Running on Empty: A Wine Country Cold Case

Wine Country Cold Case

by Karin Fitz Sanford

Genres: Mystery

328 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2024

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this enjoyable mystery. The characters are drawn well, especially Anne. Ex-FBI, she has investigative skills but is also a flawed human, being tempted by a possible financial gain. I like that she and her uncle Jack, retired policeman, are used by the local police department to investigate cold cases. They do not have all the resources the police do, however. That makes solving the murder a mix of professional and amateur work.

The plot moved along well. Sanford's writing style is pleasant to read. Even though there were many elements to the mystery, including revelations and twists, it was not hard to follow. I like the addition of relationship issues among the family members. The potential romance between Anne and Dave was done well too.

It is the first novel I have read by Sanford and I like her writing style. While this is the second in a series, I felt it read very well on its own. I will be looking for more from her.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Stanley McShane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read my full review on Rosepoint Publishing.

Anne McCormack, an ex-FBI agent, runs an estate sales business with her uncle Jack, retired law enforcement. Sometimes they help the police in cold cases. They are doing that when they are led into this particular case.

Unfortunately, the recent victim had initialed a Ponzi scheme which bilked many friends, family, and anyone connected out of millions of dollars. There was no shortage of people who thought he got what he deserved.

The Ponzi tale is complex, the bad guys corrupt, the good guys (and gals) sincere but not infallible. Anne is well developed and I enjoyed reading about the estate sales business. Lots of twists and turns and the ending zinger was fun.

Believable characters, well-plotted and paced. I’ll be interested in another wine country installment.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

[Gene Helfman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been looking forward to Fitz Sanford’s second novel after reading her debut work, The Last Thing Claire Wanted. It was well worth the wait. As an author myself, I read with two brains active, one just for enjoyment, the other with a writer’s eye. My first brain was more than satisfied, my second—always on the lookout for tropes and devices— was impressed with Fitz Sanford’s skill. Running on Empty is an engrossing and entertaining read. The characters are well developed, the good guys good, the bad guys bad, and the conflicted characters convincingly nuanced. The murder victim has more enemies than a Russian President, keeping the reader guessing as to the likely perpetrator as the plot unwinds and twists. Running on Empty has me downloading Jackson Browne from Spotify while lining up for another cold case of Wine Country Mystery.

[Ivanka Fear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Running on Empty, the second in a series, is an enjoyable return visit to Karin Fitz Sanford’s Wine Country. This well-written mystery includes a current suspicious death as well as a 16-year-old murder, doubling the intrigue.

Ex-FBI agent Anne McCormack, who now works as an estate liquidator, teams up with her retired detective uncle, Jack, to solve the cold case murder of the wife of Lino Pardini, owner of a prestigious winery, lawyer, and financier. When Lino dies suddenly, it’s discovered that he has bilked his clients of a fortune. His widow, Renee, is left penniless and dealing with shame as his estate is liquidated to compensate his investors for some of their losses. Renee, along with Anne, searches their property in hopes of finding cash he stashed away for some purpose known only to Lino.

The story is told from Renee’s point of view as well as Anne’s, as they become friends while trying to locate the missing money and to find out what really caused Lino’s death and why. Both come across as strong women despite their flaws and sometimes questionable morality. In addition, we see the point of view of Dave Silver, with whom Anne shares a mutual attraction and who has a past that is suspect. I enjoyed the building of Anne and Dave’s relationship as Dave’s involvement in the cold case is investigated by Anne’s uncle. Uncle Jack wants to bring closure to the cold case he investigated years ago, suspecting Lino of killing his wife but not having proof; he also has a personal stake in the financial fallout as his wife invested their savings in Lino’s Ponzi scheme. Author Fritz Sandford shows how easily one’s life can be turned upside down both by their actions or by circumstances they don’t control, and how that affects those dear to them.

The title, Running on Empty, is itself a clever clue to the unravelling of the mystery (or mysteries) in this case. Who killed Lino’s wife? How did Lino die? Where is the money he stashed away and why did he hide it? Piece by piece, the truth is unravelled, with twists thrown in you won’t see coming. Set against the beautiful landscape of the Santa Rosa area, Running on Empty will have you questioning everyone’s motives and their innocence.

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Lino Pardini dies, Anne McCormack finds herself drawn into the resulting family drama. Meanwhile, her uncle Jack is hoping for a fresh clue or two about what happened to Lino’s previous wife. Then there are the questions around Lino’s death itself. Can Anne help untangle it?

