Description:
In an idyllic Sussex town, murder is fermenting...
Barclay Flint is the charmingly eccentric proprietor of The Bottle Bank wine shop, nestled in a picturesque Sussex town renowned for its gloriously anarchic Bonfire Night celebration.
Barclay can taste a kaleidoscopic universe in a single glass of wine and delights in matching customers to the grapes of their dreams. But when his close friend, struggling regenerative vineyard owner Victor Crawshaw, is found dead, Barclay finds himself a prime suspect.
To crack the case and clear his name, Barclay must deploy his wine detection skills and follow his nose through the rolling Sussex hills where a tangle of old resentments and rivalries awaits to ensnare him.
With a killer on the loose and Bonfire Night fast approaching, the town crackles with anticipation. This year the fireworks might not be the only things to explode...
Join Barclay and his friends from The Bottle Bank in this sparkling debut novel by wine expert Olly Smith. It's time to uncork the most exuberant and irresistible mystery of the year!
Barclay Flint is the charmingly eccentric proprietor of The Bottle Bank wine shop, nestled in a picturesque Sussex town renowned for its gloriously anarchic Bonfire Night celebration.
Barclay can taste a kaleidoscopic universe in a single glass of wine and delights in matching customers to the grapes of their dreams. But when his close friend, struggling regenerative vineyard owner Victor Crawshaw, is found dead, Barclay finds himself a prime suspect.
To crack the case and clear his name, Barclay must deploy his wine detection skills and follow his nose through the rolling Sussex hills where a tangle of old resentments and rivalries awaits to ensnare him.
With a killer on the loose and Bonfire Night fast approaching, the town crackles with anticipation. This year the fireworks might not be the only things to explode...
Join Barclay and his friends from The Bottle Bank in this sparkling debut novel by wine expert Olly Smith. It's time to uncork the most exuberant and irresistible mystery of the year!
My opinion:
ARC Review
Death by Noir by Olly Smith is a cozy mystery set in a small Sussex town, just as the community is preparing for Bonfire Night.
The story follows Barclay Flint, the charmingly eccentric owner of The Bottle Bank wine shop. When one of his oldest friends is suddenly found dead, Barclay becomes the prime suspect due to an unfortunate misunderstanding. Determined to clear his name, he sets out to uncover the real murderer, using his unique abilities and the help of his friends along the way.
This is an engaging and atmospheric mystery. The small-town setting and touches of local dialect give the story a distinct sense of place. Barclay is a very entertaining main character, and his quirky personality and special skills add a fun, original twist. The wine descriptions are detailed and clearly written with passion, making them a standout element of the book. The secondary characters were also enjoyable, and it was nice to learn more about their personal lives.
The mystery itself is a slow build. While it becomes clearer in the second half of the story, it often feels like the focus leans more toward wine than the investigation. Because of this, the mystery element didn’t feel as strong as I personally hoped.
Overall, Death by Noir is a good and cozy read with an interesting setting and a memorable main character, but for me, it could have benefited from a bit more depth and tension in the mystery. 🍷📚
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