Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Whine and Dine: A Redwoods Country Mystery by Marc Jedel. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Whine and Dine: A Redwoods Country Mystery
by Marc Jedel
Whine and Dine: A Redwoods Country Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – California’s Redwoods Country
Publisher: BGM Press
Number of Pages: 220
A reclusive innkeeper. A murder in wine country. Can his nitpicky eye for detail uncork the truth before it’s too late?
Andy Shirley just wants peace and quiet. But owning a quaint B&B means he encounters needy guests, nonstop small talk, and the occasional corpse that piques Andy’s sense of justice. When his plumber-turned-sidekick tempts him with discounted work to help her accused friend, he reluctantly digs into the case.
Andy combs through clues and suspects. But every discovery reveals more motives, more lies, and more danger than Andy ever bargained for. Though the Agatha Christie-loving sleuth longs to try his hand at a grand reveal, he worries the slew of suspects are too slippery and a killer will walk free.
Can Andy unearth the truth before this case buries his hopes of a successful business and a quiet life?
Whine and Dine is the laugh-out-loud second book in the Redwoods Country cozy mystery series. If you like grouches with golden hearts, unlikely friendships, and quirky small towns, then you’ll love Marc Jedel’s lighthearted misadventure.
Buy Whine and Dine to put this puzzle to bed (and breakfast) today!
My review of Whine and Dine
When I read the first book in this series, I said that it was my favorite book by the author. Whine and Dine is a close second! It’s got everything that I loved in Rivers and Creaks (Book 1) just with a different murder.
It’s the main character, Andy, (along with several supporting cast members…) who makes this series so much fun. Andy Shirley finds that he’s settling into owning an inn and being an innkeeper only because he’s got such an awesome employee who both cooks and cleans. Nadia is a super colorful character both literally and figuratively. Just wait until you read about some of her outfits! Andy also has Charlie to help him when stuff that he can’t fix needs fixing. She’s on her way to becoming a master plumber, and she’s an electrician. Her mom is the chief of police who has become Andy’s friend in spite of the fact that he’s grumpy and doesn’t want friends in this small town. In fact, Andy’s made several friends (he’d deny that fact).
Of course, there’s a murder to solve in Whine and Dine! Andy gets involved because Charlie’s friend is a suspect, and she offers Andy a discount if he’ll investigate. You should know, Andy was a copy editor, but since he solved the last murder in town, Charlie thinks he’ll be great at it. He tries. It’s fun watching Andy and Charlie play detective without making her mom mad at either of them. The grand reveal scene is just hilarious. The humor and dry wit make this a book you’ll be cracking up at.
If you love cozies with quirky characters and lots of humor, you’ll love Whine and Dine! I highly recommend it!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Author Guest Post
Guest interview of Marc Jedel, author of Whine and Dine: A Redwoods Country Mystery (#2)
What’s your background?
I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember and have wanted to write a novel since I was a kid. Years of working in high-tech marketing honed my ability to write fiction. At my job, we just called it advertising and emails. Finally I overcame my inertia and started writing novels in earnest.
Like my character, Andy, from the Redwoods Country Mystery series, I continue to grow older and would prefer not to run a bed-and-breakfast inn. Like my characters Jonas and Elizabeth from the Ozarks Lake Mystery series, I grew up in the South and spent plenty of time in and around Arkansas. Like my character, Marty from the Silicon Valley Mystery series, I now live in Silicon Valley, work in high-tech, and enjoy bad puns. Like all my protagonists, I also have a dog, although mine is neurotic, sweet, and small, with little apparent appreciation for my jokes.
Tell us a little about this novel. What gave you the idea?
Whine and Dine, and indeed the whole series, could be described as Grumpy Old Men meets Schitt’s Creek. After watching and enjoying that show, I thought about setting a new series in a small town full of quirky people. My family went on a vacation to Monte Rio, California to visit the redwoods, wineries, and play on the river. While my wife and I were walking our dog through the small town, we started discussing what kind of interesting people might live there and what kind of humorous mysteries could be based in the area. Although the novel is set in this real town, all of the people or businesses in the story are completely made up.
What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?
I’ve become bored reading all the seemingly similar cozies where the protagonist happily runs a bakery, bookstore, or bed & breakfast. In these books, the police violate nearly every standard and practice they actually follow and share all sorts of detailed investigative information with this amateur sleuth. I made sure my characters don’t work with the police. While a bed and breakfast is involved in Whine and Dine, Andy feels about it and handles the responsibilities in quite a different fashion from the normal cozy.
While my Ozarks Lake Mystery series have both a female and male protagonist with their own point-of-view chapters, Whine and Dine and my Silicon Valley Mystery series have male protagonists, which is unusual in this genre.
What are three things most people don’t know about you?
1) Played professional soccer while completing my year as a Rhodes Scholar, 2) Nominated for both Pulitzer and Nobel prizes for my previous novels, 3) Likes to make up answers when asked questions for which I don’t have a good response.
Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?
