Stories of a future apocalypse abound, ranging from zombie outbreaks to massive meteor strikes. A new novel foretells an equally grim future: a world without wine!
We recently had the opportunity to read a pre-release copy of a mystery/thriller titled Root Cause by Steven Laine. In this novel, we meet Corvina Guerra, a traveling winemaker who travels around the world helping wineries and their winemakers produce their very best wines. During one such visit, she discovers something truly frightening: a new strain of the aphid phylloxera that can kill grapevines that were previously phylloxera resistant. In that moment, she realizes that all of the world’s wine production could be in peril!
With the premise revealed mere pages into the book, the pace and tension never relent. Corvina and Bryan Lawless, a disgraced wine expert, criss-cross the vineyards of the world searching for clues. How could this happen? What or who is behind the release of this new, destructive strain of aphid?
Root Cause is an intriguing story, delivering a fast-paced who-done-it against a backdrop of wine industry machinations and exotic winery settings. Nearly every continent is visited, with famous wine houses playing pivotal roles along the way. As Corvina and Bryan learn more about the aphids, readers learn about the intricacies of earning a Master of Wine designation, the global wine business, and some surprising secrets of the major Champagne houses of France.
Author Steven Laine has created a rich slate of characters with enough twists and surprises to keep the reader guessing. Who can be trusted and who is plotting to destroy the wine industry? Why does Corvina always wear a fancy scarf? Can that Interpol agent really be trusted? The character development is a layered and nuanced as a fine Red Blend.
Now available from Turner Publishing , Steven Laine has created a fun and thrilling romp through the wine world, perfect for any wine lover’s book club. Check out Root Cause!
About the Author: John grills a mean steak and is always in the market for another wine fridge. Believes that if a winery has more than 10 employees, it's probably too big. Buys wine faster than he drinks it, but who cares?
