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One Foot in the Grape

(Cypress Cove Mystery #1)

Carlene O'Neil

3.77 · Rating details · 292 ratings · 66 reviews

In California wine country, the town of Cypress Cove may seem peaceful. But someone’s about to pop their cork…

After losing her job as a photojournalist, Penny Lively is trying to get her life back in focus. Inheriting the family winery from her late aunt may be the fresh start she needs. Thankfully she’s got her niece Hayley and her handsome winery manager Connor to help. ...more

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Paperback, 294 pages

Published May 5th 2015 by Berkley Books

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· 292 ratings · 66 reviews

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Start your review of One Foot in the Grape (Cypress Cove Mystery, #1)

Jul 17, 2018 Meg rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2018, first-in-series, on-kindle-read

I thought this was a very good first in series, an overdue read from my staggering TBR. The setting is a winery in the Carmel/Monterey region, a lovely, special area of California. I certainly plan to read the next.

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Apr 10, 2015 Fred rated it it was amazing

One Foot in the Grape is the first book in the A Cypress Cove Mystery series.

A wonderful new series, full of mystery and also giving the reader an insight to the wine industry.

Penny Lively, after losing her job as a photojournalist has to decided to come back to Cypress Cove to take ownership of the winery she has inherited from her Aunt Monique. The winery has been running under the capable direction of her winery manager, Connor and her niece, Haley. About six months after Penny arrived, the One Foot in the Grape is the first book in the A Cypress Cove Mystery series.

A wonderful new series, full of mystery and also giving the reader an insight to the wine industry.

Penny Lively, after losing her job as a photojournalist has to decided to come back to Cypress Cove to take ownership of the winery she has inherited from her Aunt Monique. The winery has been running under the capable direction of her winery manager, Connor and her niece, Haley. About six months after Penny arrived, the owner of the neighboring winery, Antonia Martinelli pays a visit. Antonia feels that someone is trying to damage the winery's reputation and asks Penny for her help in finding who is doing the sabotage. Antonia feels that it might be someone within the family or her manager. Penny is reluctant at first, knowing how demanding a person Antonia can be, but feels she owes her for having been such a good neighbor to her aunt in her final days.

When Todd Ryan, who works in the Martinelli's wine tasting room, comes to ask Penny to take photos at is upcoming wedding, Penny takes the opportunity to ask how things are at the winery. He begins to say how great it is to work there, but then seems hesitant to say much more. That evening, Penny, Haley and Connor go the Martinelli's for a Wine Growers Association meeting. While there she sees the eldest of the children, Francesca, can be as strong and as unnerving as her mother and is upset with her mother who has given her brother control of winery. There is doubt that he is capable of handling the job, even though his mother says he has come up with some great improvements to the winery. Then there is Chantal who hasn't met a man she doesn't want to love and Penny feels she is paying too much attention to Connor. As Penny is getting ready to leave the meeting, where she was elected vice-president, much to chagrin of Francesca, she hears a scream coming from the fermentation building. Upon entering the building she can hear one of the crusher running and when she looks into the crusher she finds the body of Todd. With Haley being the last person, other than the killer to see Todd alive, Penny begins to look into Todd's death to see if it might be related to sabotaging that Antonia feels is going on.

With the help of the “town gossips”, Ross Sterling owner/chef of Sterling and Thomas who owns the gift shop, Beauty and Bean, next door, is off to try and learn who and what is behind the attempt to discredit Martinelli Winery.

Penny soon learns of Francesca's shading land dealing, the philandering of Francesca's husband Brice and gambling problems of winery manager Marvin Karp, and is Stephen really as talented as people say he is at running the winery. Penny needs to sort through the facts and find the killer so see can see the next grape harvest.

I really enjoyed this new series, a wonderful cast of characters, and just the right amount of looking into a winery's operation. Looking forward to the next book to see what is up next in the wine country and if Penny and Connor will be willing to admit that there might be mutual feelings for each other. ...more

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Apr 28, 2015 Lisa Ks Book Reviews rated it really liked it

ONE FOOT IN THE GRAPE was a good start for the new Cypress Cove Mystery series.

