Ellen Crosby – författare

Lucie Montgomery's discovery of her grandfather's Parisian romance unlocks a series of shocking secrets in the gripping new Wine Country mystery. In 1949, during her junior year abroad in Paris, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis bought several inexpensive paintings of Marie-Antoinette by a little-known 18th century female artist. She also had a romantic relationship with Virginia vineyard owner Lucie Montgomery's French grandfather - until recently, a well-kept secret.Seventy years later, Cricket Delacroix, Lucie's neighbor and Jackie's schoolfriend, is donating the now priceless paintings to a Washington, DC museum. And Lucie's grandfather is flying to Virginia for Cricket's 90th birthday party, hosted by her daughter Harriet. A washed-up journalist, Harriet is rewriting a manuscript Jackie left behind about Marie-Antoinette and her portraitist. She's also adding tell-all details about Jackie, sure to make the book a bestseller. Then on the eve of the party a world-famous landscape designer who also knew Jackie is found dead in Lucie's vineyard. Did someone make good on the death threats he'd received because of his controversial book on climate change? Or was his murder tied to Jackie, the paintings, and Lucie's beloved grandfather?

Ellen Crosby pours up another corking mystery with The Angels’ Share, an intriguing blend of secret societies, Prohibition bootleg wine, and potentially scandalous documents hidden by the Founding Fathers, all of which yield a vintage murder.

When Lucie Montgomery attends a Thanksgiving weekend party for friends and neighbors at Hawthorne Castle, an honest-to-goodness castle owned by the Avery family, the last great newspaper dynasty in America and owner of the Washington Tribune, she doesn’t expect the festive occasion to end in death.

During the party, Prescott Avery, the ninety-five-year-old family patriarch, invites Lucie to his fabulous wine cellar where he offers to pay any price for a cache of two hundred–year-old Madeira that her great-great-uncle, a Prohibition bootlegger, discovered hidden in the US Capitol in the 1920s. Lucie knows nothing about the valuable wine, believing her late father, a notorious gambler and spendthrift, probably sold or drank it. By the end of the party Lucie and her fiancé, winemaker Quinn Santori, discover Prescott’s body lying in his wine cellar. Is one of the guests a murderer?

As Lucie searches for the lost Madeira, which she believes links Prescott’s death to a cryptic letter her father owned, she learns about Prescott’s affiliation with the Freemasons. More investigating hints at a mysterious vault supposedly containing documents hidden by the Founding Fathers and a possible tie to William Shakespeare. If Lucie finds the long-lost documents, the explosive revelations could change history. But will she uncover a three hundred–year-old secret before a determined killer finds her?

Photojournalist Sophie Medina must figure out how the death of a Supreme Court justice and the murder of a homeless man are related before she becomes an assailant's next target.International photojournalist Sophie Medina and her old school friend Father Jack O'Hara are out for a run on Capitol Hill when they find the body of Associate Supreme Court Justice Everett Townsend lying in an alley, barely alive. Townsend, a diabetic, later dies in the ER from complications due to hypoglycemia.His tragic death has unexpected repercussions for Sophie when Javi, a young homeless man of Sophie's acquaintance, is murdered. Before he died, Javi told her a shocking story about Townsend that could have a devastating impact on the nation's highest court - and on the American justice system - if word got out. Unable to persuade anyone that what she learned is true and on the run from whoever is protecting Townsend's dark secret, Sophie searches a collection of her photographs of Washington D.C.'s homeless community, looking for evidence before everything blows up in her face . . .The third Sophie Medina mystery, following Ghost Image and Multiple Exposure, is a great choice for readers who enjoy fearless female sleuths, well-plotted puzzles and gripping political intrigue.

Photojournalist Sophie Medina must figure out how the death of a Supreme Court justice and the murder of a homeless man are related before she becomes an assailant's next target.International photojournalist Sophie Medina and her old school friend Father Jack O'Hara are out for a run on Capitol Hill when they find the body of Associate Supreme Court Justice Everett Townsend lying in an alley, barely alive. Townsend, a diabetic, later dies in the ER from complications due to hypoglycemia.His tragic death has unexpected repercussions for Sophie when Javi, a young homeless man of Sophie's acquaintance, is murdered. Before he died, Javi told her a shocking story about Townsend that could have a devastating impact on the nation's highest court - and on the American justice system - if word got out. Unable to persuade anyone that what she learned is true and on the run from whoever is protecting Townsend's dark secret, Sophie searches a collection of her photographs of Washington D.C.'s homeless community, looking for evidence before everything blows up in her face . . .The third Sophie Medina mystery, following Ghost Image and Multiple Exposure, is a great choice for readers who enjoy fearless female sleuths, well-plotted puzzles and gripping political intrigue.

The brutal murder of a beautiful vineyard expert and a devastating storm force Virginia winemaker Lucie Montgomery to confront painful changes on the eve of her wedding. In just over a week vineyard owner Lucie Montgomery and winemaker Quinn Santori will be married in a ceremony overlooking what should be acres of lush flowering grapevines. Instead they are confronted by an ugly swathe of slowly dying vines and a nursery owner who denies responsibility for selling the diseased plants. With neighboring vineyards facing the same problem, accusations fly and the ugly stand-off between supplier and growers looks set to escalate into open warfare.When Eve Kerr, a stunning blonde who works at the nursery, is found dead a few days later, everyone wonders if someone in the winemaking community went too far. What especially troubles Lucie is why Eve secretly arranged to meet Quinn on the day she was murdered - and whether Lucie's soon-to-be husband knows something he's not telling her.Then a catastrophic storm blows through, destroying everything in its path. With no power, no phones, and no wedding venue, Lucie needs to find out who killed Eve and what her death had to do with Quinn.

Washington, D.C.-based photojournalist Sophie Medina is not a murderer - but someone is determined to make sure she goes down for a crime she did not commit in this gripping mystery.

When billionaire philanthropist and art collector Robson Blake hires Sophie Medina to take photographs for him, she doesn’t expect to show up and find her client dead. It seems he was the victim of a burglary gone wrong. But why was his state-of-the-art security system turned off . . . and why, in a house full of priceless Old Masters, is the only thing missing a beautiful but insignificant Ukrainian religious icon?

Before long, Sophie finds herself in the crosshairs of a D.C. homicide detective who suspects she knows more than she is saying about Blake’s murder – and he’s not wrong. To Sophie’s mixed delight and horror, she’s recently learned she has a half-brother . . . who might also be an international art thief, with eyes on Blake’s collection.

As the police get closer to finding Blake’s killer, Sophie is certain someone is trying to frame her for his murder. Can she find the real killer in time – even if it means turning in her own brother to prove her innocence?

The latest instalment in this gripping series featuring fearless photojournalist Sophie Medina is a great choice for readers who enjoy high-flying female sleuths, deft red-herrings, page-turning plot twists, and glamorous settings.

It's harvest time and trouble is fermenting for Virginia winemaker Lucie Montgomery in this warm-hearted, twisty mystery featuring small-town rivalries, buried secrets and full-bodied murder.When a vineyard accident during harvest season leaves Lucie Montgomery without a valuable employee, it's her worst nightmare. But before she can search for a replacement, there's more bad news: Paul Merchant, her winery manager's husband, is found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool. Police rule Paul's death an accident, but his wife insists he was murdered because of his leadership of Don't Pave Paradise, a conservationist group lobbying to keep the region's beautiful country roads unpaved. And six weeks ago, Paul's predecessor also died under mysterious circumstances.As Lucie is drawn into investigating Paul's death, she discovers more than one motive for the crime - and more than one person in their close-knit community who wanted Paul dead. And when she finds an old photo of a beautiful local heiress who died tragically in a fire eighty years ago among Paul's papers, she starts to wonder if the modern-day crime might have roots in the past.Either way, someone is determined to make sure Lucie, who's agreed to continue the work of Don't Pave Paradise, hits a dead end before she even gets started. Even if it means committing murder. Again. Ellen Crosby's Wine Country novels are "compulsively readable" (Publishers Weekly) and "a treat for oenophile mystery fans" - if you haven't met Lucie before, curl up with a glass of wine and jump right in!

Washington, D.C.-based photojournalist Sophie Medina is not a murderer - but someone is determined to make sure she goes down for a crime she did not commit . . .When billionaire philanthropist and art collector Robson Blake hires Sophie Medina to take photographs for him, she doesn't expect to show up and find her client dead. It seems he was the victim of a burglary gone wrong. But why was his state-of-the-art security system turned off . . . and why, in a house full of priceless Old Masters, is the only thing missing a beautiful but insignificant Ukrainian religious icon?Before long, Sophie finds herself in the crosshairs of a D.C. homicide detective who suspects she knows more than she is saying about Blake's murder - and he's not wrong. To Sophie's mixed delight and horror, she's recently learned she has a half-brother . . . who might also be an international art thief, with eyes on Blake's collection.As the police get closer to finding Blake's killer, Sophie is certain someone is trying to frame her for his murder. Can she find the real killer in time - even if it means turning in her own brother to prove her innocence?The latest instalment in this gripping series featuring fearless photojournalist Sophie Medina is a great choice for readers who enjoy high-flying female sleuths, deft red-herrings and page-turning plot twists, and glamorous settings.

Washington, D.C.-based photojournalist Sophie Medina is not a murderer - but someone is determined to make sure she goes down for a crime she did not commit in this gripping mystery.When billionaire philanthropist and art collector Robson Blake hires Sophie Medina to take photographs for him, she doesn't expect to show up and find her client dead. It seems he was the victim of a burglary gone wrong. But why was his state-of-the-art security system turned off . . . and why, in a house full of priceless Old Masters, is the only thing missing a beautiful but insignificant Ukrainian religious icon?Before long, Sophie finds herself in the crosshairs of a D.C. homicide detective who suspects she knows more than she is saying about Blake's murder - and he's not wrong. To Sophie's mixed delight and horror, she's recently learned she has a half-brother . . . who might also be an international art thief, with eyes on Blake's collection.As the police get closer to finding Blake's killer, Sophie is certain someone is trying to frame her for his murder. Can she find the real killer in time - even if it means turning in her own brother to prove her innocence?The latest instalment in this gripping series featuring fearless photojournalist Sophie Medina is a great choice for readers who enjoy high-flying female sleuths, deft red-herrings, page-turning plot twists, and glamorous settings.

It's harvest time and trouble is fermenting for Virginia winemaker Lucie Montgomery in this warm-hearted, twisty mystery featuring small-town rivalries, buried secrets and full-bodied murder.When a vineyard accident during harvest season leaves Lucie Montgomery without a valuable employee, it's her worst nightmare. But before she can search for a replacement, there's more bad news: Paul Merchant, her winery manager's husband, is found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool. Police rule Paul's death an accident, but his wife insists he was murdered because of his leadership of Don't Pave Paradise, a conservationist group lobbying to keep the region's beautiful country roads unpaved. And six weeks ago, Paul's predecessor also died under mysterious circumstances.As Lucie is drawn into investigating Paul's death, she discovers more than one motive for the crime - and more than one person in their close-knit community who wanted Paul dead. And when she finds an old photo of a beautiful local heiress who died tragically in a fire eighty years ago among Paul's papers, she starts to wonder if the modern-day crime might have roots in the past.Either way, someone is determined to make sure Lucie, who's agreed to continue the work of Don't Pave Paradise, hits a dead end before she even gets started. Even if it means committing murder. Again.

It's harvest time and trouble is fermenting for Virginia winemaker Lucie Montgomery in this warm-hearted, twisty mystery featuring small-town rivalries, buried secrets and full-bodied murder. When a vineyard accident during harvest season leaves Lucie Montgomery without a valuable employee, it's her worst nightmare. But before she can search for a replacement, there's more bad news: Paul Merchant, her winery manager's husband, is found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool. Police rule Paul's death an accident, but his wife insists he was murdered because of his leadership of Don't Pave Paradise, a conservationist group lobbying to keep the region's beautiful country roads unpaved. And six weeks ago, Paul's predecessor also died under mysterious circumstances. As Lucie is drawn into investigating Paul's death, she discovers more than one motive for the crime - and more than one person in their close-knit community who wanted Paul dead. And when she finds an old photo of a beautiful local heiress who died tragically in a fire eighty years ago among Paul's papers, she starts to wonder if the modern-day crime might have roots in the past. Either way, someone is determined to make sure Lucie, who's agreed to continue the work of Don't Pave Paradise, hits a dead end before she even gets started. Even if it means committing murder. Again. Ellen Crosby's Wine Country novels are "compulsively readable" (Publishers Weekly) and "a treat for oenophile mystery fans" - if you haven't met Lucie before, curl up with a glass of wine and jump right in!

From the author of Multiple Exposure, an "assured tale of love, loss, and secret agendas" (Publishers Weekly), comes the second novel in the thrilling Sophie Medina series, following a photojournalist as she races to find an international treasure before a murderer finds her.

When freelance photojournalist Sophie Medina finds Brother Kevin Boyle, a Franciscan friar and controversial environmentalist, dead in the magnificent gardens of a Washington, DC, monastery, she is sure her friend was murdered. Shortly before he died, Kevin told Sophie he was being stalked, possibly because he uncovered a botanic discovery potentially worth millions of dollars. Left with few clues to his secret, Sophie is determined to figure out who killed him.

Beginning with a key that leads to a priceless original seventeenth-century encyclopedia of plants, Sophie leaps into an international treasure hunt, following a trail that begins in the US Capitol and eventually leads to London and the English countryside. Before long Sophie suspects Kevin''s murderer may have been someone who knew him well. With time running out and a suspect list that includes the world''s leading botanical experts and political royalty from both sides of the Atlantic, can Sophie solve the two-hundred-year-old mystery before Kevin''s killer finds her?

A tale of greed and betrayal involving politicians, diplomats, European royalty, and a century-old monastery, Ghost Image is filled with political intrigue, history, and an international high-stakes race against a killer that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

From the author of the "lively and spirited" (Providence Journal) Wine Country Mysteries comes the first in a new series featuring a savvy female photographer whose husband''s abduction embroils her in the world of international espionage and lost Romanov art treasures.

When photojournalist Sophie Medina returns to London from an overseas assignment, she discovers that her husband Nick, a geologist and covert CIA operative, has been abducted. Three months later she is shocked when a friend in the British government says Nick was spotted in Moscow and is now not only a suspect in his boss'' murder but also potentially involved in illicit Russian oil deals. With her every move now closely watched, Sophie moves to Washington, DC, to be with family and friends.

There Sophie is drawn deeper into Nick''s shadowy world. While photographing an exhibit of two never-before-seen Faberg├® imperial eggs at the National Gallery of Art, Sophie is confronted by a Russian oil tycoon, implicating her former husband. On the run from Nick''s enemies, Sophie plays a high-stakes game of Russian roulette as she tries to determine friend from foe and prove her husband''s innocence.

Weaving together political intrigue, art history, and espionage, this fast-paced story marks the start of a promising new series.