Creating the perfect bourbon is a delicate balance of expertise, instinct, and intention. At Four Silos, a small family-owned distillery and restaurant in the heart of Kentucky, a shared love of the craft brings a contradictory group of employees together—until a shocking crime brings underlying clashes to a boiling point that has everyone pointing fingers at each other. Trapped in a decades-long love triangle with distillery owner Kate, Craig—our primary narrator and Master Distiller—introduces readers to both the joys and stressors of daily life at Four Silos. From the start, Craig makes no secret of his disdain for the group of young college interns tasked with enticing new customers to the distillery through innovative ideas that mess with his familiar process and routine. After an assault during the distillery’s big Valentine’s Day party, the ensuing investigation snowballs into a mess of gossip, mayhem, and murder.
Author Abby Reilly fully immerses readers in the sensory details of the distillery, with the scents, sounds, and tastes of Four Silos infusing every page. Readers may find themselves craving a whiff of Craig’s Master’s Reserve bourbon, a sip of bartender JJ’s smoky pecan old fashioned, a bite of Chef Eli’s bourbon brisket bleu cheeseburger, and a taste of Cory’s butter cake cookies. The story is divided into four sections that align with core steps in making bourbon: the mash bill, fermentation, distillation, and unfiltered finish. As the title indicates, BOURBON BASH is definitely a book to enjoy with a drink in hand!
The novel features a large cast of characters who follow familiar tropes and formulas. They fall into three main groups: the older workers running Four Silos’ gift shop, restaurant, and distillery; the six interns supporting and butting heads with them; and the two detectives leading the complex and evolving case. The interns in particular have distinct quirks, secrets, and dreams—with the kind but no-nonsense Izzy serving as their ringleader and the secondary narrator. Izzy’s counterpoint to Craig is fascinating because it illustrates the mismatch in how they perceive themselves and others, as well as how the other characters see them. This approach shows how misunderstandings and different communication styles have created so much tension and even hostility between colleagues. Besides Craig and Izzy’s first-person perspectives, several chapters shift into third-person perspectives. While this keeps the story moving along and gives readers information that Craig and Izzy can’t provide, it can also be jarring, especially because perspective shifts don’t include clear indicators. Additionally, some dialogue—especially in the first few chapters—is overloaded with information in a way that comes across as stilted and unnatural, disrupting the narrative flow.
The insights into running a distillery and the struggle between an older and younger generation—framed throughout as tradition vs. innovation and art vs. science—both add a unique twist to an otherwise standard “whodunit” mystery. Fans of small-town murder mysteries, workplace dramas, and procedurals will especially enjoy BOURBON BASH. While it is currently a standalone mystery, Reilly has created such a fascinating world within Four Silos that hopefully she will return to it for future stories.
Abby Reilly’s BOURBON BASH is a spirited small-town mystery that stands out for its immersive setting.
~ Cameron Gillespie for IndieReader