In mid-May, my husband Danny and I took a road trip up to the Dry Creek area of Sonoma County. Our purpose was to take photos to use for research in my third Nick and Meredith Mystery, With Malice Aforethought. I’d hoped to get lucky and find a shot to use on the cover. This is a particularly remote and wild part of Sonoma. It is populated by wild boars, poison ivy, redwood trees and rattlesnakes. Hillside vineyards accentuate the raw beauty of the area.
Tourists usually keep to the Dry Creek Valley. This is studded with wineries, well-kept Victorian homes and again, sprawling vineyards. Lake Sonoma caps the valley with an aquatic crown. The lake is a primary water storage for Sonoma County as well as a major recreation area.
I thought I’d share some of the pictures with you. Let me know what you think–is this place too remote for a mystery?
Thonie, I think the Lake Sonoma/Dry Creek area is a great place to set a mystery. I’ve roamed its environs over the years and know you will put the right touch about it in your work. Lots of potential mysteries from dead bodies in winery vats to skeletal remains found as the drought dries up creek/lake beds….on and on. Have fun. Arletta
It’s already exciting!