Canvas, corks and crimes : An artful whodunit with wine and murder: A Catherine Joubert Mystery (Book 1) : 1

A cosy mystery set in South Africa with interesting yet relatable characters. One minute Catherine Joubert is dragging Massimo's body to a freshly dug hole in her immaculate garden. The next minute she's a suspect in an artist's death. It all starts with fake designer handbags, blackmail and not taking responsibility for one's actions. Antoine is shot through the heart at a sip-and-paint event. Was it the woman he was blackmailing? His long-suffering wife who stood by him through all his dalliances with young models. The suspect list grows as Cat finds out Antoine was a right royal ass. Catherine races to uncover the clues as she doesn't want the deliciously handsome Detective Fouche to find her hidden garden of delightfully toxic plants. And discover that she has a secret or two of her own. The trail takes her from an estate for the wealthy (in a valley on the wine route) to the streets of Cape Town. Will she unmask the killer before her secrets are made public? Or will the killer catch her because she is getting too close? Meet Catherine Joubert: Catherine is a forty-something mother and widow. Her early years were fraught with bullying which inspired her to study psychology. She grows poisonous plants and herbs in her home and sometimes uses them to do away with nasty people who deserve it. However, Cat actually has a heart of gold and a soft spot for victims of abuse.