A brand new series that seemed a bit familiar when I realized I read 0.5 in the Christmas Mittens Murder novella. I enjoyed getting to know Cece Barton and her twin sister and the town of Colinas, California. The mystery was well thought out and I enjoyed finding out who the killer was. I'm excited to see where this series goes.

Murder Uncorked is the start to a new cozy mystery series about a widow who runs a wine bar in California. Cece has been single for ten years since her husbands death and she has a daughter in college. She decides to move closer to her twin sister and she is shocked when there’s a murder in their small town. She is a suspect and she investigates in order to clear her name.

This book was just ok. It was honestly like any other cozy mystery I have ever read. Nothing really stood out as amazing. I did enjoy the characters and the relationships. The mystery unfolded quickly and I liked the ending. I think the small town cozy atmosphere was a nice touch. I didn’t really dislike the book but I didn’t love it either and I’m not sure I’ll remember much of it in the future.

I think one of my major complaints for this was the random opinions on controversial topics that were just thrown in. I think the author was just trying to get her two cents in on stuff. For example, she talks about getting rid of Columbus Day for a couple of pages. Now regardless of your opinion on the topic, it had nothing to do with the story and was totally unnecessary. This happened a lot in the story and it just took away from the mystery for me. I also feel like people were revealing a lot of secrets and telling people stuff in a way that just didn’t seem all that realistic.

I think people who love cozy mysteries will enjoy this book! It was just ok for me but I’m sure others will love it. Thanks so much to netgalley and Kensington books for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Good start to a new series. A nice variety of characters. My favorite of which is the VOM. The murder mystery kept me guessing. I look forward to the further adventures of Cece Barton and her sister. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

This is a new cozy mystery series by author Maddie Day. We have Cece, a single mom who manages a wine bar in California wine country. When a member of the vintner's association is murdered, Cece becomes a suspect because of her beef with him. She has to work to clear her name.
This was a great mystery, the cast of characters are fun and likeable. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the advance reader copy.

I have enjoyed books in several of the author’s other series. However, this one just did not appeal to me. I did not connect with the primary character, Cece. Her thinking about EVERYTHING just got rather tiring. I don’t need to hear why she decided to be a pescatarian and it really did not add to the story. Being an older woman was a plus. But the way she handled the murder mystery and withholding information from the police was disturbing. I think this is probably the end of the series for me. I do not plan to read any additional books. Though I will continue reading books in her other series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Cozies for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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Prolific cozy mystery author Maddie Day launches a new series set in northern California wine country. Cece Barton is adjusting to her recent move to Colinas to become manager of Vino y Vida Wine Bar. Cece is happy to be closer to her twin Allie who runs a B&B but is troubled by her continued strained relationship with her college-age daughter Zoe.

Then a body of a patron is found in the wine bar. The Sonoma County sheriff department focuses its investigation on Cece since she had exchanged some angry business emails with the victim. Cece decides to do her own sleuthing to clear her name.

Positives: Plenty of possible suspects, interesting main characters, gorgeous setting in northern California wine country.

Negatives: The story was a bit slow at times as the new cast of characters had to be introduced. Cece also behaved badly at times by not being as cautious as she should & not revealing details to the detective.

All in all, this was a good debut book in this new cozy series & I look forward to reading future stories featuring Cece, Allie and her new friends in Colinas.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Kensington. All opinions are my own.

Murder Uncorked by Maddie Day is the first in a new series! I have read Maddie Day's other series and was excited to try another one out! This one takes place in California at a wine bar in Sonoma County. It was a good start to a new series, but felt like some of the characters needed to be rounded out more. I thought the mystery itself was good, but dragged in parts and the conclusion was okay. I would definitely check out more in the series though and really enjoyed the main character.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

The first in a new cozy series from the author of the Country Story mystery series. This one centers around CeCe, a recently widowed single mom who has moved to California to manage a wine bar. She stumbles into a murder investigation and must investigate to clear her name.

