Dollycas's Thoughts

The Rose Avenue Wine Club loves celebrations, especially one for a new winery being opened by newlyweds Malcolm and Penelope. But the ladies had to set their glasses down when instead of the scent of a fine wine they smell smoke. As they hurry to find the source they see their friends, Rico and Isabella's pizza parlor along with the mall it is attached to ablaze. Before Halsey can even survey the situation, her dog Bardot's training kicks in and she flies into the back door of the restaurant. Halsey has no choice but to follow and together they pull a body out, but were too late to save the delivery driver.

The fire department's investigation shows a Molotov cocktail started the fire and it was set up in a wine bottle, a claret from Penelope and Malcom's Abigail Rose Winery. So they along with Rico and Isabella are the fire chief's prime suspects. The ladies of the Rose Avenue Wine Club will be pouring a lot of wine as they do their best to decant the arsonist before anything else goes up in smoke.

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Sadly, this is the final book in this series. I am disappointed because the women of the Rose Avenue Wine Club  ( Halsey, Marisol, Sally, Peggy, and Aimee) are so much fun. They are always up to something and that something is usually accompanied by a bottle of red and a bottle of white. They also can be hilarious. Marisol, Rose Avenue's Mrs. Kravitz banters with Halsey, calls Bardot "Bardie", which drives Halsey nuts, never sleeps because she is always spying on her neighbors, and magically appears anytime Halsey is going anywhere and invites herself along. Halsey finds herself in some funny situations on her own too and usually with her yellow lab Bardot by her side. With the fire inspector in charge, the arson it is out of Augie's jurisdiction. I did find it a little surprising that the chiefs did know each other but with the wine clubbers sniffing around they got to know each other pretty well.

The mystery was a puzzler and while Halsey found a piece of "evidence", she couldn't pin down precisely what it was. It took everyone gathering together to help Penelope and Malcolm with their harvest for all to be revealed. Ms. Blum plotted this mystery out so well that I was completely surprised as the scenes played out before my eyes.

The author also knows how to set a scene. From Peggy's backyard party serving a Tooth & Nail cabernet to the fire scene at the mall to Malcolm and Penelope's Abigail Rose Winery, her words created vivid images.

Clarets of Fire wrapped up the current mystery nicely but there was an important wedding happening in the near future. I assume had there been a fifth book in the series readers would have had a front-row seat. Now we have to imagine what kind of chaos would have ensued because you know with the ladies of the Rose Avenue Wine Club involved there would be some drama before the knot was tied.

Thank you, Ms. Blum. I enjoyed every book in this series. I will toast you with a glass of a fruity claret or maybe two.

I love wine and loved this new cozy series that was themed at a winery, I started at the 4th book which I felt was a bit of a mistake. It would have helped to have read the other books first. Still, this was enjoyable. Overall the mystery was good I wished I had known more about the characters though and having not read the other books first would have helped a lot.

Halsey and the Rose Avenue Wine Club have heard that their friends Penelope and Malcolm are joining forces with the local pizzeria to showcase their carets but when the pizzeria goes up in smoke it seems like the partnership will fail before it starts. A bottle from the winery stuffed with a gasoline soaked rag appears to have been the cause of the fire, putting Penelope and Malcolm as well as their friend Rico on the top of the arson suspect list. Was the pizzeria the real target or just a diversion?

The ladies in the wine club have just gotten more entertaining with each adventure and this one really crackled . I really wish there was a Wine group like this in my neighborhood!

Clarets of Fire
(Rose Avenue Wine Club Mystery #4)
by Christine E. Blum

Paperback, 272 pages
Published September 24th 2019 by Kensington Publishing Corporation




Goodreads synopsis:
Wine connoisseur Annie "Halsey" Hall must turn up the heat on a felonious firebug . . .

Halsey and the ladies of the Rose Avenue Wine Club are celebrating with newlyweds Penelope and Malcolm, who are thrilled to be opening their new winery. They're also partnering with a cherished neighborhood eatery, Rico's Pizza, which will be serving young clarets from their fall harvest. But as Halsey attempts to savor the bouquet of her Tooth & Nail Cab, a different scent intrudes--smoke. The nearby pizza parlor is going up in flames. As they rush to the scene, Halsey's rescue dog Bardot pulls a body from the burning building--the pizza delivery driver--but it's too late.

When investigators determine a rag soaked with gasoline in a bottle from the winery started the blaze, police suspect both the pizza parlor owners and Penelope and Malcolm of arson and murder. With her friends' business and freedom at stake, it's up to Halsey to smoke out the real arsonist--before somebody else gets scorched . . .

***

4 Stars

This is the fourth book in the Rose Avenue Wine Club Mystery series by Christine E. Blum.

