‘The Body at the Vine Yard’ by Kate Hardy

Published by Storm Publishing,
20 May 2025.
ISBN: 978-1-80508757-1 (PB)

This is the sixth book in the series featuring Georgina Drake. Following the death of her husband Stephen Georgina moved to Little Wenborough in rural Norfolk.  She has now made many friends in the village particularly the aristocratic Sybbie, collector of China dogs. Also, DI Colin Bradshaw who she met when she first moved to the village and found the body of her first ever guest dead in the converted barn at the end of her garden that she rents out to holiday makers to supplement her income.   

There is however one friend that she met as soon as she moved to Little Wenborugh, and that is Doris, It took some time for Georgina to establish just who Doris was, but they have now become great friends.   

Engaged to do a photoshoot of a family’s vineyard, Georgina, meets the winemaker Gaby Edwards. But things do not run smoothly. There are two vineyards side by side, the one Georgina is photographing which is making organic wine and the one that is run by Gaby’s father, who does not believe in the organic process and is trying to sabotage it.  With the parents divorced, the family is divided.  The eldest son backing his father and Gaby her mother. A younger son is an artist and is constantly bullied by his elder brother. 

Then a body is discovered drowned in a fermentation tank in the father’s vineyard. 

Meanwhile Georgina’s spaniel Bert uncovers a skeleton hidden in a pond. He’s good at that by the way, he seems to make a habit of it.  With help from Doris, Georgina soon uncovers a tragic history of family rivalries and secrets buried deeper than the vines’ roots a century back. 

And then another family member goes missing. Will Georgina uncover the truth before another body turns up. 

An interesting tale of two families, nearly a century apart. Absolutely fascinating.

Most highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett

Kate Hardy started writing stories about ponies and dogs, moved onto ghosts and history, and then into local history and romance, and is now thoroughly enjoying her new life of crime!  She loves learning new things, which is why you'll always discover something different in a Kate Hardy book. She lives in Norwich with her husband