I really enjoyed this classic murder mystery thriller with some cult vibes set in Napa Valley, California amongst the grapevines and winemakers of the region. I spent a lot of time in California wine country when I lived in San Francisco, so I enjoyed reading a book in a familiar setting. I liked the main character with her rough edges and the book kept me guessing - I really did not see the identity of the killer coming until the last minute. Would definitely recommend to any mystery-lovers out there!

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for the eARC!

It's gripping me!
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Set in Napa Valley, renowned for its premium wines, the narrative centers on the discovery of two female homicide victims. This makes Lana Burrel who raised in Napa Valley, to return to her childhood home, a place where her father was wrongly accused of murdering her best friend, Jess. Upon her arrival, Lana encounters a mysterious stalker, rumors of a dangerous cult, and a disturbing connection between the recent murders and her friend's unsolved case.
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The fast-paced and captivating plot immediately draws the reader in. This crime thriller and police procedural, brimming with suspense, action, and multiple suspects, maintains a high level of engagement. The intricate plot unfolds smoothly, showcasing Lana's fierce determination to solve the murders and uncover links to the past. The story is rich with secrets. powerful families. vineyards. murders. trauma. a cult. drug. While the ending feels somewhat abrupt, leaving the fates of Lana's father unresolved, it leaves me wanting more..

I was so excited to read Blood on the Vine by J. T. Falco.
What a compelling read! This thrilling book was utterly impossible to put down and as the conclusion reached a crescendo.
Such a well paced and suspenseful book! The twists were believable and not predictable.
It had excellent writing and a fascinating plot.
Blood on the Vine is a book which kept me thoroughly engaged from beginning to end.

Blood In The Vine is a captivating,  thrilling and very twisty murder mystery with several murders that need to be solved.
💫💫💫💫💫

FBI Agent Lana Burrell is tough, determined and unconventional. That is why she is sent to Napa Valley to help with the murder of two women. Lana is hesitant to go back, it is the place where her best friend was killed but her body was never found and where her father was framed for her murder. Lana will be caught in a web of lies, deceit, guarded deadly secrets, a powerful family and even a sex cult!

A must read that will keep you at the edge of your seat and you won't see the killer coming!


Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books, I loved this book!

Ahhhhh!!! This was such a great twisty thriller! &&&& I DID NOT see that twist coming!

Set up in the beautiful Napa Valley, Blood on the Vine, follows FBI agent, Lana Burrell, she finds herself headed back home when two women are found murdered. Only problem is...she hasn’t been back since her best friend was killed & her father was arrested!

I absolutely loved the setting of this book. Napa Valley is so beautiful & I loved the insight into the wine making industry…almost as much as I love drinking it! I was hooked from the start…they had me at FBI hunting a serial killer!

J.T. Falco’s Blood on the Vine is a darkly twisted thriller that grabs the reader by the throat and doesn’t let go. From the very first page, the novel pulses with a sense of unease, as multiple storylines snake their way through a labyrinth of secrets, betrayal, and bloodshed.

What begins as a tangled web of seemingly disconnected events quickly evolves into a tightly wound narrative that barrels toward an explosive climax. Falco masterfully juggles numerous characters and plot threads, and while the sheer number of twists and revelations might leave some readers breathless, it’s all part of the book’s wicked charm. Every detail matters, and each turn of the page brings new consequences, culminating in an eruption of violence and truth that leaves both characters and readers reeling.

The strength of Blood on the Vine lies in its ability to maintain suspense while peeling back layers of deception. Falco doesn’t shy away from the psychological or the grotesque, pushing the boundaries of what we expect from crime fiction. Just when you think you’ve figured out what’s really going on, the ground shifts again.

This is not a book for the faint of heart, but for readers who enjoy intricate plots, morally ambiguous characters, and a narrative that dares to shock, Blood on the Vine delivers a wild, unforgettable ride. Falco has crafted a story that feels like a slow burn until it explodes in a finale that will leave your head spinning.