This style is very reminiscent of Day’s other mysteries. If you are a fan of the Country Store mysteries, you are sure to be a fan of this new series!

This is a solid mystery and it would have been the excellent start of a new cozy series but Cece is a bit repetitive and tells the same information a lot of times
Will try the next
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I’ve read other books by Maddie Day/Edith Maxwell and really enjoyed them, but Murder Uncorked just wasn’t doing it for me. The two biggest reasons were how much the main character, Cece, continually repeats information about the suspects and various clues (although it’s always done in cozies, this was over done), and how she droned on about various subjects, including why she decided to eat what she does. I didn’t feel like it added to the story or helped us get to know Cece better. It felt more like the author needed to vent about how many horrible things are happening in the world. And I get that, one hundred percent. The world is not prospering, but when I read fiction, I want to escape a lot more than this book allowed me to.

The other thing that I really had a problem with was how many times Cece decided to withhold information from the police. Once again, this often happens in cozies, but all the times she did it really seemed excessive… and to not tell the police you had been in a hit and run! And to go along with withholding information, is how many times she was going to do something or look something up for the case, and then she would put it off. I know it was to prolong the story/drama, but I just found it annoying after a bit.

I did appreciate the older main character, the location, the wine tasting, and the relationship between Cece and her daughter and between Cece and her twin, but I don’t know if that is enough to keep me reading the series.

I first met CeCe Barton as part of the "Christmas Mittens Murder" three-story collection that also feature Lee Hollis and Liz Ireland. I liked CeCe then and was delighted to have the chance to get a sneak peek at her true debut. I do wonder, however, if those who didn't read an early copy of the Christmas collection might be confused by references to CeCe helping solve a previous murder in that books collection. That said, the author does her usual excellent job of introducing the characters and setting, in the process doing an excellent job bringing out the vibe of California's wine country. The characters are diverse, including in age. For instance, CeCe's neighbor is a 90-year old who keeps his fabulous garden up as well as urging CeCe to pursue her dream of writing. A former journalist, he offers her the use of his writing nook, so to speak.

As with any new series, it was slightly slow to evolve as we met the characters, some of whom sound like, well, real characters. Perhaps the most important in CeCe's life is her twin sister, Allie, who is married and has twins with very different personalities. CeCe's relationship with her own daughter is distant although one gets hints that they may find common ground in the future. There's also a hint of possible romance, so keep your ears (eyes?) tuned for that as the series evolves.

I won't detail the plot as others will have done a far better job than I can. I'll simply say there were quite a few suspects given the victim's unlikable personality. Heck, the detective in charge even gives CeCee a long look as a suspect based on her less than harmonious business dealings with him, Victor. This sense of being watched as a suspect is ultimately what drives CeCe to investigate. Unfortunately, although she shows common sense and caution, you know it's inevitable she'll find herself in danger. It was interesting to see CeCe's relationship with Detective Sgt. Kelly Daniell, by the way, and brought Daniell to life as a real person, not just another detective for the amateur sleuth to square off against. That is one of this author's main strengths, creating well-rounded characters that add to the equally well-crafted plot. I'm going to be curious to see how this relationship grows...or doesn't. If you're like me, you'll find yourself quickly being hooked on the story and wanting to know more about CeCe's small town and friends.

Bottom line, as I looked back after finishing up, I had to admire how cleverly the author wove clues into the story, both of guilt and innocence, while doing all the necessary background reveals that make a new series work. I think I was as invested in getting to know the characters and backstories as I was in figuring out the murderer. Thanks #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks - #KensingtonCozies for reintroducing me to CeCe, who I'd found intriguing in the Christmas story collection. I'll be looking forward to following her adventure in California's wine country.

Cecelia 'Cece' Barton and her twin sister, Alicia 'Allie' Halstead, both live in Colinas, California. Allie is a successful real estate agent and B&B owner while Cece has run the Vino y Vida wine bar since she solved the murder of its last owner and moved from Pasadena at the end of the previous year.

