Blood On the Vine was an absolutely perfect suspense thriller. It was a police procedural which I love. It featured an FBI agent forced to return to Napa to investigate the murder of two young women – a place she swore she would never return to because of a teen age trauma, and a loveable and funny police detective who was new to the job but at 60 years old was full of wisdom and insight. Also front and center were feuding families, a possible cult based on ancient writings where drugs, wine and sex were the norm, and a fascinating look at the science of wine making. You will definitely be hooked by the prologue and will be fooled more than once as you try and figure out who killed Catherine and why.

This book definitely kept me on my toes! There are so many twists, and I legitimately had no idea what would unfold next as I was listening to this story. I enjoyed the character of FBI agent Lana Burell, but my favorite character by far was Essie LaRue, the sheriff deputy assigned to support Lana on the case. I think cults are fascinating, and I love a good twisty mystery, so this book was fun for me as a whole, though it's definitely dark, and has some upsetting content. All in all, I think it's a great pick for those who enjoy getting lost in psychological thrillers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the advanced audio book.

When FBI agent Lana Burell is sent to Napa Valley to follow up on two murders, she isn't excited. Napa is where she grew up with her dad and where her life fell apart after her dad was convicted of killing Lana's best friend. Now she'll need to confront her old demons in order to help solve these murders.

BLOOD ON THE VINE was a solid mystery/thriller that'll be great for a summer beach trip or a spring vacation. Lana is a compelling character to follow and while the details behind the death of her best friend more than a decade earlier get a little soft (in terms of how everything hangs together), the shock value is there.

Blood on the Vine is out April 22, 2025

"Lana Burrell grew up on an idyllic Napa Valley vineyard with her best friend Jess–until Jess mysteriously disappeared and Lana’s father was falsely accused of her murder. Over twenty years later, he’s still serving a life sentence, but Lana knows he’s innocent, just like she knows Jess’s real killer is still out there."

This debut novel from TV screenwriter and showrunner J.T. Falco is a glimpse into the inner machinations and fortunes of the people wrapped up in the Napa Valley wine machine.

Lana Burrell is sent to investigate two murders in the one place she never wanted to return to: the place where her high school best friend disappeared and where her father was arrested for her disappearance and likely murder. She doesn't want to confront the past but in order to solve the gruesome murders, she must.

So this is a pretty great story about a likeable detective and her fight against the past and for current justice. The story is interesting and engaging, with an unusual setting. I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to Falco's next book!

I received a free audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I really enjoyed this read and the descriptions of wine valley. This is one of the worst FBI agents? I will read their next book!

Ten stars for blood on the vine. This book is informative about wine country. It tugs at your heart of lost love ones. It is mysterious of who is killing these women. Highly recommended

This was a twisted sorry. If you like wine, rich people, cults, and serial killers then this book is for you. The narrator was great.