This is a captivating thriller set in Napa Valley. It features FBI agent, Lana Burrell, who is called upon to investigate the mysterious deaths of two women. The catch is, these murders have taken place near where her best friend was killed years before. And, did I mention, her father was imprisoned for that murder?

There are lots of twists and turns and high stakes to jeep the story engaging. However, there were some erotic scenes that I could have done without and didn’t think added much to the story. Also, there is some difficult subject matter to contend with.

Overall, it’s a thriller worth a read. 3.75 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC

2.5 Stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this fast-paced, intense, and suspenseful debut thriller by J. T. Falco. The plot was well-organized, and it shows that he is a promising author. The Napa Valley setting was lush and atmospheric.

I disliked the protagonist Lana Burrell. Almost all female investigators are portrayed with emotional problems. I have rarely read one where the female detective seems well-adjusted. Lana has many issues that linger from her past. She is introverted and relies on alcohol and sex for distractions. I found her to be rude and crude. I am not against swearing in a story, but it should be used rarely for shock and emphasis. I found the overuse of profanity annoying and added nothing to the story.

Lana is a determined and dedicated detective when she focuses on an investigation. About twenty years earlier, she lived in Napa Valley with her father, who worked in wine production. Her best friend was Jess, Holly's daughter, from one of the wealthiest wine families. Her boyfriend was Jonah, Jess's brother. Jess was murdered, and a foreign grape picker was also found dead. All attention was on Jess's death. Lana's father was accused and convicted of her friend's murder and is serving a life sentence in prison. She moved away to San Francisco while still a teenager to distance herself from the painful memories. Lana never believed her father was guilty, but her visits to him decreased. She trained to become a successful FBI agent.

She has returned to the Napa Valley and finds the assignment stressful. Two women have been killed in an identical manner. Is there a serial killer, and are more women at risk? Can these murders be connected with Jess's death long ago?

Lana is to partner with Essie from the sheriff's department that sent her father to prison. Essie is about age 60 and recently trained in the police academy. Her boss, Sheriff McKee, admits to Lana that he is beginning to doubt her father's guilt. The motherly Essie keeps Lana focused and grounded on the current murder investigation. Lana must deal with the manipulative Holly, the mother of her dead friend, Jess, and her former boyfriend, Jonah. Years ago, Holly warned Lana to stay away from Jonah. Jonah is now married and partnered in a wine business with a man Lana finds instantly attractive. Distracting sex scenes follow.
Lana learns that Holly and other major wine producers are members of a strange cult related to an esoteric spiritual movement. She observes them branding a new initiate, a step in joining the group. Holly says it is not a cult, but "a church for slutty wine -loving mystics". Can they be involved with the murders?

Lana is being stalked by a mysterious stranger, and worries that she may be the next victim. The solution to the mystery of Jess's terrible secret before her death is revealed in a disturbing, heartbreaking video. Later, a letter from Holly explains everything.
The ending is action-packed and frightening. Although there were many suspects in the crimes, the killer was unexpected. Does Lana have sufficient information to have her father released from prison?
The book is due to be published on April 25/2025.

Ahhhh - I loved this book! The perfect crime mystery. I enjoyed that the main investigator was FBI rather than local police. The story of her going back to her hometown as an agent to investigate was top notch. And - spoiler alert - the guilty party is not who you think it is!

3-Star Review: Blood on the Vine

I was pleasantly surprised by Blood on the Vine. Going in, I expected a run-of-the-mill thriller, but what I got was something much more unique. The storyline took some unexpected turns, and the originality of the plot really stood out. While it didn’t quite blow me away, it was a refreshing change from the usual formula and definitely worth a read for anyone looking for something a little different in the thriller genre.

Blood on the Vine by J.T. Falco  is a crime mystery novel about women being slain in the Napa Valley.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.




My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
FBI Agent Lana Burrell returns to the Napa Valley when two young women are viciously killed near the vineyard where she grew up, and where she had vowed never to return. 

Over two decades ago, Lana's best friend, Jess Bancroft, disappeared, and Lana's father is still serving a life sentence in San Quentin for her murder.  Lana has always felt he was framed.