Although I’m not a wine drinker (not a drinker at all for that matter), the beauty of vineyards are undeniable. While reading this story, it was easy to picture myself among the rows of ripening grapes, with the sun shining on a quiet, peaceful day. Well, you know, if there hadn’t been a murder. ;-)

Author Carlene O’Neil has done a wonderful job on this first book. Well thought out characters, like protagonist Penny ...more

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Apr 26, 2015 Sarah rated it it was ok

It took me way too long to choke this one down. I know there have been several positive reviews but I could not get into this one. I don't know - something about the characters didn't resonate with me. I definitely like wine and wine country. The main character wasn't 100% likeable and neither was Antonia, the matriarch of the family she's been ordered to help (their wine has been 'bad'). Again, another pain in the ass old lady character who rules with an iron fist. Seriously. I prefer the love ...more

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Feb 14, 2016 LORI (Dollycas) CASWELL rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2016

Dollycas's Thoughts

Penelope (Penny) Lively has inherited the family winery and after a little dust-up at her last job it is perfect timing. Her cousin Hayley has the degree in Viticulture and Connor manages the day to day tasks of the vineyard. Penny focuses on the business side of things. As a photojournalist she has a keen eye and takes some wonderful pictures that she sells as prints as postcards. Her keen eye is just what is needed to help Antonia Martinelli. The Martinelli winery and Penny' Dollycas's Thoughts

Penelope (Penny) Lively has inherited the family winery and after a little dust-up at her last job it is perfect timing. Her cousin Hayley has the degree in Viticulture and Connor manages the day to day tasks of the vineyard. Penny focuses on the business side of things. As a photojournalist she has a keen eye and takes some wonderful pictures that she sells as prints as postcards. Her keen eye is just what is needed to help Antonia Martinelli. The Martinelli winery and Penny's winery border each other. Antonia asks Penny to help her find out who is sabotaging their wine. With the Autumn Festival just days away, she desperately needs to cork up that issue right way. Penny agrees to help but before she has a chance to do anything one of the Martineeli staff is literally crushed and her cousin Hayley is the prime suspect.

This was an impressive debut for this series. I would have thought competing wineries would be more cutthroat but in this story the neighboring wineries work closely together. Not only does Penny try to help Antonia, they work together planning the festival and even seem to share temporary help. The victim was someone very well liked with a bright future. Penny was not only investigating to save her cousin but to find the killer of someone she respected.

The characters in this story were very interesting. Penny, Hayley and Connor are solid, relatable characters that will allow the series to succeed. The Martinelli family is quite a bunch. Antonia is ready to pass the winery on to her family, specifically to her son, but she isn't sure he is ready. Her oldest daughter, a lawyer, has a huge chip on her shoulder and thinks the winery should be hers. The youngest daughter has a set of problems all her own. This was a great supporting cast. I hope we see them again in future stories.

The plot of the story is a unique one with some clever and surprising twists, although it did go a little bit awry at that start. It was the little clues that I almost wrote off that pulled this whole mystery together. I was on the right track but it turned out to be much more than I ever imagined.

The author has left Penny holding back a very important tidbit and I wonder how long it will be before it is revealed to everyone. This has me anxious to read the next installment, Ripe For Murder, out on March 1. I was late to the party for this book. That won't be the case with the next one. ...more

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Apr 21, 2015 Kim Reads (Read Your Writes Book Reviews) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015-reads

Reviewed for Read Your Writes Book Reviews
by Kim

Penelope (Penny) Lively has returned to Cypress Cove, California after losing her job, to take over her Aunt Monique’s winery, after the woman’s death. Six months in, things are going well, until Antonia Martinelli, a distant relative, Monique’s cousin and owner of the neighboring winery asks her for help in figuring out who is sabotaging her wine. The Autumn Festival and harvest time are near and if Antonia can’t figure out who’s behind the sabota Reviewed for Read Your Writes Book Reviews
by Kim

Penelope (Penny) Lively has returned to Cypress Cove, California after losing her job, to take over her Aunt Monique’s winery, after the woman’s death. Six months in, things are going well, until Antonia Martinelli, a distant relative, Monique’s cousin and owner of the neighboring winery asks her for help in figuring out who is sabotaging her wine. The Autumn Festival and harvest time are near and if Antonia can’t figure out who’s behind the sabotage, Martinelli Winery could be no more.

Penny is very witty and thinks fast on her feet. She has a curious nature about her, but she isn't someone who likes to take risks. Generally, she pretty much does things without thinking about the consequences, which of course usually lead to bad things happening. Penny ultimately stumbles upon the body of a well-liked winery employee and feels the need to investigate his murder since her niece was the last person to be seen with the employee.

