I really loved this first book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

This cozy mystery set in Tuscany, at a cooking school, pulled me in right away with its setting and concept. Nell Valenti was hired to transform a villa in Tuscany into a world-class cooking school run by the Orlandini family and renowned Marinana chef. In this novel, 5 Americans come to the school for its first Marinara workshop. However, when one of them is murdered, Nell looks to clear the name of one of the Villa's employees and solve the mystery.

The author did a very good job of describing the Tuscan setting and cooking school. However, Nell, the main character, annoyed me quite a bit. I just could not understand her. Her moods were constantly changing and I had a hard time connecting with her and understanding her motives.

I really wanted to love this book. Maybe it would have been better if I'd read the first book in the series, as there were numerous references to an earlier murder which I didn't understand. Having some background on the characters may have been helpful.

Title: Crime of the Ancient Marinara
Author: Stephanie Cole
Genre: Cozy mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5

Nell Valenti is settling into her role of transforming the Villa Orlandini into a superb farm-to-table cooking school, and the time has finally come for a full taste test run. But when Chef Orlandini prepares to reveal his top secret marinara recipe for the first time to a group of American gastro-tourists, Nell realizes she might have bitten off more than she can chew.

Nell begins to suspect that one of the tourists is actually a private detective sent to spy on her by her overprotective father, and the fussy foodies are noisy and disrespectful from the very start of the Marinara Mysteriosa workshop. Even worse, when one visitor appears to be poisoned by the famous marinara recipe, Nell will have to work fast to uncover a killer and keep a lid on bad press before her fresh start is spoiled for good.

I hadn’t read the first book in this series, but that wasn’t much of an issue. This was a quick read, but I didn’t find much depth to it. Nell decides to investigate the murder herself—and doesn’t think it’s a big deal to withhold evidence from the police—and I couldn’t really understand her motivation for that. Chef was presented as a bumbling incompetent, which seemed unlikely, and Nell doesn’t speak Italian, while all but one of the staff don’t speak English, which also seemed like an unlikely scenario (if she can’t communicate, how’d she end up with this job, living in Italy?). This was an easy read, but the whole setup wasn’t really believable to me.

Stephanie Cole lives and teaches in the greater Cleveland area. Crime of the Ancient Marinara is her newest novel, the second book in the Tuscan Cooking School Mystery series.

(Galley courtesy of Berkley in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 1/27).

I haven't read book 1 in this series, but I loved book 2. Despite the ubiquitous punny title all cozies seem to have now, the writing here is better than in most. I love the Tuscan setting, the zany cast of characters, the occasionally lyric prose (never too wordy, though, and always moving the plot forward), and the deft plotting (well, with the exception of one extremely large coincidence). I'd tell you more, but I'm off to hunt down book 1!

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was going to give this a 3, but the end is really good. There were multiple secrets to uncover about the guests. I really liked those secrets that are uncovered. I liked the villa and Tuscany in general. All the marinara talk was really great too. I didn’t realize there could be so many types of marinara. The Bari sisters were awesome! They made me want to go listen to Billy Joel. The cooking, the setting, the side characters were all wonderful.
My biggest complaint was Nell and sometimes Pete. Nell was a little too obsessed with how awful her parents were. She just kept talking about it without trying to heal and move on. There were also multiple times she got mad and was really petty and unprofessional. Pete seemed to be as childish as she was instead of talking to her like an adult. They redeemed themselves a little bit at the end and earned a star back.
So the plot is great, but the main character isn’t my favorite.

I received an e-book from NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group. This is my review.

This was my first book by this author. I'm a Jersey Girl and hey the main character is a Jersey Girl; how could I go wrong. This was an interesting read for me. It is well written and the characters are "approachable". The mystery was a good "cozy" mystery and sort of kept me guessing until the end. I enjoyed the play of the main character, Nell, with all the others. I liked the chemistry hinted at between her and Chef's son, Pete (Pierfranco). It wasn't an "I couldn't put it down" kind of story; but, it did hold my interest. I had to finish it too see what happened and there were a few plot twists (some I saw coming; others I didn't). All-in-all a good story that I would recommend to those that like a nice cozy mystery with a little spark....

