Erin Fisher 
The Sommelier’s Lament [EPUB ebook] 

In the hallowed halls of the World Wine Competition, amidst the hushed reverence for vintages and the clinking of crystal, a titan of the wine world falls. Judge Elias Thorne, mentor to sommelier Erin Fisher, is found lifeless, a half-empty bottle of 1787 Château Margaux clutched in his hand.  This isn’t just murder; it’s a macabre tableau, a chilling homage to a lost vintage.  For Erin, whose palate is as sharp as her intuition, the aroma of aged oak and blackcurrant now mingles with the metallic tang of fear.
Haunted by a past trauma she’d long sought to drown in the complex notes of a fine Cabernet, Erin is thrust into a desperate hunt for the killer.  The idyllic vineyards of Napa Valley transform into a claustrophobic hunting ground, each swirl of wine a potential death knell.  The killer, a shadowy figure mirroring Erin’s expertise, communicates through the language of vintages, each victim a carefully chosen symbol, a chilling message in a bottle.
Climatologist Nathan Turner’s research, revealing the devastating impact of climate change on the delicate balance of terroir, becomes a sinister motif in the killer’s pronouncements.  Another path leads to Ann Franklin, a biochemist offering a controversial solution: genetically modified grapes. But Ann’s past affiliation with the Terroir Guardians, a shadowy organization dedicated to preserving traditional winemaking, casts a long shadow of suspicion.
As the competition hurtles towards its terrifying climax – a grand tasting of rare and priceless wines – Erin uncovers a web of secrets, rivalries, and hidden agendas.  A clandestine market for counterfeit wines, the desperate struggle for survival in a changing world, and the extremist whispers of the Terroir Guardians all intertwine in a deadly vintage of deceit.
Erin’s pursuit becomes a race against time, a sensory exploration of a world on the brink of losing something precious.  But the truth, when it finally uncorks, is far more bitter than she could have imagined, forcing her to confront not only the killer but the devastating choices facing the future of wine. What price are we willing to pay to preserve beauty in a world teetering on the brink of collapse?  The sommelier’s lament echoes through the vineyards, a haunting question that lingers long after the last drop has been savored.