Whodunit at the Winery

Deadly Destinations Cozy Mysteries #1

by Carly Winter

Murder doesn’t pair well with Merlot…

When former Hollywood actress Sam Jones and her boyfriend, Jordan, visit a quaint Colorado winery, they expect wine tastings and mountain views—not murder. During their tour, wine barrels come crashing down, killing their enthusiastic guide, Penelope. But was she the intended target, or was someone after Sam?

With a suspicious small-town sheriff questioning their every move, Sam and Jordan discover Penelope had plenty of enemies. There's her heartbroken ex-boyfriend still reeling from their breakup, the volatile winery owners, and a coworker harboring secret feelings. When Sam and Jordan's hotel room is trashed, the danger becomes personal.

From ice cream shop confrontations to basement mysteries, Sam must use all her cunning to navigate small-town secrets and hidden motives. When it seems that everyone has something to hide, Sam and Jordan race to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again.

Enjoy this vacation cozy mystery, a spinoff from the Heywood Herbalist Cozy Mysteries

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Ebooks, Mystery, Novella

103 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 8, 2025

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Carly Winter writes fun, small town cozy mysteries, always with a dash of humor and quirky characters. When not writing, you can find her spending time with her family, on a Pilates reformer or enjoying the fantastic Arizona weather (except summer - she doesn't like summer). She does like dogs, wine and chocolate and wishes Christmas happened twice a year.

Reviews

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whodunit At The Winery by Carly Winters is the first book in “the deadly destination mysteries.” The book is about Sam a canceled actress and her ex detective boyfriend Jordan the book started off with them getting an ice cream at their first vacation stop in Arizona. They plan to travel the country because Sam has seen the world and would like to see more of the place she lives in. The first place they stop they go across the street to get an ice cream from sweet scoops and the boy Milo just knows he knows her she pretends like oh no we’ve never met not mentioning that yes I was Kassie on this Uber popular TV show because that is absolutely where he knows her from but when he finds out he blows up totally absolutely out of proportion angry. after Jordan gets him to calm down Milo explains he knows her from watching her show with his girlfriend who just broke up with him… It still doesn’t explain his out of control violent reaction but The couple puts it out of their mind and goes on with their holiday it’s just coincidence that the next day when they meet their hostess at the winery her name is Penelope and just happens to be the ex-girlfriend of Milo and a huge fan of Sam’s. The winery is owned by a rockstar who rumors claim isn’t so nice and Sam and Jordan learn if that’s true he and his wife make a perfect match. By the end of their tour someone will be dead and instead of packing up and getting out of Dodge the couple doubles down and tries to find out who did it. There were many things I found too convenient and I know because I love cozy mysteries that in these types of books coincidence is an author‘s best friend but in this book it seems things were almost too convenient. I am not saying it is a bad book I’m not even saying I won’t read the next one because I probably will they discussed the area there in they do have some funny moments so if you like out of the box dialogue and convenient sleuthing skills you may enjoy this book I didn’t hate it so don’t get me wrong I am going to read the next one probably but I have to give my honest review and this is it. #BookSirens,#TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #CarlyWinters, #WhodunitAtTheWinery,

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Murder makes me curious about everyone involved."

Samantha Rathbone ( aka Sam Jones) and her boyfriend Jordan are in a well deserved vacation in Cottonwood visiting wineries and just relaxing. But anyone who has read Carly Winters' other books knows that murder doesn't take vacations as San and Jordan end up smack dab in yet another one.

Instead of a bumbling sheriff, this time we have one dependent on the gifts from the winery owners. Will he believe his townfolk or take the perusings of Sam and Jordan to heart.

Just who did kill Penelope? You will have to read and find out.

I wasn't as in love with this version of Sam as I was in the earlier series The Heywood Herbalist but there is something about this character that is very attractive. Recommended 4/5

[Disclaimer: I received this book from Book Sirens but in no way did it affect my reading or this review]

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam Jones and her boyfriend, Jordan, are travelling across the country, visiting small-town America. A stop off to tour a winery leads to an unfortunate death, and the two become suspects in a murder investigation.

The Deadly Destination Mysteries is a spinoff of the excellent Heywood Herbalist Cozy Mysteries as Sam and Logan visit new locations, enjoying time away from everyday life at home. It's fascinating to see Sam through the lens of new characters and to partake in the fun of a vacation.

This novella had its moments! There were a few tense scenes as Sam and Jordan worked through the events surrounding a suspicious death. The two make perfect partners, and the story was a pure pleasure to read.

If you haven't met Sam in the original series, not to worry: she's thoughtfully introduced in this book (though I'd highly recommend reading the Herbalist books, as they are amazing!)