So Lana returns to the area to find that Jess's Mom is still owner of one of the biggest vineyard's in the area, but she is hiding something.  Lana finds the whole area changed, with an undercurrent of darkness that she doesn't remember from her youth.

The same Sheriff that railroaded Lana's father is still there, and so are a number of other players, but there is something else going on, and Lana finds herself in the line of fire.




My Opinions:
First, I am so sick of authors making their female protagonist (usually a detective) solve all their problems with alcohol.  Talk about an over-used trope.  Most of the male authors make the women having sex with men they just meet.  And here we go again....  So, unless you try feeling sorry for her,  it is almost impossible to actually like the protagonist.

I did find the book a little overly detailed at times, and found myself skimming parts about the wine industry, and about the history of some of the historical characters, like Steiner.  So if I am skimming, I am not enjoying....

It started off a little slow, but eventually the pace picked up.  Character wise, I loved Essie.  She was wonderful.

The actual plot was quite good. There were enough suspects to make me question and change my choices quite often, so that kept things interesting.

Overall, it wasn't bad for a debut novel, and I will watch this author.

Thank you Netgalley & Crooked Lane Books for an eARC ❤️❤️❤️

That’s what chilled me most about this story—how Napa’s sun-soaked rows of grapes, postcard-perfect to tourists, cradle decades of bloodstains and whispered horrors.😳Lana Burrell knows this better than anyone. The valley made her, then broke her: her father rotting in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, her best friend Jess swallowed by the earth like a bad vintage poured down a drain.

Now an FBI agent, Lana’s the kind of woman who stares down killers without flinching—until two fresh murders crack open the past like a barrel of spoiled wine. The crime scenes are grotesque theater, echoes of that long-ago nightmare. Worse? Someone’s watching her. Not just watching—*remembering*. The valley’s most powerful family smiles with veneered teeth at charity galas while their hired hands dig in the dirt. And then there’s Essie, Lana’s human knife of a colleague, slicing through pretense with one-liners sharper than a sommelier’s corkscrew.

Here’s the truth this book seared into me: terroir isn’t just about soil and climate. It’s the tang of copper in the roots, the way trauma ferments across generations. The finale didn’t just surprise me—it *gutted* me, a reveal so brutal I actually checked my own door locks afterward. 🫣

“Blood on the Vine” a debut novel from TV writer and showrunner J.T. Falco, is the story of FBI Agent Lana Burrell and her quest to get to the bottom of the murders of two unrelated women in Napa Valley, while also hopefully proving her father innocent of the murder of her childhood best friend. Phew, that’s a lot going on, right?

This book was slow to start for me, and Lana was tough to get a read on, but once I hit the 20% mark I was into it. The cast of characters in this book will keep you on your toes. I especially enjoyed newly minted Sherrif’s Deputy Essie Leroux, Lana’s senior citizen sidekick on this case. There was also a secret cult storyline, and a romance, and a lot of fun facts about wine making that made this book feel different than a lot of other mysteries. And what an ending! Didn’t see it coming at all!

If you like wine and mysteries, I think you’ll really enjoy this book. Would make for a great quick summer vacation long weekend read.