When one of her patrons, with whom Cece had exchanged angry emails regarding a business dispute, is found dead, Cece finds herself high on the local police department's suspect list. At the same time her sister is once again matchmaking, this time with her handsome and secretive new B&B long term resident, but Cece doesn't need the complications of a new relationship as she tries to clear her name, does she? With clues beginning to emerge identifying a number of suspects, Cece finds herself in danger as it becomes clear one of them has no hesitation in killing again.

This is the first novel in Maddie Day's new cosy series but Cece and Allie were introduced in the September released multi-author festive Christmas Scarf Murder short story book. That murder is mentioned but without spoilers and this obviously introduces all the main protagonists in far more detail. I enjoyed this very much, fell for a few red herrings, and liked spending time with Cece and her insatiable curiosity!

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Kensington Cozies, but the opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed this, and look forward to reading more in the series very soon.

I adored this cozy mystery! The group of characters were fantastic, and I loved the setting. I enjoyed the plot twists and the mystery. It was well paced and well written!

I had previously read Maddie Day’s Counrty Store cozy mysteries, so I was thrilled to see she was starting a new series. Cece Barton is a 42 year old widow starting over in a small town in the Alexander Valley wine region. She is moving there to run a wine bar and be closer to her twin sister Allie and her estranged daughter Zoe who is in college at UC Davis. When the head of a local business association is murdered, Cece ends up as one of the suspects. Of course, she starts asking questions, and that puts her in the line of fire for the real killer. Overall, I enjoyed this cozy mystery, but there were a few areas that kept this from being a five star read. First, I had a real hard time keeping up with all of the characters. We are introduced to her family, a lot of friends and potential suspects, and it was really hard to remember who everyone was. I assume that many of these folks will be potential suspects in future mysteries, that the intrepid Cece will have to solve. Overall, I enjoyed the setting, the relationship between Cece and her sister and the fun mystery. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

#Murder Uncorked is the first in a new series by popular author Maddie Day. In the book Cece Barton has moved to wine country in north California to take a job managing a wine bar and live near her twin Allie. This book get right into the story and the mystery so I honestly felt I had an advantage by reading the novella that sets up Cece's move and gives you more insight into her background in the anthology Christmas Murder Mittens. When the story open Cece observes a large, loud confrontation between two men in her wine bar, while trying to decide if she should step in, she realizes the argument is between the complex manager of the historic district that houses her wine bar and a representative of a local winery owner's group that has been try to get her to host a large group event for free. She has been having a hard time getting the man to take no for an answer but had only dealt with him by phone or email so she decides to stay out of it. The next day he is dead. With the mail trail Cece gets a visit from the police and so it begins, who wanted Vincent dead? There is a long list of potential candidates, Vincent was not well liked.I really enjoyed the setting here, the characters are really wonderful. I have to admit there are a couple things about Cece I find a little annoying, things I don't usually see in Ms Day's work. The first is the constant self doubt and questioning Cece seems to have in her decision making and the second is the information withheld from the authorities. If someone aimed a truck a my bike and took me down, especially if I has witnesses I would call the police. Overall this was an enjoyable read and I hope Cece conquers some of these first book growing pains. I am definitely looking forward to the next book. Thank you to #NetGalley and #KensingtonCozies for a chance to read.

This is the first in a new series by one of my favorite authors, Maddie Day. Cece Barton was first introduced to us in Christmas Mittens Murder and takes place in the California wine country. Cece has recently moved to Colinas, California to manage a wine bar and to be nearer her twin sister. When a man that Cece was having a minor dispute with is found dead, which puts Cece on the suspect list, she decided to investigate. A cute cozy with great characters set in a beautiful location. I highly recommend reading Murder Uncorked.

