Trouble begins when Georgina is doing a photoshoot at a vineyard when not one but two murders are exposed. Bert the dog discovers a skeleton in a pond and a person is found drowned in the fermentation tank. Doris, Georgina's friendly ghost knows the skeleton is from a long time ago and provides information about it but D.I Colin Bradshaw, Georgina's love interest, struggles with the idea of ghostly assistance.

It is all lots of fun as they work together to solve both murders. It is was good to see Colin gradually coming to accept the supernatural and I wished Doris had had more page time. Altogether, nice characters, two interesting investigations and a touch of quirkiness from Doris. Four stars

Kate Hardy does it again with this twisty tale of two murders - one now and one that happened a hundred years ago. With the help of Doris, her unseen partner in crime, her bone-sniffing spaniel Bert and her sceptical love interest, DI Colin Bradshaw - and cake, a lot of cake - Georgie once again manages to pin down the truth.

Kate's description of the wonderful Norfolk landscape and the colourful Rosa vineyard, the history of the families involved and Georgie's supportive friendship group, make this book a delight for anyone who loves crime that focusses on the characters rather than the gore..

Georgina’s simple photoshoot of up-and-coming winemaker Gaby Edwards at her family’s vineyards turns sour when Gaby’s bullying brother is discovered drowned in a fermentation tank. And to add to the murderous bouquet, Georgina’s spaniel, Bert, uncovers a skeleton hidden in a pond. Aided by her aristocratic friend Sybbie and the skeptical DI Colin Bradshaw, Georgina soon uncovers a tragic history of family rivalries and secrets buried deeper than the vines’ roots. Also another of Gaby’s family members has gone missing.
The sixth book in the series & each book just keeps getting better & better. I love the two cases in each book & I must admit Percy’s death was of far more interest for me than Nathan’s. I love Georgina, she’s sensitive, caring & down to earth, I also love her supporting cast of Colin, Sibbie, Fesca, Doris & Bert. Whilst the cases are intriguing it is the interactions between characters which adds to the enjoyment. I love Colin & Georgina’s up & down relationship which was precarious at the start of this book. I did guess who the villain was but as I thoroughly disliked them I was hoping it was them. I look forward to more in the series
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for kindly providing me with this eARC.

Ahhhh! I just can’t get enough of these excellent cozy murder mystery! This one most definitely had the classic cozy mystery tv show vibes which I absolutely love and adore.

This is the sixth installment of the series and it was an absolute delight to be able to read it. We have Georgina ready to do a photo shoot at Gaby’s vineyard when her brother’s dead body found in one of the wine tank. To add to that, Georgina’s dog finds another dead body in the water and soon after another one of Gaby’s family member goes missing which makes the matter even more complicated. We also have Georgina’s friends SYbbie and DI Colin Bradshaw to spice things up.

Really liked this one and will continue this series for sure.

First and foremost, a huge THANK YOU to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and author, Kate Hardy for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review. Publication date is currently set for June 13, 2025.

I think my cup has finally runneth over. This is going to be a difficult one to review, as it's about the fourth cozy in a row for this reader. Not only that, but I've jumped into this series at book #6; and I think for the sake of consistency and, to maintain any semblance of clarity, don't do as I did – start this series from book #1, The Body at Rookery Barn. And I think to give this series a fair go, I'll do just that.

Here's what I managed to glean from this read.

Our protagonist is professional photographer, Georgina Drake. Georgina's significant other is DI Colin Bradshaw and the pair have a somewhat fractured relationship. Why fractured I hear you say? Well, Colin can't get on board with his girlfriend's relationship with Doris. Turns out, Doris is a ghost. Yes, you read that right. Now, I'm not so callous as to pooh-pooh the suggestion there's no such thing as ghosts – all I'm saying is, I'd have loved to have been given a 'heads-up'. Full disclosure: it took me a while to figure that one out. Obviously, I'm not the smartest tool in the shed.

Connecting with Georgina was pretty easy. She's a smart, capable, empathetic and very likeable character. Georgina was hired by Veritas magazine to organise a photo-shoot of a talented and rising winemaker, Gabrielle Edwards. At just twenty-five, Gaby runs Rosa Wines – one of the top, up and coming vineyards in the country. Her small organic winery is adjacent to a much larger winery, Willow Wines which is owned by her father and operated and run by her brother Nathan.

It was during the photoshoot that Georgina's dog, English Springer Spaniel, Bert, discovers a skeleton in one of the local ponds on the property. The police are called and determine that they are "bones of antiquity" – this poor soul has been buried in the pond for a long, long time. Georgina, with the help of Doris, work to solve this mystery.

Meanwhile, across at Willow Wines, another body has been discovered. This time around it's Gaby's brother Nathan. He was found drowned in one of the winery's fermentation vats – initial thoughts are that Nathan had been overcome with carbon dioxide fumes whilst taking a sample. DI Colin Bradshaw and his team are called out to investigate.

