Blood on the Vine

About the Book

Jay Leicester is a retired Airline Pilot, retired because he could not stand the bureaucratic web the government spun over the aviation industry, and partly because anyone with the price of a bus ticket could fly on the airlines, which resulted in overbooking, overcrowding, and near chaos on every route. Raised in a family of Judges and police officers, the only thing he knew to fall back on was the law.  Opening his own private investigation business was a natural evolution, especially since he had trouble with authority, and could work outside the constraints of legalese.  Handling mostly aviation related cases; recovery of stolen aircraft, investigating drug-hauling pilots, and helping set up corporate aviation departments kept him busy.  

The crash of a Gulfstream V corporate jet with three of his friends aboard leads Leicester from Mississippi to the Napa Valley wine country in California where he becomes involved with an old world family winery, the investigation of the crash, murder, and a beautiful raven-haired siren who could love him or kill him, and a beautiful blond who almost does kill him.  Fine wines, good food, and evil people all come together in a powerful work reminiscent of Ross MacDonald or John D. McDonald.  Character driven and plot oriented, this is a must read for the serious Mystery/Thriller ‘aficionado.’

About the Author

J.C. Simmons was born, raised, educated, and stayed in the Great State of Mississippi. He is a retired Airline/Corporate pilot. He has written five Jay Leicester, Private Investigator novels, a bio of Hemingway, and published several short stories. He is married and currently resides on the family farm in central Mississippi where he is working on an aviation book dealing with his flying experiences.