Murder on the Vine is the third book in a series by Camilla Trinchieri. Even though I haven’t read the two previous books, this book worked well as a stand-alone and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The well-written story takes place in Italy and involves Nico, a retired detective, who is recovering from his wife’s death. There are a number of other colorful and well-developed characters, as well as an interesting mystery. But, beyond that, this is a book that transports the reader to a beautiful village in Tuscany. The descriptions of the area as well as the food makes it even more of a pleasure to read. With the addition of Nico’s dog, One Wag, a bit of romance, and the well-plotted mystery, it all adds up to a very enjoyable addition to this series. NetGalley provided an advance copy.

Murder on the Vine is the third Tuscan mystery by Camilla Trinchieri. Released 13th Sept 2022 by Soho Press on their Soho Crime imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats. E-format is especially useful here, for flipping back and forth to the dramatis personae list the author has included.

This is a very well written destination mystery, absolutely redolent of the Italian countryside and full of the food and culture of the area. Ex NYPD detective Nico Doyle winds up helping a local restaurateur figure out how a local man wound up stabbed, wrapped in plastic, and stuffed into his trunk. The plotting is well controlled and the characterizations are beautifully rendered and believable. It works well enough as a standalone, but readers may struggle a bit to keep the characters straight. Use of the character list in the back of the book is recommended.

There will be inevitable comparisons with Leon's Brunetti, Walker's Bruno, and Bannalec's Dupin. Although not at all derivative, this series is more than competently written and can stand on its own merits in that company.

Four and a half stars. Quite highly recommended, especially to fans of destination mysteries and procedurals.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

A mouthwatering mix of murder and Tuscany This was a great installment to the series.
Many thanks to SoHo Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Murder on the Vine is a small town mystery that takes place in Tuscany, Italy. Nico, a retired NYPD detective is frequently enmeshed in investigations and uses his experience to support the local carabiniere. Wine, good food and mayhem, all come together as a recipe for an enjoyable and intriguing read.

**I received an electronic ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review of this book.

Murder on the Vine is the third book in a series that takes place in a Tuscan community where Nick Doyle, retired New York Police Department detective, has settled after his wife's death. It is her hometown and he has involved himself with her relatives' cafe and police activities. I was unfamiliar with the series, but plan to go back and read the first two installments. Trincheri's cast of characters are engaging as is the locale. As usual, food plays an important role in an Italian based mystery and Nico enjoys preparing food. He is struggling with the break in or break up of a relationship with a local artist. Nico's dog, One Wag, former feral dog, is a HOOT. My new favorite recurring animal character in a series.

This story starts with the murder of Cesare, 80 year old bartender in a local hotel. He is found in a parking lot, tossed in the trunk of a car of a local man. The investigation ripples through the community, and challenges the local Caribinieri. Nico brings his two cents to the investigation. The lot had cameras. The body was moved from the murder scene. Cesare is a bit mysterious, closed about his past. He's a great listener as a bartender and friends with the hotel manager since she was a child, but he is also closed off to a larger circle of friends. Various people know little bits about him. His nephew obviously has a mixed relationship with him. The clues are there. The red herrings are convincing. A well written and entertaining plot/story.

This is the third in a newer series by this author, and although in a series, it definitely stands alone for new readers. Nico Doyle, a retired American police officer, leaves the US after his wife dies. He moves to Italy, to her Tuscan hometown, and settles down in the countryside. Naturally, murders keep happening around him, and in cooperation with the local police, he gets to work on solving them. There is so much appeal in this series -- a great, quiet main character overcoming grief, a picturesque Italian small town, colorful secondary characters, a cast of eccentric townspeople. It is also one of those series that will appeal to both male and female readers. I truly look forward to recommending this title.

This mystery series is set in Italy, where New York police detective Nico Doyle has retired. The setting was one of my favorite parts of the story, along with descriptors of the food and life in general. This is Nico's third murder he's helped solve in his newly adopted home.

An elderly bartender is found murdered, and Nico helps his local friends find the solution. I feel that the characters were sympathetically drawn out, and that I've missed getting to know them in the first two books. Although you don't need to have read the prior books, I think it would help to get a better understanding of the characters. I enjoyed Murder on the Vine, and now will try to fill in the missing gaps of the series! I give this a 3.5.

When an elderly bartender goes missing, an ex-NYPD detective living in Italy takes an interest, and before long he is present when a body is found in the trunk of a car. Who murdered the old man, and why? Could it have something to do with land the murdered man's heir wants to sell to a developer? Or could it be linked to a long-ago road accident?

This is likely a series that fans of Martin Walker's Bruno series would enjoy. It offers lots of pretty scenery, discussions of food, and recurring characters who seem to lead a charmed life in a traditional European setting. For those who want a little more forward momentum, this is more back roads and scenic byways than a trip on a Strade Statali. But for cozy readers who aren't in a hurry and want some armchair travel with a bit of murder included, this would likely hit the spot.

We open on what should be a peaceful delightful scene--a small town rural restaurant in the hills of Tuscany, gorgeous views. At first we attribute the sense of malaise to the upheaval in the relationship of the retired detective Nico Doyle who has come to live in the village and his painter sometimes girlfriend, Nelli. Even Nico , now that the tourists have gone home wants to simply enjoy the beauty of their land--and he and the other locals do--, until a murder upsets the equilibrium of the locals. A grouchy, mysterious loner's body is found in the trunk o one of the partners in the ownership of the local bar.
Trinchieri draws wonderful characters, wonderful descriptions--and treats us to a sensuous feast of Italian food along the way. But among the dishes Nico creates, against the backdrop of the hills, the grape harvest, and the
various interactions of the Carabinieri force - Trinchieri , like the word magician she is, manages to snare us into the hunt for the killer--of the first man and then a second. We hunger for justice along with Nico--and of course simply hunger for the wonderful food she describes. Her resolution of the story is well crafted and as for the love story of Nico and Nelli and the young Carabinieri, and a local girl--well, let me say you will likely find these side stories leaving you with a smile--but just enough tension to keep you waiting for the next book in the series.
I've come to love this series and highly recommend this book and all the others.

THIS IS THE THRID BOOK IN THE SERIES, BUT FIRST I HAVE READ. THE AUTHOR GIVES YOU SOME INFO FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS, TO KEEP YOU CURRENT, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO PROHIBIT GOING BACK AND READING THE BOOKS. IT'S AN ENJOYABLE READ , AND ONE THAT MAKES YOU WISH TO BE IN ITALY ON VACATION, SO BE WARNED! GREAT USE OF LOCAL COLOR AND CHARACTERS TO MAKE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MYSTERY. YOU'LL ENJOY THIS NEW SERIES AND A LOOK AT A DIFFERENT PART OF THE WORLD,

This book had too many voices for me, I’m not a huge fan of multiple narrators, and this book had too many for me to enjoy. The murder mystery was solid, but all the narrators deterred me from truly enjoying it.
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

The author, Camilla Trinchieri, started her novel by stating that the reader could be confused by the many names. She was right to a point, but after a couple of chapters it becomes easier. It helps that she includes a list of characters at the end of the novel with a brief description. Reading an ebook is very inconvenient . I found it difficult to access the list and then locate my place in the book. I would recommend buying the book in hardback for that reason.
I enjoyed the story. It had many twists and turns like any good mystery. Just when you think you know who the killer is, however, events change and lead you to another character as the possible murderer.
Nico Doyle the ex-homicide detective from New York helps the local marisciello (police marshal) and his brigadier find the murderer of Cesare Ronaldo. Ms. Trinchieri has him very involved in helping to find the guilty person, but carefully makes that discovery a shared responsibility of several characters. Most mystery writers concentrate on one or two characters at the most. That makes it more interesting and worth reading.

Murder in Tuscany!