Penny doesn't necessarily go looking for trouble, it just sort of finds her. In looking into and questioning events and people, Penny unknowingly puts her life in danger. The killer is closer than she thinks, but who they are and why they're on a killing spree is a mystery. One Penny has to solve, before it's too late.

The climax is surprising, leading to an unexpected twist with an ending I didn’t see coming. Even now, I’m playing back the events wondering exactly how Penny truly figured all of the pieces out.

One Foot in the Grape had me at page one. The book is full of murder, adultery, sabotage and of course, wine. Turning cozy mystery books into movies are a big thing now. I can totally see this book making a wonderful movie. The characters are perfect; from Penny, to her niece Hayley, Winery Manager Connor, Chief Lucas and Antonia. Add in the possibility of romance and I'm really a happy girl.

I have found a new author and series to love. Told in first person, One Foot in the Grape is the first book in the Cypress Cove Mystery Series from debut author Carlene O’Neil. This is definitely a must read book.

**Received a copy from Penguin Berkley Prime Crime for an honest and unbiased opinion.**
...more

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May 14, 2016 Suzanne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: bingo-read, library-book

I have just finished reading One Foot in the Grape by Carlene O'Neil and I put into words the sheer pleasure of being in wine country again. I closed my eyes and I was back by the lone cypress, driving along the ocean, seeing Pebble Beach for the first time, and especially the sweet smells of the grapes in the air. I closed my eyes a lot.

Penny Lively has returned to run her aunt's winery after the death of her aunt and her loosing her job as a photojournalist. She becomes involved in the death ...more

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May 14, 2015 OpenBookSociety.com rated it really liked it

Shelves: daniele

http://openbooksociety.com/article/on...

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Daniele

One Foot in the Grape is the first book in the Cypress Cove Mystery series, and it is a strong debut. Penny, who sees life best through the lens of a camera, has left her job as a photojournalist to embark on a new adventure. She has inherited her Aunt Monique’s winery, and with the help of her handsome manager Connor and her niece Hayley, she has settled into a good routine. Harvest is quickly approaching and the annu http://openbooksociety.com/article/on...

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Daniele

One Foot in the Grape is the first book in the Cypress Cove Mystery series, and it is a strong debut. Penny, who sees life best through the lens of a camera, has left her job as a photojournalist to embark on a new adventure. She has inherited her Aunt Monique’s winery, and with the help of her handsome manager Connor and her niece Hayley, she has settled into a good routine. Harvest is quickly approaching and the annual Autumn Wine Festival will soon be upon them. As if these were not enough to keep everyone busy, Penny’s distant cousin and neighboring winery owner Antonia comes to Penny with concerns that someone is sabotaging her wine and fears that it will be the end of the Martinelli wine legacy. She asks Penny to look into things at the winery, and Penny feels honor bound to accept. After all, what could go wrong?

During the course of talking to and observing people of interest, including Antonia’s children and manager, she has the misfortune of discovering the likable tasting room manager Todd in a grape crusher. Todd’s death definitely raises the stakes, and Penny feels that the murderer is someone very close at hand. The more she digs, the more secrets she unearths, and the more dangerous the situation becomes.

All of the characters are solidly constructed and well executed. Penny is curious by nature, and though trouble seems to find her, she is not one of those too stupid to live protagonists you sometimes find in cozy mysteries. She is impetuous yet logical in her approach to investigating. I enjoy her wit and sarcasm. Her friends Ross and Thomas, Hayley and Connor provide a good support system to Penny, and there is a hint of potential romance between Penny and Connor. The suspects were viable and easy to dislike – nervous daughter-in-law Veronica, wet blanket Stephen, vixen Chantal, spiteful Francesca, philandering Brice, and conniving Marvin. Their intermingling motivations kept me guessing for a good part of the story. Even when I thought I had figured out whodunit, I was unsure of his/her drive to commit such heinous acts.

O’Neil paints a vivid picture of California wine country and includes loads of winemaking tidbits that are well integrated into the story. I now totally want to take a wine touring vacation.