Two deaths. Same location. One crime 100 years ago. One crime in the present day. Both threads run parallel throughout the entire story. And I think, ghostly sleuths aside, I enjoyed the earlier time thread a little more – just for all the historical details.

Vineyard Yays:
🍷 Both mysteries build nicely throughout the entirety of the story.
🍷 It's well paced with the author dropping clues and red herrings for the savvy reader (#notme) to solve the mysteries as they read along.
🍷 The setting and the historical elements are well documented.
🍷 Georgina is a standout protagonist – she's level-headed, observant and what I think I enjoyed the most is that she's never careless, negligent or rash – she is always careful and mindful of others.
🍷 Bonus points given for DI Colin Bradshaw, Sybbie, and her D-I-L, Francesca – these characters add warmth and texture to the story.

Vineyard Vetos:
🍷 The historical mystery got to the point of confusing. There were so many characters this reader started writing them down in the form of a family tree to keep up with who was related to whom.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Storm Publishing for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I have read and enjoyed all six books in this series. An interesting location for a murder novel, a vineyard, again set in Norfolk. Recommend this book. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

wine, family dysfunction, and a ghost - what's not to like?

This was my first read of the Kate Hardy series.

Loved the fact that the main characters are well seasoned. This means middle age (50s to 60s). It makes the reading a little more entertaining and reaches a broader audience. S

I loved that there was a ghost that only Georgie could hear with her hearing aids. The ghost helps Georgie's dog, Bert, find old skeletons and solve really old cold cases.

I loved the current mystery and Georgie's relationship with DI Colin, her partner. The story was good.

What I didn't like, and I think it's just getting used to the writing style, was that I found many parts of the book repetitive and stagnant before it picked up again. This did not take away from the story.

It was a fun mystery to follow and had a happy ending.

Thank you NetGalley

Georgina Drake is back on a photoshoot, this time at a local vineyard in Eastern England, with her beloved spaniel Bert. She and owner Gaby return to the office to find ambulance, police and medics. Assuming that it's Gaby's elderly father they find it's her brother Nathan, drowned in a fermentation vat and assumed to have been overcome with carbon dioxide fumes whilst taking a sample. DI Colin Bradshaw, Georgina's beau, has the case. Then dear Bert finds, yet again, a skeleton in the local pond and this is recognised by the ever helpful Doris (ghost of an early 20th century maid who has latched onto Georgina) to have been a local man who vanished not long after returning from WWI. The two threads run nicely alongside each other, Georgina and her friends investigate as usual and there is plenty of genealogical research. Colin is coming round to believing in Doris too amongst having to deal with a rather unpleasant Nathans' father. This ties neatly with Percy's skeleton eventually. A good read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Dark Doings..
The sixth outing in the Georgina Drake series of mysteries and Georgina’s photoshoot at a family vineyard takes a fatal turn. With a body in a wine fermentation tank and bones discovered in a pond, the sleuthing begins. Weaving together past and present, Georgina soon unearths familial secrets and dark doings. Another enjoyable outing with a lively and well drawn cast of characters, a pacy plot and a well imagined setting,

The Body at the Vineyard completely swept me away into the lush, secret-filled world of wine country, blending atmospheric settings with a tightly woven mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Georgina Drake is a fantastic amateur sleuth—curious, clever, and refreshingly relatable. I loved how her photography career gave a unique angle to the investigation, and her partnership with Sybbie and DI Colin Bradshaw added great dynamics and plenty of wit. Plus, Bert the spaniel was a charming addition who stole my heart!

The plot was brilliantly crafted, with plenty of twists and turns that made the story impossible to predict. The contrast between the beautiful vineyards and the dark secrets buried beneath was skillfully done, adding layers of suspense and emotional depth. I especially appreciated how the author explored family rivalries and hidden pasts without overwhelming the mystery.

The pacing was spot on, with each revelation building the tension perfectly toward a satisfying climax. I couldn’t put it down and found myself thinking about the characters long after I finished.

If you love mysteries with rich settings, complex characters, and a dash of elegance, The Body at the Vineyard is an absolute must-read.

Really enjoyed this book. I love the setting for this cozy mystery. Now I have purchased the other 5!in the series

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read "The Body at the Vineyard" in exchange for my honest opinion.

Kate Hardy has once again written a brilliant addition to the Georgina Drake series. This is the 6th book in the series and once again Georgie and her springer spaniel Bert have stumbled onto a mystery. Georgie has been hired to photograph Gabrielle Edwards at Rosa Wines for a magazine article. While there they find that there has been an accident and someone has fallen into a vat of wine. At the same time Doris - our favourite ghost - has alerted Bert that there is a body in the pond on the property. Georgie is quite certain that it is another historic case they are "bones of antiquity" according to the police.