This is the first full-length novel in Maddie Day’s new series. I recommend reading the novella in Christmas Mitten Murder since it provides some essential background information about Cece Barton and her decision to move to Colinas. This book suffers at times from the “first book in a series syndrome.” There is a lot of necessary exposition and world building in this novel. The main flaw is Cece herself. I like her better when she is interacting with her sister and nephews. Unfortunately, Day has become a bit preachy at times in her novels and this novel is no exception.

Murder Uncorked is the debut Cece Barton Mystery written by Maddie Day, a prolific cozy mystery writer whose books have entertained me for the last few years. Set in California wine country, the background is exciting and educational, offering a wonderful setting that soothes as it whets the appetite for murder and drama. Cece is a mother, just over 40 years old, and widowed. There's a mystery with her husband's death but we don't know it yet. And her daughter, Zoe, and Cece are a bit disconnected, but there is hope for the future. In this installment, we get to know her friends, an eclectic and diverse cast of characters who grow on you over the course of the book. While the mystery is easy to solve, it does provide strong character development, letting readers get to know Cece's neighbors, colleagues, and friends, not to mention the hunky guy who takes her on a date while she's crime solving. Looking forward to more to come.

A new series by Maddie Day features Cece Barton, the manager of Vino y Vida wine bar in California. It's tourist season and this is a busy time at the wine bar, but when someone is murdered, Cece resists getting involved, but then can't help herself. With the aid of her twin sister, bed and breakfast owner Allie Halstead, they poke around until someone gets nervous and threatens them. The setting for the book is lovely and it could be an interesting new series. I think the police in town are portrayed as slightly incompetent, but hopefully that will change in future books.

I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and I voluntarily reviewed it.

I really like this author's Country Story Mystery series and I was excited when I heard of this new series. Murder Uncorked is the first book in this new series set in California, where main character Cece runs a wine bar. I think this is the first cozy mystery I read that takes place in California and I felt the setting and store made for a different vibe than her other series, but Maddie Day's writing style is the same and I could get easily sucked into the story. I read the prequel story in Christmas Mittens Murders before starting this book, so I was already a bit familiar with the characters.

I liked Cece as a main character, she's smart and capable. It made sense how she got involved and I liked how she went about it in a smart way and took the danger seriously. Even though that doesn't stop her from investigating I liked how she took the threat seriously and tried to be smart about things.

I liked reading about her relationship with her twin Allie, they are quite close and I haven't read many cozies with a close sister dynamic. Allie's sons also made some appearances and it was fun to see how Cece was an aunt to them. Cece also has a daughter who is studying at a university nearby, but their relationship is a bit difficult at the moment and she tries to improve that. Cece also has some good friends, like restaurant owner Ko and the couple Henry and Eddie. She also interacts with her older neighbor. And there is a possible love interest in Benjamin. They all made numerous appearances in the book and I liked she had such good friends around her. It was fun reading about all the character and seeing them interact.

The daily life and the cosy vibe of it all really worked for me and is one of the aspects I liked about Maddie Day's country store mystery series as well. I already feel like I've gotten to know the characters and I look forward to spending more time with them in the next book.

The mystery was a solid one and I liked seeing how things progressed throughout the book. It didn't keep me guessing too much though due to some important clues not coming to light later on. And when some clues came to light it felt quite obvious who the killer was. There is a lot of Cece asking questions and some characters involved to the mystery she gets to know. One of the suspects got ruled out in an unusual way, which was interesting.

To summarize: Murder Uncorked is a great start to this new series by Maddie Day and I already look forward to the next one. I liked reading about main character Cece who was smart and capable. It made sense how she got involved and I liked how she tried to be smart about investigating, although she still gets in trouble. I liked reading about Cece's relationship with her twin Allie, I haven't read a lot of cozies with a close sister dynamic. Cece has some good friends around her as well as a possible love itnerest. The cozy vibe and reading about Cece's life was one of my favorite parts of this book. The mystery was a good one, but didn't keep me guessing as much. There were some important clues that only came to light late in the book and after that it was quite clear who the murderer was. I really enjoyed reading this book and I can't wait to read more about these characters in the next one!