As a mystery writer, I spend a lot of time pondering new, interesting, and plausible ways to kill someone. It’s way more challenging than you might think. Especially when you want an amateur sleuth to figure it out without any help from the police and you don’t want readers to guess whodunnit. All this requires some very unusual internet searches. I’m just glad no law enforcement officer has ever asked me questions about my browser history.
What is the first book you remember reading?
I’d have to say it’s a tie between Go Dog Go and The Cat in the Hat. This might also explain my love for puns and entertaining word choices. What’s not to love about a story that has great wordplay and shows off awesome party hats?
Where do the ideas for your books come from?
For some of my other novels, a strange news article inspired those crimes. A story about the unusual cases of poisoning gave me the idea for several novels. An article about diamond hunting at the Crater of Diamonds state park in Arkansas got me started on the third book in the Ozarks Lake Mystery series once I realized the park wasn’t far from where I had placed the fictional town of Jenkins, Arkansas. Reading about thieves stealing unusual items that I’d never considered valuable from a location where they could die if they slipped gave me a start for another novel.
Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?
I used to say that Marty Golden, my protagonist in the Silicon Valley Mystery series, was the most similar to me. Of course, Marty is a younger, funnier, and cooler version of myself—the guy I imagine I see in the mirror each morning. But Andy Shirley, the sixty-five-year-old protagonist in Whine and Dine, is a lot of fun to hang out with in my head. My wife is a bit concerned that I’m enjoying spending time with a grumpy old man even though I’ve told her he’s quite funny and not quite as grumpy as he thinks he is. But frankly, she’s been worried for years about all the imaginary friends that I spend time with as I write my novels.
What’s next on the horizon for you?
I’m working on the third book in the Redwoods Country Mystery, which will take place a month after Whine and Dine. Beyond that, who knows?
Anything else to tell readers?
Whine and Dine, is on sale for only $2.99, and book 1, Rivers and Creaks, is only $0.99, during this tour. They’re available at: https://mybook.to/WhineandDine and https://mybook.to/RiversandCreaks. You can find all my cozy mysteries at: https://www.amazon.com/Marc-Jedel/e/B07H7MVKJL. They’re available in e-book, paperback, and audiobook formats. My novels are free to read by Kindle Unlimited members.
I love hearing from readers as that motivates me to keep going on the next blank page. Let me know what you liked, what you didn’t, and what you’d want to see more of in the next book.
About Marc Jedel
Marc Jedel writes funny, feel-good murder mysteries filled with quirky characters, twisty plots, and the kind of humor that goes down easy with a cup of tea—or glass of wine. After years writing marketing copy in Silicon Valley, Marc finally started crafting fiction people actually wanted to read. He’s the author of multiple cozy mystery series, including the Silicon Valley Mystery, Ozarks Lake Mystery, and Redwoods Country Mystery series. His books have earned thousands of glowing reviews.
Like Andy from the Redwoods Country Mysteries, Marc keeps getting older and sincerely hopes his retirement doesn’t involve running a B&B. Like Marty from the Silicon Valley series, he lives in tech-heavy California, has worked in high-tech, and proudly wields bad puns. Like Jonas and Elizabeth from the Ozarks Lake series, Marc grew up in the South and spent many a summer in and around Arkansas.
He lives with his endlessly patient wife and a sweet, neurotic dog who remains deeply unimpressed by Marc’s jokes. When not writing, Marc can be found hiking, plotting murders (on the page, officer, really!), or avoiding whatever home improvement project he’s been putting off.
Visit marcjedel.com for free content, updates, and more!
Author Links
- Website and mailing list: www.marcjedel.com
- Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Marc-Jedel/e/B07H7MVKJL
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarcJedel.Author
- BookBub: www.bookbub.com/profile/marc-jedel?follow=true
- Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/18403497.Marc_Jedel
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mjedel/
Purchase Links – https://mybook.to/WhineandDine
Series – mybook.to/RedwoodsCountry
Enter the Giveaway
Whine and Dine TOUR PARTICIPANTS
December 1 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
December 2 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
December 3 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
December 4 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST
December 4 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 5 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER GUEST POST
December 6 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
December 7 – Books 1987 – SPOTLIGHT
December 8 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
December 8 – Storied Conversation – AUTHOR GUEST POST
December 9 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
December 9 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
December 10 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
December 11 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
December 12 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
December 13 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – CHARACTER GUEST POST
December 14 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
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Wow, what a wonderful review. Thanks so much! Very glad that you enjoyed Whine and Dine. You’ll be happy to know I’m working on the next book in the series. Your readers should know that it’s on sale during this blog tour at https://mybook.to/WhineandDine. Try the whole series today at: mybook.to/RedwoodsCountry. Although they can be read standalone, book 1, Rivers and Creaks is also on sale for only $0.99 for those who want to read in order. They’re available in e-book, audiobook, and paperback versions, as well as free for Kindle Unlimited members. Get more free content at http://www.marcjedel.com.
You’re welcome! I definitely recommend that people take advantage of the sale!