Thank you to Carly Winters and BookSirens for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. As always, my opinions are my own, honest and true.

[Estelle Bouldin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A breezy, bingeable cozy mystery with wine, wit, and a former Hollywood star turned amateur sleuth. Carly Winter kicks off her Deadly Destinations series with humor, charm, and just enough suspense to keep you turning pages.

Former soap star Sam Jones (aka Samantha Rathbone) is hoping for a relaxing vacation with her boyfriend Jordan in a picturesque Colorado mountain town—but murder has a way of following her. What starts as a simple wine tasting turns into chaos when barrels come crashing down, killing their bubbly tour guide. Was it an accident, or something much darker?

Sam’s past life in the spotlight brings both complications and comedy to the investigation. I loved her quick wit, her middle-aged realism (no Botox here!), and the affectionate banter between her and Jordan, a retired cop with just the right mix of patience and dry humor. Together, they make a relatable, likable duo you can’t help but root for.

The small-town setting sparkles with cozy charm—ice cream parlors, mountain views, and all the gossip and secrets you’d expect from a tourist town with a dark side. The mystery itself is cleverly plotted with a few genuine surprises, and while the tone stays light, Winter weaves in enough danger to raise the stakes.

At under 200 pages, it’s a quick, satisfying read—perfect for fans of murder mysteries with a splash of Merlot and a dash of humor.

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything that Carly Winter has ever written so I was as smitten as a kitten to find this Pearl. To start reading at book 1 too? Woohoo! My favourite characters too…. Sam Jones and her beau Jordan are travelling,starting with the wine region of Colorado. The wine is fine ,divine in fact but it seems trouble follows on the vine because this is not divine! Their tour guide Penelope who was in the process of showing them around the cellar and the mountain views has a few wine barrels fall over her ,killing her outright . A few oohs and eeks and looking around. Giving them all a fright . Samantha though has gone pale ….Something about this though with this Merlot and how it fell doesn’t feel right ,something starts to smell suspiciously like someone tried to kill her or give her a fright. But they got Penelope instead and now she’s dead. Yes she had enemies ,even an ex who might wish to harm or alarm her . The police are inept as per. So what are the pair to do? Then they really do have to act fast because their room has just been trashed . Slashed and now it really is personal and they must investigate the matter with no time to waste. Find the killer or killers post haste. What a start to a destination adventure for them but good for us because we have our intrepid sleuths to follow and their story to get immersed into. Love this series already ,just eased in ,nice and steady . So when’s book two out I ask ? Cos I’m ready and primed . This storyline was di-vine …

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't normally like novellas because the story is over before it begins and usually there is hardly any suspects. That wasn't the case with this book, in fact I think there might have been more suspects than you would normally find in a full length cozy story and I loved it. The series might be a spin off from another series by this author but the author didn't waste much of her word count with introducing to the characters, instead she let the story do the talking and focused on the mystery. I loved it, I had read it in a couple of hours and then was looking up to see more books in the series.

Sam and Jordan are enjoying there trip around America until a stop at a celebrity 's winery has them caught up in a murder investigation. With Sam having annoyed a number of residents with connection to the winery, Jordan is questioning if she was the target. With the police looking at them as more suspects than innocent victims or possible target, Sam and Jordan start investigating. Can they find the killer?
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Caitlin C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a spin off series from the Heywood Herbalist series. In this one, Sam and Jordan have started a cross country trek after selling the herb shop. One of their first stops is a winery in Colorado. Sam is excited to visit the winery and hopefully catch a glance of the rockstar owner.

She and Jordan meet an interesting group of characters right off the bat when they visit an ice cream shop and the kid scooping ice cream starts talking about Cassie, Sam's soap opera persona.

Upon visiting the winery, their guide, Penelope, who is a huge Cassie fan, is killed. Jordan isn't sure if the crime was aimed at Sam or if Penelope was the intended target.

They start off on a bad foot with the local sheriff who seems insistent on discounting anything they have to say, which of course spurs Sam to start investigating on her own.

I devour any of Carly's books. This one is no different!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Teri Radogna-linquist · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice, easy cozy mystery featuring our favorite Heywood characters, Sam and Jordan. Once again a relaxing vacation trip turns into a quest to seek out who the killer might be of a local winery employee. The story arc was good and the ongoing development of both characters has us asking for more. The only reason for the 3 stars instead of 4 or 5 is that this is more like a short novella or what I would call an 'in between' chapter book and lacked some of the depth of the other novels. I miss seeing Sam and Jordan interact with the other characters of Heywood, (Gina, Annabelle and Travis for example) and/or problematic co-workers from her Hollywood life as Samantha Rathbone. Despite this it was a nice addition to the series and an enjoyable quick read.