If you pick this book up expecting a typical mystery, you’ll be disappointed. The family drama takes up much of the pages. But that’s not a bad thing. Thanks to the well-developed characters, the story is very compelling. The multiple viewpoints are also used perfectly. Still, the mysteries were wrapped up to my satisfaction. There were a few details that were wrong and bugged me, but they are minor. On the other hand, I am very familiar with the setting, and I loved seeing real places and roads I know popping up in the middle of the fictional locations. Think of this more as a crime drama rather than a mystery and you’ll be pulled in, watching the pages fly by all too quickly.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Katreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

RUNNING ON EMPTY by Karin Fitz Sanford
The Second Wine Country Cold Case

A late night attempt to help her teenaged employee leads Anne McCormack to the home of Lino and Renee Pardini. While looking for fire violations for a school project they find cash and jewels stashed in a wall. Quickly leaving after receiving glares from Lino, Anne feels that's the end of it. Especially when Lino dies a few days later. But it's soon discovered that Lino was running a Ponzi scheme and had bilked his investors for millions. His natural death suddenly doesn't seem so natural...especially since a prior wife disappeared without a trace and was later found murdered. With her uncle chomping at the bit to get involved it seems Anne may be dusting off her badge once more.

The second Wine Country Cold Case takes place a few years after THE LAST THING CLAIRE WANTED. Anne's estate business is doing so well she's moved to a fancy office building and has hired assistants, including Chloe, who we first met in the first book in the series. But, everything could soon come crashing down.

I appreciated the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty. Renee came from nothing, became rich, then lost it all. Anne faces similar challenges, as do all those taken in by Lino. Although seemingly dissimilar at first Renee and Anne have a lot in common. Trudy Lee also fits in with these strong no nonsense women.

When it comes to this finely crafted mystery things aren't always what they seem and once again the title turns out to be more significant that you'd originally think.

RUNNING ON EMPTY provides readers an action packed drama wherein lines of morality get blurred.

[Cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The owner of an estate sale business, Anne used to be an FBI agent and now occasionally assists the police on cold cases. She is a well-developed, strong character who wants to do the right thing but at times is tempted to bend the rules. She has made mistakes in the past - as have some of the other characters in the story. Their backstories emerge in stages, giving depth and a realistic, human feel to the characters. The plot of this well-written mystery is intricate and evenly paced, with several surprises along the way. An enjoyable read.

FTC Disclosure: I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This has not affected the content of my review.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flawed characters are the best and there a number of them in Running on Empty. There is a cold case which brings in Anne McCormack, a woman who had worked for the FBI but now runs an estate-sales business, along with her uncle a retired policeman. The 2 of them sometimes help the police with cold cases. The dead woman's husband is now dead and there's a lot of questions.

There is a Ponzi scheme with a lot of local people out a lot of money. Family rivalries, and characters in all the age ranges. It's a very believable premise with lots of twists and turns along the way.

If you like a fast paced read with mysteries to solve, try it out! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Becky Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Running on Empty by Karin Fitz Sanford is a cold case mystery set in the wine country of California. Sometime police officer and ex FBI agent Anne and her uncle Jack work together solving a murder from years ago while trying to find newly missing money from a Ponzi scheme. The characters aren't perfect which makes them more believable. Anne now works as an Estate auction facilitator, and it was fun to learn more about that job. This is the second in the series and I would definitely read more from the author.

[Coco · Rating 4 out of 5]

4* Absorbing.

Ex-FBI agent Anne McCormack is investigating a 16-year old unsolved murder case of a woman who's husband has just died under suspicious circumstances. For a 'who done it', this was surprisingly easy to read, probably because it's so skilfully written, the characters are clearly introduced and believable, the complex plot contains enough twists to offer a few surprises. Only when reaching the end does the book title make sense.

A compelling read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend in my book group recommended this book by a local author. We both live in Sonoma County and thought that the author captured the area very well. The book is a good introduction to an ex-FBI agent who had to leave the agency after a mistake. She becomes an agent who handles estate dispersal, that is, arranging for the sale of all the property accumulated during the life of a deceased person. She becomes embroiled in a high profile unsolved murder and the author leads on a good ride through the wine country.

[Kate Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books by NetGalley authors are consistently well written and this is no exception. It is a complex, and carefully plotted story line with a sensible, rational protagonist, (which gets my approval). It reads easily and smoothly. Very enjoyable. I received this as an advance copy copy from the author via NetGalley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amanda Mc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story line and the characters. The main character Anne loves solving cold cases and she is good at it and a sixteen year old murder is just up her street. If you throw in a Ponzi scheme and missing money you have a brilliant story.

A bit of romance and a dead client's diary what more could you ask for, throw in a deadly chase and you have book well worth reading.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun read!