Books in series
#0.5
Merlot and Murder
The Beginning
2019
#0.6
Beaunoir and Blood
For Joy
2019
An abyss of temptation promises dark and boundless thrills.
Joy Burton, twenty-three and a Ph. D. candidate, works as a research assistant for Dr. Draven Blackmoor—a handsome guest professor who studies serial killers. Joy has fallen for his dark charms.
Draven crosses boundaries as if they don’t exist, and he attempts to drag Joy into his boundless abyss to explore the heights of passion and power.
Joy must decide if she will cross the final bridge.
But if she does, can she cross back?
Revel in the wicked world of Wine Valley today. Series available on Amazon.
#1
Burgundy and Bodies
2019
Reach into the past for answers—and the past reaches for your throat.
If the Addams family’s daughter Wednesday grew up to become a forensic psychologist, she would be Dr. Joy Burton—and Det. Max King's nightmare. In this thrilling page-turner, a beautiful blond is found dead by a creek after a poker game. Max and Joy dig through the lives of the suspects, including the chief of police.
And the cunning murderer sets eyes on them.
But other eyes follow too. Max and Joy dissect their bizarre shared lives before being adopted by two different, now deceased, fathers, The dead can’t tell secrets. Those living want to keep them buried.
Their quest is personal—and deadly.
Step into the vineyards and revel in the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Burgundy and Bodies today. See more titles and release dates at sandrawoffington.com.
#2
Pinot Noir and Poison
2019
Pushed past a threshold, anyone can kill.
Det. Max King and Dr. Joy Burton enjoy a dinner party at the home of local vintners. A woman keels over at the table. Max does too.
In this heart-stopping suspense, suspects cross boundaries, reminding Joy of her own walks across fragile bridges that crumbled, leaving her stranded on a cold, desolate shore.
Cross over and you can’t always cross back.
Meantime, Max and Joy continue their quest to unravel childhood secrets. Can they discover why two lawmen adopted them and raised them apart?
Secrets that do not stay buried may rise. Hunt. Kill.
Step into the vineyards and revel in the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Pinot Noir and Poison today.
#3
Syrah and Swingers
2019
Dr. Draven Blackmoor is as brilliant as he is obsessed with Joy. But is he a killer?
In this pulse-pounding thriller, the swingers of Wine Valley throw a party. A man is found dead on red satin sheets. Det. Max King and Dr. Joy Burton investigate. At the crime scene, a card on a bottle of champagne is signed Draven Blackmoor—the man who brought Joy to the edge of destruction.
Decadence and Darkness are intoxicating, uninhibited roads.
To solve the crime, Joy walks to the edge of the abyss that she once crawled out of. Max must stop her from leaping over the edge.
Step into the vineyards and revel in the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Syrah and Swingers today.
#4
Rosé and Rocks
2019
Diamonds cut glass. Some shred lives. This fast-paced mystery begins at the Wine Valley Harvest Festival, where an old-timer teaches children to sift dirt to find gems. But no one expects a real find—benitoite—the California blue diamond. The next morning, a geologist inspects the mine. She finds a dead body. Det. Max King and Dr. Joy Burton investigate. To sparkle, gems scatter and fracture light; to obtain them, people kill. To make matters worse, a film crew meddles in the investigation. The director is obsessed with capturing every facet of the unfolding story. Meantime, Max and Joy pursue their mysterious past before being adopted by two different fathers. Just when they consider burying their past, their secret is unearthed. Can they bury the past once and for all and lay down the shovel? Step into the vineyards and revel in the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Rosé and Rocks today.
#5
Grenache and Graves
2019
Graves swallow the dead, keep their secrets, and conceal unsolved murders.
This pulse-pounding suspense begins at the Wine Valley Cemetery at night, where pagans meet to celebrate the Autumn equinox and a high school senior dares his friends to open his family’s century-old crypt. As the high priestess enters a smoky trance, the others encounter the ghost of a teenage girl and a freaky accident that leaves the high priest dead.
Det. Max King and Dr. Joy Burton discover a ritual knife plunged into the high priest’s chest. They also find signs of foul play on the hundred-thirty year old corpse of Mercy Summerfield. Mercy’s living relative is in a hurry to rebury her body and seal her back in the crypt.
Meanwhile, Max and Joy peacefully accept their mysterious past—no record exists of their early years before two different men adopted them. They put down the shovel and stop digging, but ghosts from the past whisper clues that tempt them to pick up the shovel and dig deeper.
Should their secrets remain dead and buried? Or will they rise from the grave to haunt them?
Step into the vineyards and revel in the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Grenache and Graves today.
#6
Shiraz and Slaughter
Wine Valley Mystery Book 6
2019
Honor among thieves means to kill anyone who threatens to expose you.
This heart-stopping suspense begins at Wine Valley Meat Packers in the dead of night. A cattle rancher and the plant manager process a few cattle after hours. A killer lurks in the shadows.
Det. Max King and Dr. Joy Burton arrive to find a corpse with a hole punched in his skull with a pneumatic bolt gun, like those used to stun cattle.
In this bizarre case, Max and Joy follow a lead. One discovery of corruption leads to another and another in a chain of dishonesty that threatens the lives of people in multiple states.
Left unchecked, corruption grows into a cancer that devours the innocent.
Step into the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Shiraz and Slaughter today.
#7
Pinot Grigio and Pesticide
2019
Sometimes, the only antidote for poison is murder.
This fast-paced mystery begins at the Wine Valley Golf club, where CEO Malcolm Moore hosts the annual golf tournament for Locust Chemical. The attendees include Chief of Police Frank Goldsby and Mayor Caroline Bassett. Outside, environmentalists protest.
Malcolm stands at the podium to present the final toast. After tossing back his champagne cocktail, he keels over and convulses. Det. Max King and Dr. Joy Burton arrive to interview a staggering number of suspects.
Humans are the most invasive species.
Meanwhile, Max runs his DNA in an attempt to discover more about his mysterious past. The results nearly destroy Joy.
Step into the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Pinot Grigio and Pesticide today.
#8
Gamay Noir and Ghouls
2020
Music either soothes or unleashes the savage beast. This heart-pounding suspense begins at the Wine Valley amphitheater where a black metal band, “The Ghouls,” performs on Halloween night. Detective Max King, Dr. Joy Burton, and much of the local police force work security. Max and Joy expect a crowd of ghosts, ghouls, and Gothic goblins. But no one expects the horrific finale of an on-stage murder. While solving the case, Max takes the next step in uncovering his and Joy’s mysterious past—no record exists of their early years before two lawmen adopted them and split them apart. Max runs the DNA of his adoptive father, David King. For some, the truth provides closure. For others, the truth opens an abyss. Step into the vineyards and revel in the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Gamay Noir and Ghouls today.
#9
Claret and Carnage
2020
Animals, including humans, perform stunts and tricks—they also hunt. This heart-stopping suspense begins at Circus Andronicus. Det. Max King and Dr. Joy Burton enjoy a night off-duty with their dates. Ringmaster Drag’on Queen leads the themed Wild Jungle Safari show, where a horse-man rides a unicycle, a mermaid dances with a fire-dragon, and the finale included murder. But which human predator killed its prey? While solving the crime, Max and Joy celebrate their common birthdays without knowing anything about their births—until Joy calls an old acquaintance of Sam Burton’s, hoping to find answers. Will this meeting open up their own circus of horrors? Step into the vineyards and revel in the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Claret and Carnage today. Sandra Woffington is an award-winning author and an Amazon #1 bestseller.
#10
Viognier and Venom
2020
Humans, too, can slither and strike like snakes. This heart-pounding mystery begins at the Wine Valley Serpentarium, where Amarillo Hicks works and owner, Silas, milks snakes for venom. The following morning, Det. Max King and Dr. Joy Burton answer a call and find a body surrounded by a host of slithering, wriggling reptiles, and a sixteen-foot-long albino Burmese python coiled around the corpse’s chest. As Max and Joy investigate the murder, they pursue a possible lead in the mystery of their birth parents, only to find another slithering mess of secrets. Will this be the bite of the apple from which there is no return? Step into the vineyards and revel in the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Viognier and Venom today.
#11
Frascati and Fratricide
2021
The brotherhood of man includes some unbrotherly killers. This page-turning mystery begins at the Nu Omicron Nu fraternity house, where brother Robby Pickett meanders through a Heaven and Hell party during rush week. The party ends in murder.Det. Max King and Dr. Joy Burton must study a house full of suspects, some with textbook secrets, others with real shockers.While Max and Joy investigate the murder, they follow a lead to track down a computer hacker who might be able to decode their own mysterious origin. Will this shed light on the past or cast Max and Joy into the deep Dark Web? Sandra Woffington is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author. Step into the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Frascati and Fratricide today.
#12
Fume Blanc and Fire
2022
The darknet. Cryptocurrency. Family secrets.
This heart-pounding mystery begins with Detective Max King and Dr. Joy Burton on a quest to discover the secrets of their childhood. Clues lead to a cabin in the woods, where—for the second time in their lives—fire engulfs them.
A mysterious figure extracts Max and Joy. But not all survive. A charred body is discovered in the ashes, and Max and Joy are the primary suspects for the murder of a prominent man. There’s only one way to reclaim their lives—fight fire with fire.
This is not the finale of the series, but it is the finale of the long-kept secrets that Max and Joy have worked tirelessly to uncover.
Will they find peace with the answers or struggle to live with the truth?
Sandra Woffington is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author. Step into the wicked world of Wine Valley. Read Fume Blanc and Fire today.
Author
Sandra Woffington
Author · 16 books
Hi, readers! I love to create stories with pithy dialogue, gritty action, mind-blowing plots and unique characters: flawed, passionate, and sometimes disturbed. I'm a USA Today and Amazon #1 Bestselling author. I completed the Humanities Honors Program at U.C. Irvine and earned my MFA in Creative Writing and MA in English from Chapman University. I've spent 15+ years teaching multiple subjects to middle school students. I love to teach as much as I love to write. My students inspire me! Wine Valley Mystery series is for adults—Noir Crime/Traditional Detective. The boxed set hit #1 Best Seller on Amazon upon release. The prequels of light and cheery Detective Max King, dark and disturbed Dr. Joy Burton, and tough-guy, Officer Reed Steele are FREE. https://dl.bookfunnel.com/91qn64o3vc My debut novel, Unveiling, a stand-alone, takes place in the colorful deserts of Saudi Arabia as well as America. It won Honorable Mention from the Writer's Digest SP book awards. Evil Speaks, first book in the Warriors and Watchers Saga Series, a middle grade fantasy, was Finalist (4th place) in the Reader's Favorite 5-star awards (that's out of all of the 5-star books in that category for the year). I love to hear from readers! Please email me at sandra@sandrawoffington.com or visit my website at SandraWoffington.com. Join my FB Reading group Woffington's Reading Warriors: Mystery, Murder, Magic & More for updates and freebies. Or follow me on Amazon. Thanks for spending time with me!