Reading this novel enriches your senses with the setting and the descriptions. From start to finish, this book was a mystery that cannot be put down! From the characters, setting, and plot, throwing it all together was the makings of perfection.

A cooking school in Italy and a murder investigation, who knew this book would have kept me reading late into the night.
Nell is a fun character and I think she’s very easy to like.
I would recommend reading the first book in the series, as it does make quite a few references about a previous murder.

"Crime of the Ancient Marinara" is a cozy mystery. This novel is the 2nd in the series, and this story didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous book. You don't need to read the previous novel to understand this one, but you may wonder why Nell likes Pete so much since he mainly acted stressed and jealous in this book.

Nell was often in awkward or mildly humorous situations (situational humor), but she didn't come across as incompetent. She felt like she had to solve the murder to save her job and the school. It was a clue-based mystery, and Nell poked around people's rooms and asked questions to find clues. Frankly, I thought whodunit was pretty obvious from the start, though there were two others who acted suspicious who also could've done it. I still don't like that Nell withholds evidence from the police. She could have taken a picture of the evidence for her own use rather than taking the original from the scene.

There were no sex scenes. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting mystery.

I had not read the first in this series and I think because of the things mentioned in this book, it would have been beneficial. I didn't really get into the book. The MC seemed paranoid that she was looking for trouble before anything even happened. And she went in people's rooms and searched them without much of a reason. Quite often I felt like I was reading an inside joke and I was on the outside. Comments would be made partially and left to the reader to make assumptions as to what the author meant. It was too ambiguous. Peoples actions were not sufficiently supported by evidence. I just found my self asking "what does that mean?' way too often to enjoy the book.

If you have ever dreamed of going to a cooking farm-to-table school in Italy to learn from a master chef, this book is for you. Although there is murder and mayhem, I can image the students of these classes are as nutty as these characters. Nell Valenti is trying to turn the Villa Orlandini into a destination cooking school, but Chef Orlandini decides he is finally going to reveal his 50-year-old secret marinara recipe to this group. Things get tense and someone dies, but the students want to continue learning from the chef. Crazy, fun book.

I didn't know this was the second book in a series, the blurb didn't mention it and I was not familiar with this series. It mentions a previous murder many times which confused me until I stopped reading, went out and googled the author and read the blurb of the first book.. I would have liked to see a quick explanation about how the MC's ex was murdered there and she helped clear her own name in the previous book. Then proceed on with how that affected her present day. The frequent use of Italian then quasi translating made it hard for me. I did like the sexual tension with MC and the Chef's son. The pacing was too slow for me. Sorry, this one just didn't have that hook and mystery that I am used to in a Cozy.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Berkley Publishing, in return for an honest review. While the second book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. Nell Valenti is in Italy, starting up the Villa Orlandini Cooking School. Nell doesn’t speak much Italian and the staff/chef don’t speak much English which is one of the challenges when trying for an international cookery school focused on Chef’s historic marinara sauce. Hosted at the aged and slightly dilapidated Villa Orlandini, Nell pins her hopes on the arrival of the first class of five Americans as a way to kick things off with a bang. When Chef breaks his ‘whisking’ arm right before their arrival, things start going sideways right off the bat. Two of the five students bring questionable attitudes and Nell wonders why they even registered. When one ends up dead, the whole experience becomes a completely different experience than what Nell hoped.
Visiting Italy, via a book, is a lovely way to go when you can’t visit in person. The food and the setting are well described. The characters are clearly written, which is important when you have six staff, five students and other secondary characters.

This is the 2nd installment in the Tuscan Cooking School mystery series. I did not read the first installment, however, I was able to follow along and have already ordered the first in the series to get caught up. Nell Valenti has moved to Tuscany to set up a farm to table cooking school and there has been a lot of work in getting this ready. She is working with famous Chef Claudio Orlandani (chef O), and they are getting ready to host a group of American tourists she is getting nervous they may not be ready. Chef O is famous for his marinara sauce and they are prepared to go thru the recipe and reveal the secret recipe but a tourist ends up dead and she also believes that one of the tourists is a detective hired by her over protective father. First she needs to solve the mystery of the dead tourist to stop any bad press otherwise her whole project her is about to go up in flames. There are issues in that she does not speak Italian and most there do not speak English. The American tourists are pains and one of them is a murderer. Nell is a good character and the story moved at a really good pace. I was able to enjoy without having read the first book but I am going back to read that as I usually like to read a series in order. Looking forward to the next installment.

