One for the Road by Mary Ellis

Reviewed by Jeanne

Chicago based travel writer Jill Curtis’ newest assignment is to follow “The Bourbon Trail” in Kentucky, doing articles about the various distilleries and finding out exactly why people want to do this circuit. Accompanied by her photographer, Michael Erickson, they start their tour in Roseville, Kentucky where, as it happens, Jill has relatives.  She hasn’t revealed her connection when making reservations at the B&B, because the owner and Jill’s grandmother had a falling out some years before and haven’t spoken since.  Jill wants to “test the waters”—there aren’t many places to stay in Roseville and she certainly doesn’t want to have to sleep in their car if Cousin Dot still holds a grudge.

As it turns out, things are even more complicated because Dot’s husband Roger owns Black Creek, one of two distilleries in town, both of which Jill hopes to tour and write about for her first in the proposed series of articles set along the Bourbon Trail. After a preliminary visit to the other distillery, Founder’s Reserve, Jill and Michael decide to try Black Creek, despite the owner’s less than welcoming demeanor.  Apparently someone else thought he was difficult, too, because when they get to Black Creek, Roger is very dead and the circumstances look suspicious.

I am a sucker for a cozy mystery, and one set in Kentucky just seemed especially interesting.  I do like books that impart information along the way, and there is a quick tutorial about the differences in bourbon and whiskey and the special requirement for the former. Bourbon is a type of whiskey, but it must be made in the U.S., must be at least 51% corn, and in the bottle be 80 proof.  It isn’t aged as long as other whiskeys and must be aged in new white American oak barrels. (Scotch is another type of whiskey, but it must be made in Scotland, the mash must be made of malted barley, and it must be aged at least three years in second use barrels.  See how interesting this is?  Okay, so your mileage may vary!)

Anyway, I also enjoyed the setting which was more rural Kentucky than big city.  Moonshining is mentioned but without much in the way of stereotyping, which was appreciated.  The characters needed a bit more rounding out, and in good cozy fashion the investigating officer reveals far too much information to a suspect, but I still had fun.

This is the first in a new series, so I’ll look forward to the next stop on the Bourbon Tour.