A Poisonous Pour (A Cece Barton Mystery Book # 3) by Maddie Day

Since moving from L.A. to California’s verdant wine country, widowed single mom Cece Barton has gone from Colinas wine bar manager to wine bar owner—with a chaser of sleuthing . . .

It’s Memorial Day weekend and Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley is buzzing with activity. For Cece, business at Vino y Vida is going great, as is her romance with new beau, Benjamin. Meanwhile, Cece’s neighbor, Richard Flora, is stirring up controversy with his newest article, an exposé of Regan Greene, power-hungry chair of a valley district organization. Also in the mix is the town’s upcoming big classic car show, paired with wine tastings . . .

Cece is concerned the tastings will cut into her holiday weekend profits—until she and her mechanic, Josie Jarvin, are asked to co-sponsor a booth. . . . At the show, Cece spots Regan Greene, who is displaying her restored green ’72 Thunderbird convertible. As Cece pours tastes, she witnesses several heated discussions with Regan—including an argument with wine afficionado and new Colinas hardware store owner Greg Jardis. Otherwise, all goes smoothly—until Sunday brings shocking news. Regan has been murdered . . .

Rumors fly that Richard may have orchestrated the homicide—or even committed it. But Cece knows that’s absurd. And others in Cece’s orbit seem to have discomfiting connections to Regan, from Cece’s employee, Dane, to her winemaking teacher’s sister, Yolanda, to Colinas Mayor Guittierez. And after Yolanda visits the wine bar, Benjamin says he recognizes her from a road race.

Determined to clear Richard’s name, and failing to extract any clues from detectives, Cece once again enlists her twin, Allie, as her partner-in-sleuthing. But they’ll have to act quickly, before the trail goes sour . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

Even though the Cece Barton Mystery series by Maddie Day is about murder, I can't help but think I could do without the murder and just hang out with Cece and friends at her wine bar, Vino y Vida .... but the murder keeps readers on their toes so I will be also.

A Poisonous Pour is the third book in this series, and you will fall in love, if you aren't already.  

The story starts with Cece and her friend Jo attending a vintage car show paired with wine tasting.  Jo is there with her classic truck as well as promoting her automotive business while Cece is there with her vintage Mustang as well as providing tasting and selling the wine she has at her wine bar.  

While at the event Cece witnesses a woman having heated talks with multiple people, one being her employee, Dane. She learns that the woman, Regan Greene, is the director of the Alexander Valley District Association which is to support businesses and monitor county functions to prevent corruption.

Cece decides to learn more about Regan out of curiosity as well as the AVDA until she learns that Regan died and it looks like it was murder.  And when she finds out that her elderly neighbor and friend, Richard, is on the suspect list, her determination to uncover the murderer becomes top on her to do list.

Readers cannot help but enjoy this series.  And I say enjoy because you are hanging out with a fun-loving woman, her two cats, her eclectic group of friends, at some nice businesses.  You are hanging out at Cece's wine bar, her friend's diner and another's art gallery, the playground with her twin nephews or her backyard with the cats and Richard.  You will love her determination to solve the murder so that she can go back to enjoying life.   

I highly recommend grabbing a glass of wine or cup of coffee and a snack while you escape to Colinas  ....

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