #investigation #secrets #lies #winecountry #mystery #series #virginia #wine #murder #virginiaisforwinelovers #virginiawine #virginiawinecountry #mysteryseries
#amateursleuth #murder #investigation #conservationistlobby #rural #localcops #oldcase
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Severn House via NetGalley.
#DeedsLeftUndone by @ellencrosbyauthor #WineCountryMysteriesBk13 @severnhouseimprint #NetGalley ***** review #goodreads #bookbub #storygraph #librarything
#cozymystery #friends #investigation #secrets #lies #winecountry #mystery #series #virginia #wine #murder #virginiaisforwinelovers #virginiawine #virginiawinecountry #mysteryseries
#amateursleuth #murder #investigation #conservationistlobby #rural #localcops #oldcase
August 18, 2025
Love this series, not just for the mysteries, but for all the information on wine. Based on a true situation, this is a progress vs. historical preservation fight. When Lucie and her friend Frankie get a call from Frankie's gardener that Frankie's husband Paul has been found dead in their pool, Frankie claims that he wouldn't have killed himself. But alcohol and an antidepressant are found in his bloodstream. But this is just weeks after another death by accident of a woman working with Paul to get Louden county's dirt roads designated as a historical landmark. But as Lucie starts asking questions, she finds information in Paul's briefcase that seems to be unrelated to the roadway conflict at all. And Thelma's prediction that death comes in threes keeps echoing in Lucie's mind. Great story, and all the friends are here.
August 10, 2025
Literate and twisty mystery (#13 in series)set in the wine and horse country in Virginia. Respecting the weather and managing around it comes as second nature to Lucie Montgomery, her winery would quickly fail otherwise. Managing the harvest before the forecasted bad weather is challenge enough, but an accident and the death of the winery manager's husband has all hands on deck. Suspicions whether the death and the car accident of another leader of the campaign to keep certain roads in Loudon County unpaved are circulating. As is often the case in this series, there's a tie to a historical event pivotal to the plot. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2025
Deeds Left Undone is book #13 in the Wine Country Mystery series by Ellen Crosby.
I’m glad to see that this series is continuing. A series of accidents are happening around Lucie Montgomery. Three accidents so closely together are suspicious. Lucy starts investigating and uncovering secrets. Are there ties to an old murder? Can she find the killer before they come after her? I really enjoyed this and makes me think it is time to go back to visit Virginia wineries again.
Thank you to the author, Severn House, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I’m glad to see that this series is continuing. A series of accidents are happening around Lucie Montgomery. Three accidents so closely together are suspicious. Lucy starts investigating and uncovering secrets. Are there ties to an old murder? Can she find the killer before they come after her? I really enjoyed this and makes me think it is time to go back to visit Virginia wineries again.
Thank you to the author, Severn House, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
November 8, 2025
I've read every book in this series and enjoyed each one. I am familiar with the area and can easily visualize the scenery as described in the book. This one was sad for me. Usually, the victims aren't someone so closely connected the the characters in the story. I didn't find one of the killers not to be a realistic choice so the ending as a little bit of a left down. The ending kind of quickly and tidily wrapped up. However, getting to the end was fascinating as always. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eArc.
August 25, 2025
Lucie Montgomery returns in a new installment of the Wine Country Mystery series. It’s harvest season and the winery is haunted by rain and a critical injury. If that wasn’t enough her best friend’s husband is found dead, suspected suicide. Paul was involved with an organization that wanted to keep the old gravel farm roads unimproved. The previous head recently died in a car crash. The crash was also suspicious. Great mystery #NetGalley
November 4, 2025
This is a cozy mystery in a long running series.
It just felt forced and flat. The characters didn't really move me to feel for them.
The mystery had a huge mistake that really bugged me. I am an RN and we are required to have a criminal background check with our fingerprints on file in any and every state we are licensed in. We have to be licensed in order to practice as an RN.
I can't recommend this book and maybe I am now done with the series.
It just felt forced and flat. The characters didn't really move me to feel for them.
The mystery had a huge mistake that really bugged me. I am an RN and we are required to have a criminal background check with our fingerprints on file in any and every state we are licensed in. We have to be licensed in order to practice as an RN.
I can't recommend this book and maybe I am now done with the series.
December 15, 2025
Another Ingenious Visit to Wine Country
Pay close attention to the twists and turns of the story. A great deal of thought and research went into the plotting and telling of this tale. How one murder and another attempted one were carried out is based on a new and startling--to me, at least--bit of information. You won't see it coming! Well done, Ms. Crosby!
Pay close attention to the twists and turns of the story. A great deal of thought and research went into the plotting and telling of this tale. How one murder and another attempted one were carried out is based on a new and startling--to me, at least--bit of information. You won't see it coming! Well done, Ms. Crosby!
July 21, 2025
I am so grateful Lucie, Quinn, and all the Atoka crowd are back. Reading about the northern Virginia wine country, local lore, weather, romance, and mystery makes me so happy! Deeds Left Undone has it all. Pour a glass of Virginia Cabernet Franc and jump into the story!
September 21, 2025
2.5 stars
I liked this series a lot in the beginning, but, in my opinion, it's gone downhill. I was disappointed in the 2 previous ones, and actually had a hard time finishing this one.
I guess I'm finished with the series.
I liked this series a lot in the beginning, but, in my opinion, it's gone downhill. I was disappointed in the 2 previous ones, and actually had a hard time finishing this one.
I guess I'm finished with the series.
October 8, 2025
I've been a fan of this series since the beginning and Deeds Left Undone is the best of the group. The character development is interesting, sad, and happy. I wish main character Lucie Montgomery all the happiness but I fear Crosby might have other ideas for her
August 9, 2025
I really enjoy the wine country series and characters in them. They’re not heavy reading, but they are entertaining.
August 17, 2025
Wonderful series.. Great characters...
August 19, 2025
Best yet! Loves the issue of the unpaved roads as it is a current debate!
September 15, 2025
Interesting set up, and probably a better read if I had more familiarity with the series. I did enjoy it, and am adding her other books to my TBR list.
September 25, 2025
Always love reading Ellen’s books. The only one I have not read is Moscow Nights.
December 17, 2025
I love this new Lucie Montgomery mystery. This is a great story, the characters are well done and readers are entertained. I like the interplay between the characters and the Virginia setting.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews