Bottled Up

A Francine Witt Mystery (Francine Witt Investigates Book 2)

By: Steve Exeter

Narrated by: Ella Whitehead

Francine Witt is back: armed with a travelogue, a wry charm, and a habit of finding murder where the rosé flows freely.

What begins as a biography project about a disgraced Egyptologist quickly spirals into something far stranger: a sealed bottle marked with an ancient glyph, whispers of Empress Joséphine Bonaparte's secret rituals, and a trail of memory-infused wine—possibly connected to the eccentric Masonic collector Daniel Iffla—that stretches from Amarna to Bordeaux. When her new assistant Rosalind Downing becomes mysteriously connected to the ritual itself, Francine finds herself racing to decode a legacy someone is killing to protect.

As glyphs emerge, bottles are opened, and a long-buried Brotherhood awakens, Francine must face a terrifying question: what if remembering the past isn't enough, and the only way to survive is to contain it?

BOTTLED UP uncorks another sparkling blend of feminist sleuthing, historical conspiracy, and Da Vinci Code-style suspense, with Francine once again proving that secrets age best when bottled, and sometimes explode when opened!

©2025 Steve Exeter (P)2026 Steve Exeter

Fun Mystery

This was a fun well written mystery/detective book. The narration wasn't too bad either. Id definitely recommend giving this one a listen

Investigation with humor

Francine is friendly and observant, moving among suspects with charm and cunning. The mystery is well paced. Ella Whitehead knows when to emphasize and when to hold back, creating a narrative that is very easy to follow.

Wine and mystery

Bottled Up is the second book in the Francine Witt series, and it did not disappoint. This mystery blends history, boozy adventure and buried secrets. The main character, Francine is both relatable and likable, and the story is engaging. The narration was well done, making the story easy to follow. Can’t wait to read the next book in this series, highly recommend.

Intriguing!

This is a great book. It’s an intriguing mystery and I just adore Francine! She is super witty and fun. The author did an excellent job developing her character. Would recommend.

Love a Great Cozy Mystery!

Mystery, history, wine, feminism, wit and charm = great combination!

I was immediately part of the adventure, enjoying the plot twists and unexpected situations.

I truly enjoyed several laugh out loud moments!