BKMT READING GUIDES
A Toast to Murder (A Wine Lover's Mystery)
by Michele Scott
Mass Market Paperback : 272 pages
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Introduction
As the wedding grows closer, it seems the entire affair is cursed. A chewing gum fiasco forces Nikki to cut her hair and go platinum blonde. Then Derek's old college buddies, along with an assortment of old flames and frustrating family relations and their wives, show up to work Nikki's last nerve. But when Nikki's hairdresser is shot as he walks her down the aisle, and one of Derek's friends is found dead in a wine tank, Nikki realizes that she has to find a matrimonial murderer before her wedding becomes someone else's funeral.
INCLUDES RECIPES & WINE PAIRINGS!
Praise for the Wine Lover's Mysteries: "The full-bodied characters, sweet romance, crisp plot, and dry wit will have you reaching for a refill."-Jessica Conant-Park
"All the sparkle, complexity, and romance of a fine Champagne."-Nancy Fairbanks
Excerpt
Chapter OneDo you believe in fate? Sincerely, Moros Apate Thanatos.
Nikki stared at the old photo beneath the note-a newspaper photo of a bride and groom. Her groom-Derek Malveaux smiling at the camera, arm around ex-wife Meredith Malveaux on their wedding day.
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Discussion Questions
1. Nikki questions who Derek's friends are and what they're all about. She even considers that his old friendships might indicate some kind of trouble in the future between them, as his friends aren't the kinds of people Nikki would typically choose as friends. Do you think her line of questioning is valid? Are Nikki's feelings about Derek's friends a good enough reason to question the relationship? How important are a significant other's friends to the relationship?2. What has Nikki always wanted in life? If you've read the entire series, how has she evolved and changed?
3. How does Simon's role as Nikki's best friend play into her thought process? Does he have a lot of influence over her?
4. When Nikki's hair is cut and dyed, do you think she over reacted?
5. When Andrés comes back onto the scene and Nikki questions everything with Derek, do you think she made the right choice?
6. Did you guess who the killer was? And if so, at what point did you guess?
7. What were your favorite scenes?
8. Will you try any of the recipes in the book? If so, which ones?
9. What is Ollie's role in this series? Is it comic relief? Is he just the dog who saves the day? Or does Ollie teach his humans something with each installment of the series, or in specific in A TOAST TO MURDER.
10. Did you think that Nikki would wind up with Derek, or was there some point where you thought she might wind up with Andrés?
11. Nikki Sands Mysteries are always light and fun, but were there deeper themes that you found at any point with this book?
12. What did you think of the sub-plot of Simon and Marco adopting Baby Violet?
13. Did you find the Greek Mythology portion of the book interesting, and did you see how it would all tie together, or were you taken by surprise?
14. Would you pick up another Nikki Sands mystery? Would you like to see the series continue?
Notes From the Author to the Bookclub
With A TOAST TO MURDER being the sixth book in The Nikki Sands Mysteries, I knew that it was time to see Nikki get her happily-ever-after (with a twist ). As with all of the Nikki Sands mysteries, I incorporated humor and romance, along with recipes and wine pairings. I knew the setting was going to be Nikki and Derek's wedding. My favorite comedic scenes to write take place between Nikki and her best friend Simon. Therefore, I decided to start the book off a funny scene between the two of them, and that scene also helped me develop the sub-plot of Simon and Marco's adoption of baby Violet. The murder mystery came to me when I was walking into a book store (hmmm…one of my most favorite places int the world) and a book on Greek Mythology caught my eye. I thought it would be interesting research and fun to incorporate Greek Mythology in some way into the book. I really enjoy sub-plotting these mysteries and I'm a big animal lover, so readers can always count on at least one animal star in them. Ollie in the Nikki mysteries happens is loosely based on our Rhodesian Ridgeback Java. I hope when readers finish a Nikki Sands Mystery that they have a smile on their face, feeling like they've read something fun about characters they enjoyed and a puzzle they helped piece together by the end.Book Club Recommendations
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