A story of murder interspersed with meals that sound so scrumptious that I was salivating. Really, every second page deals with a different food, or type of meal. What joy!
Nico Doyle an ex NYP detective, Salvatore Perillo the local head of the Carabinieri and Daniel Donato, Salvatore’s assistant, are once again caught up in murder. Laura Benati, the manager of Hotel Bella Vista has reported that her bartender Cesare Rinaldo as missing. It seems there’s plenty of people with a reason to want to dispose of Cesare. Are their historical reasons for Cesare missing, economic?
Nico is at a crisis point in his personal life. He’s attracted to local artist Nelli Corsi but where does that leave his feelings for hips dead wife Rita. He wants something more in his relationship with Nelli but he’s still grieving the loss of Rita. Conflicted!
Underneath flows the stories of the characters personal lives and their hopes, dreams and fears. I love that this series has such a communal feel. Old timers giving their opinions on everything, as do his wife’s relations, in fact everyone in the town. Nico’s dog One Wag is front and center, adding a touch of the quixotic.
Another satisfying Italian mystery set in Gravigna, a small town in the Chianti hills of Tuscany.

A Soho Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I would like to thank Netgalley and Soho Press for an advance copy of Murder on the Vine, the third novel to feature retired NYPD homicide detective Nico Doyle, set in rural Tuscany.

Hotel manager, Laura Benati, summons Maresciallo Perillo back to the station from his breakfast with Nico, because she wants to report that her barman and best friend, eighty year old Cesare Rinaldi has been missing for three days. The next day Nico and his dog, OneWag, find Cesare’s body in the boot of local cafe owner Jimmy’s car.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder on the Vine, which has an interesting plot and offers a strong insight into the food and customs of rural Tuscany, along the same lines as Martin Walker’s Dordogne series.

The novel is told from the investigative point of view, so the reader knows what they know and can try to outguess them. Frankly, I failed miserably and was as surprised as some members of the team when the murderer’s identity and motive were revealed. It is a fairly gentle novel and while Cesare’s injuries are brutal most of the novel consists of interviews and conjecture, rather than hard science and a bruising approach. It is an easy way to pass a few hours.

The novel is as occupied with lifestyle and characterisation as it is with investigation, so the small towns in the area are well described, but the author reserves her biggest guns for the food. I honestly don’t know how they can all eat so much, but as it all sounds so mouthwatering I can understand the temptation. If Nico’s not cooking they are in a restaurant or cafe or if they have to work sandwiches are sent in. The Mariesciallo is trying to give up smoking and deal with a midlife crisis, so he’s constantly short tempered, Nico is trying to resurrect his relationship with local artist Nelli, but it’s complicated and young Brigadiore Daniele Donato, who turns out to be the star of the novel, is navigating the tempestuous Perillo and trying to start a new romance. The reader can’t help but get involved and root for them.

Murder on the Vine is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

This is the third installment of Camilla Trinchieri's Tuscan mystery series about ex-NYPD homicide detective Nico Doyle who is now living in his late wife's small hometown in Tuscany. As before, Nico is called in to assist the carabinieri when a local hotel bartender, 80 year old Cesare Costanzi is missing then found murdered. The story follows a variety of leads and characters and ultimately comes up with a satisfying solution while Nico deals with personal issues as well. But the star of the story is the Tuscan food, wine and scenery, lovingly described by Trinchieri throughout. A fun read, and one to spur the desire for some Tuscan food and wine.

I was so pleased to discover this mystery series. I have now read all three books and loved them all. The mysteries are always good, with plenty of suspects and twists, but what really draws me to these books is everything else: the people, the locale, and the food and wine! You can definitely read this third book in the series as a standalone but you’ll miss all the wonderful backstory of the main characters.

These books feature an American of Irish and Italian heritage, Nico Doyle, whose wife was Italian. Nico was a homicide detective in the NYPD and has now settled into an early retirement in his wife’s hometown, Gravigna in the Tuscany area of Italy. He just wants to lead a quiet life, helping in his wife’s family’s restaurant and playing around with recipes in his cottage. Once Perillo, the local “maresciallo” (marshal) of the carabinieri (sort of Italy’s national police force), learned of Nico’s background, he began asking him for help with his rare cases of murder. They have now become good friends, along with the young “brigadiere” (sergeant) Daniele Donato, who is just delightful and is a good counterpoint to the gruffer maresciallo. Nico greatly misses his wife, Rita, and frequently brings flowers to her grave. This book has him wrestling with his feelings for a local artist, Nelli. I found all the relationships quite realistic - from the grouchy but loving mother-in-law of Rita’s cousin, to the two gay men who own the local bar where Nico eats breakfast most mornings.

