Sheridan Hendley, college professor and animal lover, gets involved in a murder at a local winery that impacts her weenie boss, the one who’s always telling her to keep the college out of the murder business. He’s about to realize how valuable her “snooping” is. On the home front, she’s supporting her husband, Brett McMann, as he wrangles with his mean-spirited, self-centered ex-wife over visitation with their 16-year-old daughter, Mattie.
This is one of my favorite “clean” mysteries. I usually run the other direction when I see that word in relation to a potential read, because (to me) it generally means the content will be boring or preachy. Not so with the Sheridan Hendley books - the subplots are topical (this time, it’s domestic violence); the violence occurs off-screen; and Sheridan and Brett have an adult relationship, but we’re not regaled with excessive detail. I also like how the author shows her support for animal rescue. She’s not preachy, but I’ve learned a lot about rescue operation. She puts a human face on how rescues are run.
I like how the mystery in this book was interwoven with the characters’ day-to-day lives. There were a couple of spots where the dialogue dragged (when Sheridan was bringing people up to speed), but overall I liked the writing pace and the back-and-forth. The Hendley mysteries are always a pleasant, soothing read for me – they don’t keep me up at night, but they do hold my interest, and I have come to love the characters. I like how Sheridan walks a fine line of supporting Mattie, but doesn’t push herself into a relationship where she knows she doesn’t belong. I think that kind of parenting/mentoring is an art. I also like how, over the course of the books, Brett, a detective, has come to grudgingly support Sheridan’s detective side. There’s no bs between them – he knows she’s going to do what she’s going to do, and he ultimately appreciates that drive, especially when it helps him close cases. She provides a perspective he sometimes misses.
You can read these out of order, but I find reading them in order makes the experience more fun. I’ve enjoyed watching the characters grow and change, and I’ll be around when the next book comes out.
The author also writes the Cold Creek Series (this current series is an out-growth of the first series) and the Staci Maroni series, which involves an insurance company HR specialist who can’t help stumbling over dead bodies. Both of those series are fun reads too.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card
More like Wine and Dead, Another Murder (A Sheridan Hendley Mystery Book 5)
Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Loading...
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