I have never been much up on alcoholic anything and that is why I found this book fascinating. I have always wondered about the lure of this substance. And these characters were very familiar with their alcohol.

When a local pizza establishment catches fire, Halsey’s dog finds a body in the ashes… a pizza delivery driver. Suspicions fly as a couple from a local winery are deemed suspects. Halsey has to jump into action and save her friends and their business from going up in smoke.

This is almost like a feel good girl movie with a twist. This jolly group of girlfriends is just what the doctor ordered, especially if you are a big fan of wine with your mysteries. The mystery was well plotted and it really kept me guessing all the way through. Just a jolly great book. I will definitely keep a lookout for Christine E. Blum books in the future.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check out this one. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

This is book four in the Rose Avenue Wine Club mysteries, and by now we have an established cast of characters who each get their role in solving the mystery. I will admit, most of the wine club members blending together too perfectly; I'm sure if I'd read previous books they might have stood out more but it was really just the main character and Marisol who were the stand outs for me. Marisol was a great character by the way, and I can only imagine the trouble she got up in previous books!

For me the mystery was a little rushed and too farfetched. You get zero clues incriminating the real killer before the end, and it wasn't so much a surprise but just not a satisfying ending. I wanted a geniune reason but it seemed forced and out of character. It didn't help that there was an enormous cast of characters either, and keeping up with who might be dodgy was hard.

I did like the friendships, and the romantic lead but he wasn't in it much. I loved Marisol, and it's for her that I'm keeping a higher rating. She made this book better on every page. Three stars.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the 4th mystery in the Rose Avenue Wine Club cozy mystery series and I was lucky to have read them all.
I thought that this was another fun and fast paced mystery and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series to see what trouble Halsey, Bardot & the ladies of Rose Avenue get mixed up in.

I found this book to be fun with many twists and turns, that keep me reading. The plot and characters are well developed, and I enjoy the quirky characters in the book. I recommend this book, and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

3.5 Stars

Annie “Halsey” Hall moved from New York City to Mar Vista, California and now enjoys spending time with her friends in the Rose Avenue Wine Club. Halsey and her rescue dog, Bardot, are on the scene when a local pizzeria catches fire, but they are too late to save the delivery driver. The owners of the restaurant are suspected of purposely setting fire to the restaurant. Halsey and the rest of the wine club work together to find out who really set the fire that led to Roberto’s death before the killer strikes again.

Clarets of Fire is the fourth book in this series and it’s hard to jump in without having read the prior books. I read one of the earlier books and was still having a hard time keeping track of all the different characters. However, I love the idea of the wine club and enjoy the interactions between Halsey and her good friends Sally and Peggy. In addition, she and her fiancé. Jack, make a good couple. They have a friendship as well as a romance and support each other both in the investigation and in other aspects of their lives. Since I haven’t read all of the prior books, I think I’ve missed something about Marisol, the mayor. I never connected with this character and couldn’t figure out her relationship with Halsey. Marisol seems to be a loyal friend of Halsey’s in some scenes and more of a flaky frenemy in others.

Excluding Marisol, the rest of the wine club have a good rapport. They have fun spending time together eating and trying different wines, and they also work well in the arson investigation. I enjoyed seeing the mystery unfold, although as it progressed, some of the plot points became hard to follow. The details are eventually explained at the end, but I was still left with a feeling that some things didn’t quite add up. The epilogue wrapped things up with the case and includes a development that those closely following the series will especially appreciate. After the epilogue, I like that the author included a list of all the different types of wines Halsey and her friends sampled throughout the story. There is also a useful description of wine-related gift ideas, such as decanters and bottle stoppers. Overall, this is an enjoyable light mystery centered around a group of friends with a common interest in food, wine, friendship, and sleuthing.

~ Christine

I love this series and I loved this book.
I love this group of women, their relationship and I love the style of writing.
The plot was engrossing and entertaining and the mystery kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The fourth book in the Rose Avenue Wine Club Mystery series by Christine E. Blum. A neighborhood pizza place is burned. The fire was arson, and someone was killed in the blaze. The prime suspects are owners of a local winery. Halsey and her friends in the Rose Avenue Wine Club are on the case to clear their friends and find the guilty party.

A light and fun cozy mystery, especially good for wine lovers. The entertaining group of friends adds to the fun of this series. However, I always find Bardot, Halsey's dog, to steal the show.

A solid mystery with charming characters. This book can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the series in order. I have read the previous three books, and look forward to reading more in this series.

