Almost three years ago I was driving south on one of the
major highways when hunger pangs grabbed my attention. Tired of fast food, my
husband and I took the next exit in search of local cuisine. What we found was
a bourbon distillery just outside of Lexington that served lunch on the patio. After
truly delicious sandwiches, I talked the manager into giving me a peek behind-the-scenes.
Although their normal bourbon tours had been suspended for the season, my enthusiasm
for the product won over the bartender/tour guide’s heart and she gave me a
thorough step-by-step explanation of how they make their bourbon. I even got to
meet the Master Distiller and ask him a few questions, which is no small feat.
And I was allowed to photograph areas normally off-limits to tourists. During
the process, corn and rye are mixed with limestone well water, then malted
(fermented) barley is added to begin new fermentation. The mash is distilled
twice to create a smoother bourbon and aged in new oak barrels with annual taste-testing
after the first two years. Once the master distiller decides it’s ready, the
bourbon is filtered and bottled. What’s my secret for getting insider info? No
secret—I was simply in the right place at the right time among distillers who
love their craft.
That evening, while sipping my purchase in a hotel room, ideas
for murder mysteries popped into my head. Who
should be my central character to solve these heinous crimes? Where to find the
body? Who wants to kill whom? And so the Bourbon Tour Murder series was
born wherein a syndicated travel writer, who drinks nothing but wine from a box,
becomes my reluctant sleuth. I had fun taking these tours and writing these
books. (Although absolutely no murders took place during my tours.)
In the first of the series, One for the Road, my travel writer, Jill Curtis, becomes a suspect after
she lands in the middle of a century-old family feud between bourbon makers.
And in my current book, One Hundred Proof
Murder, Jill hopes to land a job promotion, get better acquainted with her
new detective boyfriend, and keep her relatives out of trouble. She’s not
looking for a best friend, unless that friend’s father is a Louisville
distiller. And she certainly doesn’t wish to involve herself in another murder.
But you know how good intentions go…
So grab your beverage of choice, then pour
yourself a shot of rivalry, romance and murder with One Hundred Proof Murder.
Available on Kindle now and in print 8-3-2021.
Book one, One for the Road, now $3.99 in Kindle!! Amazon.com: One for the Road (A Bourbon Tour mystery Book 1) eBook: Ellis, Mary: Kindle Store
Leave me a comment regarding your favorite "tourist" destination for a chance to win a print copy of One Hundred Proof Murder. You must leave your email address to win. Drawing in one week.