This was the right amount of tension, mystery and trawling through the tendrils of the past in such a flourishing landscape. This was the perfect balance for hostility and anxiety: the lushness of the vineyards, the richness of the fertile soil, and the depth of sinisterness in the unfolding story.
Lana’s connection to this investigation was still quite raw, even though the events of the past were years ago when her best friend Jess died. We can see that she was an expert as an investigator. Her eye for detail was wide and clear, and not a lot seemed to miss her attention. The trouble was that coming back to the Napa Valley would open a lot of wounds that she would need to keep in check to maintain her objectivity, including reuniting with people from her past that she just could not seem to trust. I loved the fact that her sixth sense was on overdrive, and the things that didn’t sit right with her were they pay off as she moved closer and closer to solving the recent murders. There was a little bit of comic relief in Essie, deputy in charge who worked in parallel to Lana (because Lana preferred to always work alone), with home baked muffins to win Lana over. Their banter and cross overs worked really well, with enough space for them to shine as characters on their own, and add value when they were working in tandem.
There was a rawness and honesty to Lana’s story, and I think that this led to the discovery of so much innocence lost when all the pieces started to fit together. It was distinct in the reuniting of Lana and her father, in prison accused of a murder she knows he did not commit. It was also in the space where Lana and Jonah, Jess’ brother reconnected. This is the kind of story where you are wondering what will happen next, there’s a skilful level of writing here to keep the tension simmering away through all of the police procedural details. Lana and Essie have to trawl through a number of potential suspects in a short amount of time, and the way in which they undertake this is also well practiced. These characters are well crafted and elaborate as equally as the storyline. This is how I like my psychological thrillers !

This one sounded like a perfect vacation book - a twisty thriller set in wine country. Unfortunately I had a hard time with this one. The main character was very unlikable and the plot was a bit too far fetched for me. I think many will enjoy this boo, it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Spotify Audio for my gifted ALC! And thank you to Crooked Lane Books for my gifted copy!

Blood on the Vine was lusciously atmospheric. It’s exactly what I wanted, a glimpse into wine country. But, I guess with a little bit more culty drama than I expected. That said, I enjoyed it even if I had to get adjusted to the type of FBI agent Lana was. She gave Elle Woods from Legally Blonde vibes. There is nothing wrong with that - I just expected her to be like Agent Lee Harker from Longlegs, or Clarice Starling from Silence of the Lambs. Buttoned up, stern, serious, voracious. So it took a little bit of mental gymnastics to change that image of my head to somebody more bubbly. This book was full of some solid sleuthing and twists. I was genuinely surprised by whodunit in the end. I definitely would recommend this as a good popcorn thriller!

I absolutely loved this thriller! Full of fast-paced twists and turns I was hooked from the creepy prologue and didn’t look back. And here’s the deal; this book hits all of the high notes that you expect from a well written thriller: a broody main character, a stunning backdrop (Napa Valley), multiple suspects and motives to keep you guessing, a fascinating murder mystery. But it also had something extra special that I personally find elevates a book for me; something that in my experience isn’t often done in thrillers...education. Knowledge. I learned so much about wine making, soil composition, and Napa when it was a small farming community and not catering to the rich. This one really was the complete package and I highly recommend it to thriller lovers!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4/5)

A former resident of Napa Valley, FBI agent Lana Burrell, returns over twenty years later to investigate what may be a situation with an active serial killer. The complications in returning involve the case of her father who is in prison for killing her best friend Jess many years ago at a Napa Valley vineyard. Returning to the area after being gone for years mean Lana must face her memories but she will also have insight into the area and the residents. Once there, Lana notices a man who is following her and she has questions if a cult might be involved.

I originally gave this 4/5⭐️ but as I continue to think about the book, I love it even more, so maybe it’s more of a 4.5/5 ⭐️ as I genuinely had no idea which way the book was headed.

The author drops subtle clues throughout the book of “who dun it,” but I did not catch them at the time until closer to the reveal. The book pulls in high profile people, politicians and vineyard owners, guests of the vineyard, and long time Napa residents who’ve seen the valley change over the years. There’s police interviews, a potential cult, lavish parties, and more.

How the book ended truly wrapped up all of the pieces of the puzzle and I never saw it coming. Now don’t get me wrong, we went in some bizarre directions, but it all makes sense in the end!

I didn't love this one as much as I was anticipating. However, it was a quick read and I still liked the twists and suspense.

Lana discovers there is something to be said for going home again no matter how painful. Now an FBI SA, she's struggled with knowing that her father did not kill her friend Jess and with the fact that he's in prison. She's tapped when there are murders in the Napa Valley and as it turns out, she discovers information no one knew. This is a familiar plot line but Falco has done a good job with her protagonist and the atmospherics. And there's good twists. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.