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 4th in series for the "Rose Avenue Wine Club" mystery series. I have read and enjoyed the entire series. I highly recommend each book in the series. This series has all the right elements of a perfect cozy series, great charcters, fun setting, a well crafted multi layered sleuth and witty repartee. For those that enjoy wine and wine tasting this is the perfect cozy with wine information in each book .

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the advance reading copy. My review opinion is my own..

In this 4th in series our intrepid protagonist Halsey and her wine club ladies are back and they have a unique and frightening sleuth to solve. One of their favorite frequented Italian restaurants burns down and Halsey's dog bravely drags the person trapped inside out of the restaurant but the employee dies. The police suspect the owner and Halsey and her tribe are sure he is innocent. They know him and trust his charcter as a good person. Halsey has a natural talent for finding clues and getting people to talk to her so she sets off with the help of her friends to find the real killer . This group of ladies are close knit friends and are always supportive of each other. As the sleuth progresses Halsey is on the right track and her nosy questions may be putting her in danger as well as her friends.

I loved this next in series. This is a fun cozy series with likable charcters who you would want to know and be friends with. The setting is enjoying and the sleuth is always multi layered and interesting to conclusion. The wine information is informative and interesting in each book. Halsey is one of my favorite protagonist and I like her savvy smart ways of solving crimes. Well done to the author ! I look forward to the next in series.

California Wine Country Mystery
This is a great story! The mystery is excellent and the final reveal was unexpected. This book stands alone well, I can say that because this is the first book in the series that I have read. It has fun dogs and a trainer, wine lovers and growers and lots of humor. There is clean romance as a side dish. The descriptions of the LA area and the wine country makes the reader feel as if she is there. I hope to be able to read more of this series. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

This is the fourth installment in the Rose Avenue Wine Club. In Claret’s of Fire, Halsey and the ladies of the Rose Avenue Club ( Marisol, Sally, Peggy and Aimee) begin to look into a fire at a local pizza place in a strip mall that they have all frequented. The fire destroys the restaurant and business along with one of the employees is killed. This person was dragged out of the restaurant by Bardot Halsey’s dog. The police immediately suspect the owners Malcolm and Penelope and the ladies do not believe they could possibly do this. This is a well paced and crafted cozy. Will definitely be looking for the next installment.

Halsey and the women of the wine club know, absolutely know, that Malcolm and Penelope did not set fire to the pizza parlor and kill one of its employees. They also know their wine. Even if you aren't a wine lover, this cozy series (and feel free to read this as a standalone) is fun- and informative. Cabernet isn't my favorite but Halsey's got a taste for it and is happy to try the new wines from Malcolm and Penelope's new enterprise. As with all cozies, there's more to the mystery than meets the eye initially but in this one, you've got a group of intrepid and diverse women who make up the investigating team. Marisol, Aimee, Sally, and Peggy (and Halsey) all have distinct personalities but Blum doesn't overwhelm you with them. This also features Bardot the dog, who's pretty cool too. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers but know that it's a good read.

Clarets of Fire is a cute cozy mystery that has great characters and storyline. The book is well written and I would read more by this author.

Our charming protagonist and her antagonist are at it again. Dogs, wine, fire, murder, and more. Another clever romp on Rose Avenue. The ending was a bit of a surprise.

The Rose Avenue wine club ladies are back and the wine is flowing. When the ladies and their significant others are at a party at Halsey’s house, things end when the local strip mall has a major fire. A couple who owns the Italian restaurant the gang loves have lost their business and an employee. The police are looking at the husband for arson, but Halsey and the ladies will do their best to prove Rico’s innocence. But the ladies better be careful, because they are playing with fire and could get burned.

This is the second book in the series I have read and I adore the Rose Avenue Wine Club ladies. They quickly become your tribe and you’ll find yourself enjoying a glass or two of wine along with them. Looking forward to more in this series

Halsey and the Rose Avenue Wine Club are on the case after a neighborhood pizza restaurant burns to the ground and when the person who Halsey's rescue dog, Bardot pulls out of the fire dies, the fire scene may become a crime scene!

I love this group of women - Halsey, Marisol, Aimee, Sally & Peggy are independent, funny and loyal to each other. The descriptions of the wine and food make me long for a trip to wine country. Bardot, brings another dimension to the mystery since she's also a "sleuth"!

I'll definitely be curious to read about the Rose Avenue Wine Club's next mystery!

I received an ARC, from NetGalley, for a fair and honest review of this book.

With and interesting story line and lovely characters along with the pizza and wine setting this mystery is well written and enjoyable.

Halsey and the wine club try to help the police in the investigation of arson at the mall with the help of bardot her lab. While having wine and appetizer meetings to figure out who done it. Marisol her next door neighbor is always helping and sometimes getting herself in trouble it with her nephew augie. If you want to know more read the b0ok.