Thank you to the author and BookSirens for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whodunit at the Winery by Carly Winter is the first book in the Deadly Destinations Cozy Mysteries series, a spinoff of the Heywood Herbalist Cozy Mysteries. It features former soap opera actress Sam Jones and her boyfriend, Jordan.

I usually don’t enjoy taking main characters out of their familiar setting and away from the supporting cast. However, since I haven’t yet read the Heywood Herbalist series (it’s on my TBR list), this didn’t detract from my enjoyment. New readers don’t need any prior knowledge of the original series to follow this one. The author provides enough background on Sam and Jordan to make the story easy to jump into.

At times, Sam and Jordan seem to be in the right place at the right time a bit too often, which slightly pulled me out of the mystery. Still, the story was enjoyable overall. I would recommend this book to fans of the original series, and it also works well as a standalone cozy mystery.

[Sandy T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note 10/9/2025 - the cover shown for this book is wrong.. it is for next book- book 2. Book 1 is Whodunit at the Winery.

An enjoyable novella staring Sam and Jordan, a delightful couple. A murder occurs during their vacation so of course they must investigate! Plenty of motives and quirky characters are involved keeping the story interesting. The plot flows well making it an easy read.

This is a spin off of a fun series, the Heywood Herbalist Cozy Mysteries. I recommend both this novella and the series. Plus this novella was originally published in the anthology titled "Murder Doesn't Take a Vacation", another recommendation.

I received a free advance copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Kira K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book is the first in the Deadly Destinations series but this series does follow characters from the Heywood Herbalist series. However, the book does a great job of outlining the important bits of the characters and their histories so that we don’t feel like we’re missing things without having read the others. I think the characters themselves have continued very well and it does feel like the same people just on holiday. The mystery itself had me guessing and changing my mind a few times which is so impressive in a short book but it definitely wasn’t missing any of the mystery being shorter.

Favourite Quote:
"Funny how murder could clear a room almost faster than a fire"

[Kymm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been following Sam Jones and her search for a new life outside the glamour of Hollywood since the beginning of the Heywood Herbalist series and I love that her and her boyfriend Jordan are taking the story out of Heywood, AZ and into various vacation spots. It seems no matter where Sam goes murder follows and it seems the skills, she has in finding clues and suspects far outweigh any local police department. These local police departments never think she'll be anything more than a hinderance only to come around when Sam gets the facts and finds the culprit. These books are fun, easy to read and can be read in an afternoon, which makes them the perfect companion for any cozy reader. Happy Reading!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whole lotta action packed into a quick read! Sam and Jordan are on a vacation to a small Colorado town. They plan to relax see the touristy sites and visit a few wineries. Sam’s soap opera past comes back and seems to haunt her as she’s recognized and shortly thereafter the fan is killed. A lackadaisical sheriff, a horrid rich couple, and a few others all turn this into a complex case.
Loved the lightbulb moment sweet and sad at the same time. Love the cute little town and its shops. A lot like Heywood I think. Great twist on the culprit what a fun quick read!.

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

[Dave Measner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly tour
Sam Jones and boyfriend Jordan Branson are vacationing in Cottonwood Colorado and touring some wineries. While visiting Timeless Vineyard their tour guide, Penelope, is killed when a stack of empty barrels falls on her. With a host of people who disliked her it isn't easy to figure out who toppled the barrels. But Sam and Jordan are seasoned sleuths and won't rest until they have ferreted out the killer.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I have read several books with Sam as the main character. I have enjoyed each one of them. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is the first book of a new series, and I enjoyed just as much as I had the other series of this author. Sam and Jordan are perfect for each other and Sam definitely has a nose for murder. Jordan ends up keeping her out of trouble many times. Good story and good characters with mystery and a little romance. What more can one ask for. Definitely recommend reading this book.

[J Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun reading!

Sam and Jordan's tour of a winery in a small Colorado town comes to an abrupt end when falling wine barrels kill their tour guide. When evidence points to murder, they begin to investigate. Was Sam or their guide, Penelope, the real target? There are plenty of suspects to choose from, and a local sheriff who acts ready to lock them up if they don’t find the real killer.

I liked the way this mystery unfolded. It kept me guessing. I received a free copy, but my review is honest and voluntary.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whodunit at the Winery is a novella length, intriguing, wine vacation, cozy mystery. Sam and Jordan are enjoying their winery tour when the storage barrels cascade down - crushing their tour guide. Was the guide or Sam the intended target? While the sheriff investigates Sam and Jordan, they launch their own investigation. As always, there are plenty of suspects and possible motives. All is not as idyllic as it seems in this small town. Despite its short length, this book is well plotted and I enjoyed every minute!

[Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it !! a great start for this new series/cross over series !! love Sam and Jordan.. this is a new murder for them to solve on vacay... they go to a winery in Colorado for some wine and cheese... not a murder... but, their tour guide is killed by a barrel of wine... accident or murder ? was she the intended victim.? or Sam !!! and the sheriff well... he says accident end of story ... Sama nd Jordan decide to investigate and their room is trashed... they must be getting close... maybe..so good !!!.

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

[BookHound · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Sam can't even go on a vacation to get away from murder. Thankfully or we wouldn't have another mystery to solve. Sam and Jordan visit a Colorado winery and find murder, vandalism of their hotel room, and arguments with various people surrounding the winery. This one had me guessing who the murderer was then changing my mind several times. Twists and turns and some surprises. The characters are believable although some are not so nice like the winery owners (who aren't liked by their employees either). I received an ARC and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

[Bette Reith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this extension of the Heywood series. This follows Jordan and Sam as they travel the country, of course, finding murder along the way. In this book, they visit a winery for a tour, when the wine barrels fall and kill the tour guide. Now the question is, was it an accident, or was it murder, and most importantly, who was it meant for? I love the interconnections between the characters and how most have a reason to commit murder. Awesome reading, great characters, and humor all rolled into one. Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC of this book.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam and Jordan try a relaxing trip to a winery, only to find there's no relaxing when a murder is committed. Did they get the right victim? Is Sam a target? Things take a dicey and spicey turn when all alerts go off. So many possible suspects, and I picked the wrong one each time. A great fast whodunit, with engaging characters and a page turner storyline. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest review.

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whodunit at the Winery is Book 1 in the Deadly Destinations Cozy Mystery by Carly Winter. When actress and her BFF, Jordan, visit a Colorado winery, they were not expecting a murder. Who was the intended victim? I found this mystery to be excellent. Sam and Jordan are busy searching for clues. Can they solve this mystery? Great characters with an exciting story make this novel a must read. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the Heywood Herbalist series for which this is a spin off and it was so much fun to hang out with Sam and Jordan again.

This is a really fun story and it was great to see Sam and Jordan acting as a team and working together. This one had me wondering who was guilty all the way up to the end.

Overall I loved this book and even though I missed Heywood and it's quirky residents I really enjoyed getting to see more of Sam and Jordan's relationship.

[LizJ. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whodunit at the Winery Book 1 of Deadly Destinations Cozy Mysteries by Carly Winter a spinoff of a fun series "The Heywood Herbalist Cozy Mysteries series" and follows our favorite couple Sam and Jordan on vacation at a Colorado winery and of course chaos follows. I loved everything about this book but then again, I've loved this couple for a long time. Can't wait for more!.

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

[Michelle Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam Jones, former Hollywood actress and her boyfriend Jordan decide to visit a winery in Colorado for some rest and relaxation. While on the tour wine barrels start falling and kill the tour guide. At first it seemed innocent, but was someone actually trying to kill Sam? Sam and Jordan investigate and find out that the tour guide, Penelope, wasn't as innocent as everyone thought. Can they solve the mystery before someone else dies?

[Mrs K.Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whodunit at the Winery is an Excellent story of Sam a Retired Actress and Jordan a Retired Detective and they are on vacation a go on a tour of a winery when the guide was killed. They started to investigate what had happened and eventually work with Sheriff Michaels. But can they discover what and why it happened?

Superb story and start to a series that I recommend you read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Joyce M. H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so enjoying these cozy murder mysteries with Jordan and Sam. We learned in previous books that Sam is a form Hollywood actress. Sam and Jordan are in Colorado visiting a winery. While on a tour of the winery their tour guide is suddenly murdered. Instead of Sam and Jordan enjoying their visit to the winery they find themselves solving yet another murder mystery and being prime suspects.

I received an ARC via Booksprout and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Lizz Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam and Jordan are having a lovely vacation before the crushing death of a tour guide. Sam is unsure if she was the intended victim so she investigates. There is a lot in this novella that was originally released as part of an anthology. There is a satisfying conclusion. This is a good start to a spin-off series featuring Sam and Jordan.

[Linda K Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally enjoy every book from this series with Sam and Jordan, and when she first moved to Heywood. Great entertaining adventures. This one is at a winery and delves deeply into love triangles, and betrayal. Of course Sam is in the middle and figures it out. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Grab a copy and see for yourself. Recommend.

[Vanessa Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 1 of Deadly Destinations Cozy Mysteries. Sam and Jordan are back for another adventure. Wherever Sam goes trouble follows. When touring a winery their tour guide is murdered. Now they are on the case. I love that the characters are well written and I am able to get lost in the story.

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