Blood for Wine (Cal Claxton Mysteries 5)

About this book

Nero Wolfe Award Finalist for 2018 "Oenophiles and aspiring vintners will enjoy the wine lore in this well-wrought tale of love and betrayal." Publishers Weekly Cal Claxtons old farmhouse sits high in Oregons Red Hills home of scores of wineries and some of the most coveted acreage for growing the pinot noir grape in the world. Former Los Angeles prosecutor Cal settled in this haven to reboot his life as a widower growing a small practice that includes some pro bono work in nearby Portland. Life is good filled with food wine and friends. But this beautiful area is not the idyllic haven it appears to be. When Cals neighbor Jim Kavanaugh the owner and gifted vintner of an up-and-coming winery is accused of murdering his wife his freedomand the grape harvestis suddenly in jeopardy along with his reputation and his business begins to slide. No gentleman farmer this puts the rugged winemakers property his only financial asset in play. When a blackmail plot is hatched against the owner of adjacent land it begins to look like a brutal game of real-life Monopoly is underway. Cal agrees to defend Jim a good friend which pulls him reluctantly into the blackmail plot. Emotions are running high over Lori Kavanaughs bloody death. There is no shortage of suspects. There may be more than the one game in play. And defending Jim might well make Cal the next target of a vicious cunning killer.