Ms. Hardy weaves the two stories together seamlessly and we learn that the past and the present are ever so connected. How so many lives were changed by decisions that were made back in the early 1920s. There is so much sadness for lost love but also hope for the future with the arrival of Sybbie's much awaited grandbaby.

One improvement in this story is that while not totally accepting that Georgie has conversations with Doris, DI Colin Bradshaw, Georgie's partner is more open to the fact that there is no other way George could know of these historic cases if Doris isn't helping her and Bert stumble upon them.

This story deserves more than 5 stars and I'm eagerly awaiting what Ms. Hardy writes next.

What a wonderful treat to be back with Georgina, Bert and Sybbie! They’re such great characters – warm and believable – and I love following Georgie’s ups and downs with partner Colin too. The plot was enthralling, with Kate Hardy’s trademark mix of historical and contemporary intrigue and skulduggery. The family relationships here were intense, dramatic and tragic. The story had me hooked from start to finish! Highly recommended!

Cozy cozy cozy mystery with Georgina and Doris

Georgina is working on a photoshoot at the vineyard when her brother is found dead. Also a skeleton is found by Bert, the dog who needs a medal. Georgina’s friends looking at the history of the skeleton and Colin investigates the body found dead

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing

I’m really enjoying this series, I love the premise of how Georgina and Doris communicate and Bert the dog plays his part too. A present day death causes problems when a body is found while Georgie, Cesca, Sybil and Bert are at a vineyard as part of a photo shoot. To make matters worse Bert finds a skeleton in a pond. DI Colin Bradshaw is brought in to look into both matters, one less seriously than the other. However, Colin is trying very hard to be supportive of Georgie rather than scathing. This makes a really good read, but I would say it’s better to have read at least some of the previous 5 books. Recommended. 4 1/2 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Absolutely loved this next edition of the Georgina Drake mysteries. From the poor dog Bert that always finds the bodies, to the whispering ghost Doris who gives hints to the identity of the body, I love the way intrigue and mystery is always threaded through these stories. Can’t wait for the next one!

Another fab book in this series. There is the supernatural in Doris speaking to Georgina through her hearing aids, however this is very much secondary to the plot development. The characters are the usual core group and these are well explained and given real depth. The body found at the vineyard is central to the investigation and brings in wider stories or childhood bullying, affairs and stories of war. The various strands and timelines are woven together well and this is beautifully crafted and a book I chomped through desperate to see what happens to the various characters linked to the vineyard as well as Georgina and her relationship. Clearly the whole book is made better by the excellent springer spaniel - Bert.

Georgie and friends are challenged in this mystery and have to pull out all the stops to make headway. It's marvelous.

I really enjoyed how Ms. Hardy parallels the past and present murders while intertwining them in a very sensitive manner. Colin might be coming around to Doris' involvement in solving the cold cases, and it's good to see him becoming slightly more receptive to Georgie's experiences. Parts of the story were hard to read (bullying, infidelity) but it was treated with respect and not gratuitously filled with coarse description.

It is high time that I return to the start of the series and read how Georgie and Doris become friends. I definitely recommend this book (and series).

I received an ARC; this is my honest review.

This was a 4.5/5 book— The Body at the Vineyard (Book 6 in the ‘A Georgina Drake Mystery’ coming June 2025) was a fantastic read that I absolutely flew through—24 hours start to finish!

Let’s get the one little downside out of the way: there were a lot of characters introduced, and at times I found it a bit tricky to keep track of who was who. I jumped into the series with this book (this is Book 6), so I’m guessing it would’ve been easier if I’d started from book one— which I’m planning to do. Still, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the story overall. And I feel it still can be read as a stand alone book.

Now for the good stuff—because there’s a lot of it.

This book is a great cozy mystery with an engaging plot and two mysteries unfolding at once. I loved the twists, the pacing, and the way the final reveal snuck up on me. It kept me guessing right until the end, and that’s exactly what I want from a good whodunit.

Georgina, the main character, is someone you instantly like, and the supporting cast (ghosts and all!) is full of charm and personality. And can we talk about the dogs? There are dogs all over, and they’re woven into the story in the best way—not just cute background fluff, but real companions with purpose. As a dog lover, that alone had me smiling the whole time.

Bonus points for the warm friendships and the small-town feel. I honestly want a group of friends like this main character has… maybe minus the ghost, but still. Just really fun, heartfelt dynamics that added so much to the experience.

If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries with clever plots, lovable characters, and plenty of four-legged sidekicks, I definitely recommend picking this one up. And if you’re new to the series, maybe start at the beginning for the full effect like I’m about to do—but either way, it’s totally worth your time.

Thank you @netgalley @stormbooks_co and the author for the eARC.

This was the first book I have read in this series and will be looking to read more. I found it a totally enjoyable read. I liked the characters, was irritated by Colin and loved Doris and the dogs. The story is well written with a good plot and the characters. A light enjoyable read.