The mystery here involves the death of an elderly bartender in a local hotel. There were quite a few possible suspects and I loved the back-and-forth between Nico and the two carabinieri, going over the case and eliminating and adding suspects. Poor Perillo is trying to stop smoking and the stress isn’t helping him with that. The story proceeds at a leisurely pace, so don’t expect non-stop action in this series. Just enjoy the detours. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but the author has provided a list of them at the end of the book (it really should be in the front of the book). If you’ve read the earlier books, you’ll already know many of them anyway.

You cannot help but salivate over the food descriptions - but don’t worry; they don’t overwhelm the story, they just embellish it.

I highly recommend this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Soho Crime for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A mystery combination of ex-NYPD detective, sumptuous Italian food and great wine. Crime solving at it's best. Thoroughly enjoyed the combination. Thank you #netgalley for the advanced copy.

A delightfully cozy mystery set in the hills of Italy! Fell in love with all of the characters in “Murder on the Vine,” from Nico to Nelli and Perillo to sweet OneWag. All of Trinchieri’s food & drink descriptions along the way made me hungry; a welcome addition to the murder mystery at hand.

Love that this is actually part of a series. Can’t wait to try the others. Pour yourself a glass of Chianti & curl up under a blanket with this read!

I requested to read and review this book for free from Soho Press Inc. This book had a little bit of everything drama, romance, mystery. Family is an interesting dynamic. We want to believe that they can do no wrong. And if we think they have the guilt that we can carry can be over powering. But family or not committing murder is wrong no matter what! We need to do the right thing even if it's hard. Do we truly know not just our family but what about friends. We all deserve happiness some of us just need to work harder on tell I g ourselves that. Things that happen in our past shape our future more then we realize. You will meet in this book a handful of characters that each play a part in the storyline. Some of the main characters is Nico, Perillo and Daniele and Laura are the ones I feel you hear about the most. But the other characters are just as important. This book can be ready anywhere and by anyone!

We are back in Gravigna, Chianti with Nico Doyle, ex-NY Policeman now living in the town where his deceased wife lived. Nico helps out the local policeman, Perillo and his right hand man Daniele. Laura, the manager of the Hotel Bella Vista reports that her bar tender, Cesare, has been missing for three days. Soon, Jimmy at the Bar All'Angolo calls his partner Sandro to say that he has run out of gas and needs to be picked up. Nico volunteers to go. After filling up the gas tank, Nico and One Wag, his dog, notice a strong smell coming from the trunk. They find a body wrapped in plastic which turns out to be Cesare with stabs to his chest.

It turns out that Cesare's next door neighbor has been trying to purchase his house and land and Cesare's nephew Pietro doesn't like Cesare. Cesare has left his house and land to Pietro, his money to Laura, and wants his valuable motorcycle (which has not yet been found) buried with him. Cesare had spilled wine on two customers, Dottor Vittori and Sirio Reni, the night before he disappeared and Vittori chewed him out. Perillo, Daniele and Nico have their work cut out for them, with very few clues and lots of folks to investigate. Perillo seems to like Laura for the killing, but Daniele and Nico are much more sympathetic towards her.

There are also some couples getting interested in each other - Daniele and Stella, Nico's relative, and Nico and Nelli, a local artist. Nico is conflicted with remembering his deceased wife, and wanting to get closer to Nelli. Most of the characters are very likeable, and Perillo, Daniele and Nico get along well. Although Perillo is the boss, it seems that Daniele and Nico do more of the detecting.

There is awhile when the detectives think the killing might be related to the death of Laura's sister nine years before. Then after there is another death (of one of the suspects), we finally meet the real villain. This is the third book in the series, and it's the best so far.