Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Merlot Murders | 2006 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 2 | The Chardonnay Charade | 2006 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 3 | The Bordeaux Betrayal | 2008 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 4 | The Riesling Retribution | 2009 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 5 | The Vintage Vendetta | 2010 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 6 | The Sauvignon Secret | 2011 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 7 | The Champagne Conspiracy | 2017 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 8 | The Vineyard Victims | 2017 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 9 | Harvest of Secrets | 2018 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 10 | Harvest of Secrets: A Wine Country Mystery | 2018 | Ellen Crosby | N/A |
| 11 | The Angels’ Share | 2019 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 12 | The French Paradox | 2021 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 13 | Bitter Roots | 2022 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
| 14 | Deeds Left Undone | 2025 | Ellen Crosby | Buy |
The Wine Country Mysteries by Ellen Crosby is a fourteen-book cozy mystery series set among the vineyards of Virginia. Lucie Montgomery, vineyard owner and reluctant amateur detective, navigates murders, family drama, and the ups and downs of the wine business across the series. The Merlot Murders (2006) established the template: a dead body turns up near the vines, and Lucie gets drawn into solving the case while keeping her winery afloat.
Each book is titled with a wine reference, from The Chardonnay Charade to The Champagne Conspiracy to Bitter Roots. The winemaking details are woven into the stories rather than just decorating them, with the seasonal rhythms of vineyard life shaping the plots. The series ran from 2006 to 2025, with Deeds Left Undone as the most recent entry. Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with strong settings and a protagonist who knows her Riesling from her Sauvignon will feel right at home.