Deadly Offer

February 13, 2012
At the start of Doudera’s unconvincing third mystery featuring San Diego real estate agent Darby Farr (after 2011’s Killer Listing), winery owner Selena Thompson, the sister of Darby’s colleague, ET, drowns in her hot tub. Darby accompanies ET to Selena’s Carson Creek Estate & Winery outside San Francisco, where they learn that Selena was seriously ill, the bottle of wine she was drinking before her death was drugged, and fierce competition to acquire Selena’s winery may have pushed someone over the edge. Suspects range from a neighboring family that owns a competing winery and Selena’s abusive former boyfriend, to a bidder with a rich sister and a shady real estate agent who’s disgruntled over Darby’s appointment as the agent for the Carson Creek sale. Overly obvious planting of clues distracts, although readers may enjoy the wine country milieu and tense climax. Agent: Tristram Coburn, Tristram C. Coburn Literary Management.

March 1, 2012
A favor for a friend involves realtor Darby Farr in yet another murder case. Darby's returned to her real-estate agency in Southern California after helping to solve a murder in Florida (Killer Listing, 2011, etc.). When her assistant ET Gomez learns his sister Selena is dead, he asks Darby to drive him up to Selena's winery, Carson Creek Estate, where he'll meet with his brother Carlos. Selena, who wasn't well and was thinking of selling her beloved winery, was found dead in her hot tub. It looks like a heart attack, but when Darby, who has an amazing sense of taste, detects something off in the wine Selena was drinking, her new evidence says murder. Asked by Selena's brothers to handle the sale, Darby stays on, only to learn that each of the prospective buyers insists that Selena had decided to sell to him or her. Selena's winemaker Dan Stewart soldiers on, the crop is almost ready to harvest, but suddenly there are numerous acts of sabotage intended to ruin the crop. Certainly the people who want to buy are all suspects: the driven sister of a wealthy pop artist; Selena's former abusive lover who claims he wanted to make amends; and the Contento family next door, owners of one of California's largest wineries. Although Darby is dealing with a friend's sudden disappearance in Hawaii and the return of her love interest reporter Miles Porter from Afghanistan, she refuses to leave crime solving to the police. Darby's third enlarges on her love life and real-estate skills while providing a complex mystery.

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February 1, 2012

Realtor Darby Farr heads to Northern California wine country with her assistant, E.T., when his sister, Selena, dies under mysterious circumstances at the up-and-coming vineyard she owns. Much to their surprise, they learn that Selena was desperately ill and had planned to sell the property in a high-stakes bidding war among three buyers. This is no suicide, however; someone is stalking the vineyards and wants to clinch this deal. E.T. and his brother beg Darby to bring her realtor expertise to the negotiating table, but she just can't help but investigate Selena's death, too. The case grows increasingly sinister as dangerous incidents around the property threaten her safety. When another vintner dies, Darby realizes her instincts are spot-on. VERDICT Darby's third appearance (after Killer Listing) is just the property for those who want a fast, entertaining read with a diverse cast and appealing setting. A winning teen sleuth adds YA appeal.

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