To begin with, Nikki and Derek are greeted by Derek’s step-brother Simon who has just broken up with the love of his life, Marco.  Simon is desperate to be back with Marco and Nikki and Derek are desperate to make that happen so that they can move on with their relationship. 

Derek has flown to Australia to seal a deal with an Aussie winemaker, Liam Hahndorf. Liam and his wife Grace are most gracious hosts, but Nikki’s sixth sense kicks in and she realizes there is more going on than meets the eye. On top of that, there is a movie being produced, one that Liam wrote, about a deceased naturalist who was once Liam’s lover. When the female lead of the movie is found dead in her trailer of an apparent snake bite, the police assume it was one of the snakes from the movie set that got loose, but Nikki has other ideas. 

A visit to a local boutique vineyard sparks Nikki’s interest further in the Hahndorf Vineyards, but Derek isn’t too keen on having his new girlfriend put herself in danger once more. Needing a leading lady at the last minute, Nikki is tapped to fill in. Hesitant at first, Nikki realizes this is the best way to continue her snooping without raising any read flags with Derek.  

The mystery is great, with a lot of neat twists and turns, the scenery is spectacular and the wine mouthwatering, but Derek isn’t as supportive of his new love as one might expect. The entire time Derek has known Nikki she has been involved in one murder or another and it should come as no surprise to him that her interest is piqued even if she is below the equator. Simon and Marco are not the only ones who find themselves on the outs as this new relationship is head for rough waters before the anchor can be pulled up. 

Simon is a delightful, if somewhat annoying, character, and readers who have been through the series will appreciate the positive changes in his and Nikki’s relationship. Nikki does spend a fair amount of time worrying about the guy she left in Spain and how she will gently break Andre’s heart when she sees him again. She is very concerned about the feelings of others, but it may be time for her to concentrate on her own feelings, especially toward Derek. 

There are plenty of clues and red herrings to keep readers keen on solving the mystery on their own interested, and many will be surprised at the final outcome. In addition, the tasty tidbits and wine pairings will keep any foodie happy. Nikki and Derek eventually find their way back to each other and back to California where there is sure to be another dead body waiting.  

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry