She Treads Softly: Blood on the Vine

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Blood on the Vine

Blood on the Vine by J. T. Falco
4/22/25; 320 pages
Crooked Lane Books

Blood on the Vine by J. T. Falco is a highly recommended procedural following the investigation into the recent murder of two young women.

A former resident of Napa Valley, FBI agent Lana Burrell, returns over twenty years later to investigate what may be a situation with an active serial killer. The complications in returning involve the case of her father who is in prison for killing her best friend Jess many years ago at a Napa Valley vineyard. Returning to the area after being gone for years mean Lana must face her memories but she will also have insight into the area and the residents. Once there, Lana notices a man who is following her and she has questions if a cult might be involved.

The narrative opens up with one of the victims fleeing the killer, which immediately grabs your attention. Then readers are introduced to Lana, who is a clearly a flawed, wounded individual. She is also, ultimately, a fully realized intelligent, insightful and competent character. The introduction to her liaison with the sheriff's department, Deputy Essie Leroux, adds some comic relief, but the sixty-year-old recent police academy graduate proves her competence and abilities.

In this well-written, fast-paced procedural, there are several suspects, along with many questions and directions the investigation can go. Clearly, there are a whole lot of secrets individuals are hiding and expect some twists. Between chapters are various pieces of evidence related to the case which includes news articles, interviews, filed court cases, etc., which add depth, background information, and insight into the investigation. This is a debut novel, but written by an experienced writer and it shows.

Blood on the Vine is a perfect choice for those who enjoy procedurals. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.