100 Proof Murder

Ellis’s enticing second Bourbon Tour mystery (after One for the Road) finds intrepid journalist Jill Curtis and her videographer, Michael Erickson, in Louisville, Ky. While discussing with a friendly barman their intended first appointment at Parker Estate distillery, Jill and Michael discover that William Scott, the estate’s master distiller, has died that very afternoon. Undaunted, Jill presents herself at the distillery, where she meets Alexis Scott, the dead man’s daughter. Having heard of Jill’s involvement in a recent murder case, Alexis confides that she believes her father didn’t die of natural causes. Heeding Jill’s advice, Alexis—against the strenuous opposition of her mother—has her father’s cremation halted and a full autopsy performed. This reveals that William was poisoned. The game is now afoot, with Jill uncovering a story of stalking, disputed inheritances, and long-held grievances, as well as making some dramatic decisions about her personal life. Ellis skillfully uses subplots involving the escapades of Jill’s grandmother and aunt, as well as the failing health of the mother of Jill’s sweetheart, police detective Nick Harris, to enrich the novel. Cozy fans will have fun. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency. (Aug.)