A Pairing to Die For | Kate Lansing | Cozy Mystery Review | Colorado Wine Mystery #2

I’m really enjoying the Colorado Wine Mystery series by Kate Lansing. While there are lots of culinary series around, I hadn’t read one specifically focused on a winery before. I love this theme because I think it will appeal to long-time cozy mystery fans and bring in some newer fans who may be inspired by the trendy setting in Boulder, CO or even by the concept of mysteries set around winemaking.

The second book in the series, A Pairing to Die For, is a rare second book in a mystery series that I enjoyed even more than the first (you can find my review of Killer Chardonnay here). Many cozy mystery series hit a tiny sophomore slump where they veer off course in the second book before getting into their groove. However, this series got stronger in book two in my opinion, when another murder threatens the lives of the employees and friends of Vino Valentine.

About the Book | A Pairing to Die For

Context

The series centers around Parker Valentine, a new business owner who has started a winery named Vino Valentine in Boulder, CO. In the first book, we learned that Parker’s parents haven’t been the most supportive of her business venture. Parker also began a relationship with Reid Wallace, her brother Liam’s best friend and a local chef.

Plot

Parker Valentine may have made a small amount of headway with her parents supporting her decision to open Vino Valentine, a winery and tasting room at the heart of Boulder’s artisanal food scene, but she hasn’t quite escaped the curse of disapproving parents yet. Her new relationship with hunky local chef Reid Wallace comes with a set of non-supportive parents of their own.

While Parker’s mother may not understand her decision to go into winemaking, she extends an olive branch in the form of state of the art tools from her background as a chemist. But Reid’s mother Camilla Wallace couldn’t be less supportive of Reid’s restaurant, Spoons, or his relationships with Parker.

When Reid’s sous chef and friend Oscar Flores is found stabbed to death outside of Reid’s restaurant, Spoons—Reid becomes the prime suspect after a witness identified him at the scene of the crime. With detective Eli Fuller arresting Reid for the murder, Reid needs his family more than ever. But Camilla and the rest of the Wallace family quickly turn their backs on Reid, letting him languish in jail with no way to clear his name.

Thankfully Parker has a bit of experience investigating, and she goes all in to support her new paramour. Convinced of Reid’s innocence and mourning the death of the beloved Oscar, Parker is willing to risk her relationship with Eli and her safety to clear Reid’s name.

Review | A Pairing to Die For

The mystery was front and center in A Pairing to Die For and revolved primarily around Reid’s restaurant, Spoons, and the employees and patrons there. In the first book, I felt the mystery was pretty straight forward and it was somewhat clear who would be behind the murder. However, the second book was quite different in that regard. There were a number of suspects that could have murdered Oscar, and the motive was particularly unclear until the reveal.

I was glad to see the love triangle from the first book had mostly resolved. Though new, Lansing did a fantastic job showing the connection that had already formed between Reid and Parker though they aren’t even at the L-word stage just yet. Sometimes relationships in cozy mysteries can feel shallow, but that wasn’t the case in A Pairing to Die For. I felt Parker’s anguish of the unknown and what could be.

The relationship being new added an interesting layer to the mystery, since there was still quite a bit about Reid Parker didn’t know yet. While she feels in her gut that he is innocent, she is forced to consider that they are still getting to know one another. In addition, Reid hasn’t told her everything about himself yet. Part of Parker’s investigation is uncovering and weighing some secrets from Reid’s life.

Family was a central focus of this book. Parker and Reid both have families who may not fully understand or support the career paths they’ve chosen. While in Parker’s case, this was an unfortunate challenge she needs to accept and work to overcome, in Reid’s case it was quite shocking. His family completely turned their back on him, even when he needed them most. While Parker’s mother is attempting to show interest in Parker’s life and winemaking, Reid’s mother is actively pushing Reid away.

In the end, the killer was a surprise to me and the reveal is not one that brings comfort to the characters. Oscar was such a beloved friend, I liked that the book stayed authentic to the impact his death and Reid’s imprisonment has on the characters. The story extends outwards for more context on the fallout from this mystery and it needed it. I think it set us up to have closure while being ready to see what happens next.

If you’re reading the books out of order, there are a few mentions of the events from book one but no major spoilers. This could also be read as a standalone. The same narrator from Killer Chardonnay returned for the audiobook. Brooke Hoover continued to deliver a great performance and brought life to the mystery.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.

About the Series | Colorado Wine Mysteries

The Colorado Wine Series is a cozy mystery series written by author Kate Lansing. The first book in the series, Killer Chardonnay, published in 2020 and centers around winemaker Parker Valentine and her brand new winery, Vino Valentine in Boulder, Colorado. At opening day, a food critic dies after drinking a glass of Chardonnay, leading to a social media firestorm and the potential end of Vino Valentine.

The second book in the series is called A Pairing to Die For and was published in 2021. The second book shows the progression of the relationship between Parker and her new boyfriend Reid as he becomes the central suspect in a murder investigation at his restaurant. Lansing has gone on to publish two more books in the series as of 2023. Check out my review of book three, Mulled to Death, which is set around Valentine’s Day.

Kate lives in Broomfield, CO with her husband, daughter, and two mischievous kitties. Her love of mysteries began when she first read From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and has grown from there.

Colorado Authors League Award Winner and Reader’s Choice Author for 5280 Magazine’s Top of the Town, Kate Lansing is the author of the Colorado Wine Mystery Series with Berkley. She’s represented by Lesley Sabga at The Seymour Agency.