Book Review: Murder in Tuscany

By Sara Steven

A remote retreat…

Nestled high in the Tuscan hills lies Villa Volpone, home to renowned crime writer Jonah Moore and his creative writing course. It’s also the last place retired DCI Dan Armstrong expected to spend his retirement! Dan’s no writer, but maybe this break will help him to think about the next chapter in his own life story?

A gruesome murder…

But only days into the course, Jonah Moore is found stabbed to death with his award-winning silver dagger! And Dan finds himself pulled out of retirement with a killer to catch.

Eleven possible suspects.

The other guests all seem shocked by Jonah’s death, but Dan knows that one of them must be lying. And as he and Italian Commissario Virgilio Pisano begin to investigate it quickly becomes clear that everyone at Villa Volpone has secrets to hide…

But can Dan discover who the murderer is before they strike again? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I’m all for this new cozy mystery series! It’s a bit of a departure from Williams’s usual writing style, but not where it counts. We still receive some of the best backdrop scenery I’ve ever experienced, and I continually mention that whenever I read a T.A. Williams novel. It’s like a whole other character. This time, we find our protagonist Dan in Tuscany, after finding out that he’s been enlisted into a bit of an unconventional writing course. The writing course itself has its own special story–a totally unexpected twist for Dan. 

There was a bit of foreshadowing from Dan early on–when he notices someone floating face down in a pool– and given his DCI background, allows his mind to jump immediately to the worst case scenario. In that case, the floater turned out to be alive and well. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Jonah Moore. Jonah’s character makeup was written in such a way that made him an easy target, so it really could have been anyone who committed the crime.

This was a really great whodunnit with twists and turns, because I assumed it would be one character, yet later, I’d change my mind and decide it must be someone else. And along with the mystery and intrigue are some of the classic sprinkles of what I’ve come to recognize from Williams, like adorable, mischievous Labradors and the start of subtle romances between the main character and someone else. It’s a lot for Dan to juggle, but he’s up for the challenge!

Murder in Tuscany was fun and fulfilling–a definite five-star experience!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links: 
Amazon US * Amazon UK

T.A. Williams is the author of over twenty bestselling romances for HQ and Canelo and is now turning his hand to cosy crime, set in his beloved Italy, for Boldwood. The series will introduce us to retired DCI Armstrong and his Labrador Oscar. The first book, entitled Murder in Tuscany, was published in October 2022. T.A. lives in Devon with his Italian wife.

Visit T.A. Williams online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter

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