One Foot in the Grape is full of murder, sabotage, adultery, and wine. I really enjoyed this first book in the series and recommend it to any cozy mystery reader, especially those who love wine and a twisty plot. ...more

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May 06, 2016 K.A. Davis rated it it was amazing

ONE FOOT IN THE GRAPE is an entertaining, well plotted book. I loved the winery setting with the tidbits of running a winery, harvesting, and making wine woven into the story. I think Carlene must have done some awesomely fun wine tasting tours…ahem…I mean research, to write this book. The characters were well developed and Penny is a likable, sassy protagonist. She has several one-line zingers that had me laughing out loud, and one incident was so funny (at least to me), I had to go back and re ...more

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May 08, 2015 Mark Baker rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery, 2015

When Antonia Martinelli asks Penny Lively to look into sabotage at the Martinelli Winery, Penny feels like she has to say yes. However, things quickly escalate to murder, and Penny feels like she has gotten in over her head. Can she find the killer? Is the murder related to the sabotage?

This debut is filled with strong characters and a compelling plot that kept me turning pages. Sadly, the timeline early on had some errors in it, which is a big pet peeve. Those issues were resolved later in the ...more

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Jun 01, 2015 Doward Wilson rated it it was amazing

California wine country setting, family owned vineyards and murder. This is a great combination in this new series. I really enjoyed the whole approach that the author took, as it was the murder that took front and center with the setting more in the background. The characters were very defined and totally believable. The murder is complex, with twists and turns to a surprising end. This is a series to start and keep up with. Carlene O'Neil has a good thing going.

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Jun 21, 2015 Nora-adrienne rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Anyone who enjoys a good mystery

Shelves: cozies

Being a bit of an Oenophile I was thrilled to read this story. Many of my vacations have included visits to local wineries. The story was a fun read, and Penny is one gutsy lady with a great support team. I highly recommend this story to anyone looking for a new author to enjoy and grow with.

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Dec 10, 2018 Genevieve Bomes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Penny Lively is back home after inheriting her Aunt's winery. With her niece Heidi and manager Conner she thinks life is going well until her neighbor and good friend of her aunts asks her to look into a case of sabotage at her winery. Penny sets out to solve the case but when murder happens followed by a second one Penny starts to wonder if she is in over her head.
This is a great story. Lots of suspects and great character development. The story line moves fast but is well developed. I love how ...more

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Feb 23, 2019 Linda C rated it really liked it

Shelves: food, mystery

Penny Lively loses her photojournalist job over the questionable ethics of her editor and finding another proves difficult. When her aunt passes leaving her the family winery she relishes the fresh start. When the Martinelli Winery next door owned by a distant cousin begins having sabotage problems its matriarch, Antonia, asks Penny to investigate. When the body of a staff member is found and it looks like a member of the family may be involved questioning becomes difficult and secrets are broug ...more

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Mar 04, 2018 Lauren Kelsen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: from-the-library

I’m an aspiring wine lover and a new reader to cozy mysteries, and this book took it to a whole new level for me! The cute, flirtatious budding romance between main character and an important figure to her winery was an added bonus. However, the twists and excitement of trying to figure out who was responsible kept me hanging on every word. I can’t wait to pick up the next book in this series and hope that Carlene O’Neil will write many more in the Cypress Cove Mystery line.

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Oct 21, 2018 Terri rated it it was amazing

I really enjoyed this book. Loved the setting, enjoyed the characters. Enjoyed the plot. The only thing with some of the newer books is that when a character gets roughed up, it doesn’t seem to phase them much. I’d hurt, move slow the next few days and be rather shocked so I don’t know if it’s even necessary for the characters to get hurt - just scare them. Otherwise, let us know they feel it.
Regardless the author does a good job weaving a story.

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Jan 03, 2020 Sara Hollingsworth rated it liked it

Shelves: cozy-mystery, popsugar2020

Fairly standard, but cute cozy mystery. The plot was better than the average cozy mystery though the romance is flatter and the characters are bit less fleshed out. The main character occasionally annoyed me, and she's pretty judge-y. But overall, not bad. And it works very well for my puntastic popsugar challenge.

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Feb 03, 2019 Di rated it really liked it

Very enjoyable book! Beautiful descriptions of the various locations brought them alive in my imagination. Believable characters and a storyline that kept me guessing to the end made this a good read and wishing that I had the next book in the series available.

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May 28, 2019 Laurie rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019

The mystery was good with lots of viable suspects. My only issue was that the main character constantly did stupid things that put her in danger. I felt like I was watching one of those stupid horror movies where the teenagers go into the serial killer’s lair.

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Feb 24, 2018 Julie rated it it was ok

I like cozy mysteries, but I found this one harder than most to get through. Not 100% sure why.