This was an interesting read. I've never been to Italy but felt the pull via the culinary aspects throughout this book. The characters were realistic and the dialog conveyed the feelings of their experience in the Cooking Class. I was kept off guard as the story unfolded and surprised at the turn of events as a death closed the kitchen. It was one mishap after another and our heroine sleekly came up with ingenious alternative plans.


I would like to hear further adventures from this author and her surprisingly inventive designer. I definitely had to cook some Italian meals as I read through the week at the cooking school. I would love to try some of the marinara sauces that were described. I also love olives and had to break out a favorite jar just so I could continue the book without drooling too much.



A delightful, fun, romp through the Italian countryside.

Thank you Netgalley for the early release copy of Crime of the Ancient Marinara by Stephanie Cole. Nell Valente has been asked by a lawyer representing the Orlandini's to go to Cortana, Italy and create a world class cooking school at their villa. Five Americans sign up for the class, "Marinara Misteriosa". The students will go truffle hunting, mushroom picking, tour an olive grove, sample tuscan wines and work with Chef Claudio. Then the chef breaks his arm and things go from bad to worse in the kitchen. A student dies by ingestion of the death cap mushroom.
It was interesting to read a story that takes place in Tuscany. What drew me in was the cooking. Many of the characters were a bit kooky in this story.

Italy, nuns, cooking, languages, cozy-mystery, situational-humor, verbal-humor, amateur-sleuth, murder

Chef Nell Valenti’s re-created life as a cooking school start-up designer is not going well. The aging Villa Orlandini in Tuscany is in need of a facelift, the noted chef is a clueless wonder whose son is trying to make the whole cooking school thing work to bring in much needed cash, and the nuns' English is as nearly non-existent as Nell's Italian. Besides that, they were involved in a murder investigation only a month ago. Now there is a new batch of students from America, including a private detective sent along by Nell's overbearing father and the unpleasant and constantly complaining husband of one of the women who really want to be there and learn. So guess who gets done in this time. Lots of red herrings and plot twists as well as some very interesting characters. Nell has a hard time doing the sleuthing but still has time for humor. Really enjoyed this one!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Thank you!

A good cozy mystery of Nell who has set up a cooking school in Tuscany. Doesn't bode well when one of the students dies. Language issues, which confused me why she would set up the school there when she doesn't speak Italian, and her staff doesn't speak English. A lot of complaining and whining from the students got tiresome. Wanted to shove them out the door at times. Loved the title, but did end up skimming a bit through the middle to get to the end. Would still recommend, as kept me interested to see the end.

Smart, witty, very Italian, humorous, and loads of fun!

The story transports the reader to a picturesque, charming Tuscan countryside, with a group of 5 quirky Americans, enrolled in a brand new renovated Italian cooking school ,with the hope of discovering a very secret, special recipe, that has been said to be guarded in a vault. The problem is, one of these American’s isn’t coming home alive.

The killer is among them. It’s up to Nell Valenti, the one who has developed world renowned cooking schools (and who is overseeing this brand new one) to solve this murder mystery, and to save an innocent person, as well as her own sanity and reputation.

A must read for all lovers of cozy’s and everything Italian.

My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Book Two of the Tuscan Cooking School Mystery series.

Nell Valenti gave up her previous life to move to Tuscany, with the goal of turning an aging Villa Orlandini into a top-of-the line cooking school experience. After a rapid facelift of the Villa, she and her staff are ready for their first group of gastro-tourists, Americans with high expectations, hoping they will receive the chef's secret recipe for marinara which has made him famous. By the way, Nell does not speak Italian and her staff does not speak English.
The group of foodies are not easily pleased, complaining, disrespectful, and no one wants to follow the schedule. Then one member of the group dies. Was he poisoned by the famous marinara sauce? Or was there something else at work here? Nell thinks one of the foodies is actually an undercover detective sent by her father to look after her. Can she call on him to help solve the murder or is he a suspect? Is her cooking school, Marinara Mysteriosa, doomed to failure before it even gets off the ground?