Lucie and Quinn are only days away from the wedding day and even though they are both excited for the event, their feelings as winemakers are worried because of the problems they are having with vines that were only planted a few years ago. Not getting any assistance from the nursery that supplied the vines, as well as comparing notes with other growers with similar issues. Trying to stay positive Lucie meets her friend, Kit, and they together discover the body of one of the leading members of the nursery team who had made an appointment to meet with Quinn. As if things weren't bad enough, wedding plans take a decided turn for the worse when a derecho storm slams through the area. Not only are vines impacted, the wedding venue is destroyed, there is no power or phones, roads are blocked and emergency services are strained.

Getting to the bottom of the murder as well as salvaging her wedding are Lucie's top priorities.

I truly enjoy reading the adventures that happen at the Montgomery Winery and thoroughly thrilled at this story. The characters are great and the mysteries top notch. ( )

I’ve been enjoying this series for years. Lucie’s wedding is in a week and the vineyard is facing a crisis that is forcing her and Quinn to look at a financial disaster. Three years ago, they purchased vines from a long time vine expert and now theirs and neighboring vineyards are suffering the same sick vines. This is causing a riff between Lucie and Quinn who it appears is siding with the seller and the climate change explanation instead of with Lucie and the other Virginia wine growers. When Eve is found dead, Quinn is a suspect since he was supposed to meet with her that afternoon.

I really enjoyed this book but it took to chapter 9 before we had the murder. Lots of talk about the investment in time, nurture and labor about the making of wine that could have been edited, IMO. Then the exciting climax to the story seemed rushed. ( )

Bitter Roots by Ellen Crosby is the twelfth A Wine Country Mystery. I did not know Bitter Roots was part of a series when I requested the book. Bitter Roots can be read as a standalone since the author provides all the necessary background information. However, I believe it would have helped me if I had at least read the first book in the series, The Merlot Murders. Reading a series in order allows you to get to know the characters and watch them grow as the series progresses. I thought Bitter Roots was well-written with developed characters. Ellen Crosby is a descriptive writer. She paints a picture so readers can envision Virginia’s wine country. I could imagine myself sitting on the patio behind the house sipping a glass of wine while looking at the grape vines blooming. The detailed descriptions, though, do slow down the pace of the book. The story goes into details on growing grapes, making wine, diseases that affect grapes, climate change, and the myriad of other details that go into making wine. It is interesting to learn, but I wish it had been presented in a different manner. There are numerous characters. It is difficult to keep track of all of them (vineyard owners, the vineyard managers, employees, family, townspeople, etc.). I did feel there was too much repetition especially regarding the affected grapes. The mystery was straightforward. Lucie investigates Eve’s death because her fiancé, Quinn is at the top of the suspect list. There is misdirection, several suspects, and helpful clues. A severe storm hinders the investigation and there is a chance the wedding will not take place. I did not find the whodunit challenging. I kept hoping for a twist that would surprise me. The reveal explained who and why they committed the crime. The ending will have fans of the series smiling. Bitter Roots is not a lighthearted, fun cozy mystery. Bitter Roots has a serious tone that delves into issues affecting grape vines. I do want to let you know that there is foul language in the story. While Bitter Roots was not a good fit for me, it appeals to many readers. If you like the sound of Bitter Roots, you should read a sample to see if it is the right fit for you. Bitter Roots transports readers to Virginia’s wine country where there is a vine virus, nursery controversy, blending get-together, a severe storm, wedding worries, confrontation with killer, and, hopefully, a happily ever after. ( )

Bitter Roots is the 12th wine country cozy mystery featuring Lucie Montgomery as the owner of Virginia's Montgomery Estate Vineyard. Lucie is an unusual heroine because she is disabled from a mobility impairment. However, it doesn't prevent her from managing her business.

The story opens with Lucie planning her upcoming wedding. She and her winemaker, Quinn Santori, will be married in a ceremony that overlooks her vineyard. However, with all of her Cab Franc vines dying, the scenery will actually be ugly, brown and rotting vines. Lucie and other nearby vineyard owners had purchased vines three years ago from a local nursery, Landau Garden and Nursery. All of the neighboring vines have rotted too. Lucie and Quinn meet with Landau's representatives, Eve Kerr and Richard Brightman, but Landau refuses to refund their $250,000 investment in the diseased vines. Accusations fly between them and an ugly standoff between the supplier and the growers could escalate into litigation. When Eve Kerr, a stunning blonde who works at the nursery, is found dead a few days later, everyone wonders if someone in the winemaking community went too far. What especially troubles Lucie is why Eve secretly arranged to meet Quinn on the day she was murdered and whether Lucie's soon-to-be husband knows something he's not telling her.

I love that the first sentence has a quote from Julia Child: "Julia Child once said that every woman should have a blowtorch in the kitchen." I have always loved this quote and can even remember which TV episode she said it on. The first page contains narrative that gives the reader the entire background of the series. New readers will have no problem following the story.

This is Crosby's best novel to date. The writing was tight and suspenseful. At first, I thought that the mystery to be solved dealt with the diseased vines. The author wrote into the story plenty of dialogue about the biology of diseases that vines can have. I enjoyed learning about this aspect of growing grapes. The mystery that dominates, though, is who murdered Eve Kerr. I was not expecting a murder in the second third of the book as the mystery about the vines predominated the first part of the story. It was enough to carry the novel. ( )