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Aug 12, 2019 Amanda rated it liked it

Shelves: cozy-mystery, mystery, summer-2019

A cute cozy mystery! I enjoyed the setting and liked the heroine. There was a little too much exposition, but that’s fair for a first book. I would definitely keep reading the series.

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Jun 01, 2020 Stefanie rated it liked it

Shelves: cozy-mysterys, adult-fiction

It was alright, but it was very generic and I’ve been reading a lot of mysteries lately that all take place in Napa and involve wine

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Mar 10, 2017 Sharon Bezrutczyk rated it really liked it

I enjoyed this book I have not read anything by this author before,but I will now

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May 08, 2015 Stacie Amelotte rated it it was amazing

“A SIMPLE house rule, ignored once, and I end up with a dead body on my hands.”

This is a great new series! What's not to like? - Wine, California wineries, photography, a wonderful new batch of colorful characters and did I mention, WINE? This is a book that very much sticks to the cozy mystery format, but it is fast-paced with plenty of plot twists and red herrings. I like Penny and I love all the references to wine making in the book. This part of California is noted for the excellent vintages ...more

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Oct 24, 2015 Peggy R rated it really liked it

Shelves: cozy-mystery-books

One Foot in the Grape is a delightful start to Carlene O'Neil's Cypress Cove Mysteries. With this first installment, this series shows plenty of promise. This book caught my interest right from the start and had me turning pages until the very end. The story contains strong characters, especially our main character Penny, and Antonia Martinelli, a fellow winery owner and family member. I liked Penny and the fact that she was strong, independent and quick witted. The entire Martinelli family plan ...more

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Feb 06, 2016 Kimberly rated it it was ok

Shelves: cozy-mystery

Penny Lively has returned to Cyrpess Cove after inheriting her aunt's beloved winery. She is settling in to her new roles, working on collecting her first harvest and is enjoying taking photographs of the beautiful landscape in her free time. Everything is going fairly smoothly until she gets a visit from an old family friend who owns the neighboring vineyard. She is seeking Penny's help because someone is sabotaging her wine and she's pretty certain it's someone in her family or on her staff. O ...more

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Jul 19, 2015 Brenda rated it really liked it

Shelves: cozy-challenges

This is the first installment in the Cypress Cove Mystery series. Penelope "Penny" Lively has left her job as a photojournalist and returned to Cypress Cove, CA to take over her Aunt Monique's Joyeux Winery after the woman's death. With the help of her niece Hayley and winery manager Connor, Joyeux is well on it's way to having a successful harvest and making a name for itself in the wine market.

As the 24th Annual Autumn harvest approaches, Penny is looking forward to having her wines entered in ...more

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Mar 18, 2016 Shirley Schwartz rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this new series. What's not to like? - Wine, California wine country, photography and a wonderful new batch of characters? The book is set in the California wine country, and the main charater, Penelope Lively has recently returned to take over the small winery that her aunt has left her. She has left a high-powered job in San Francisco as a photo journalist, and not under very good terms, but she knows she up for this new challenge. When her neighbour who was a friend of her au ...more

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Sep 10, 2015 Once Upon a Romance Reviews rated it liked it

Shelves: berkley-publishing-group, romantic-mystery-cozy

3.5 Stars
Sexual Content: None
Language Content: None/Very Mild
Violent Content: Minimal

Penny is surprised that her neighbor requested that she investigate the sabotage happening at her winery. Sure Antonia was her late aunt's friend, but she didn't see why she was chosen. Needless to say, Penny agrees, not sure that she'll actually find anything.

I'd say murder was something, plus Antonia's family is fond of bickering and selfishness, which could be motive. There will be no end to the possible scen ...more

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Jun 29, 2016 Cozy Cat Reviews rated it it was amazing

This is one of the best cozy mysteries I have read in years. This is a definitive cozy mystery. .I am a avid speed reader of many mysteries and this is my hands down favorite of this year !
The setting the dialogue, the sleuth are done to perfection. I read it in one afternoon as it rendered me unable to function until it was over. This is a beautifully crafted new series about a new winemaker vs. a older winemaker and her family in Carmel Valley CA. The characters are all exquisitely done and ...more

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About Carlene O'Neil

Carlene O'Neil

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Carlene O’Neil grew up in the heart of Northern California Wine Country and is accredited by the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. A former television writer, she currently makes her home outside Los Angeles, where she can be found sailing in the Santa Monica Bay or doing research for her next novel.

Clearly, any novel set in wine country requires extensive research. One Foot in the Grape is her d ...more