Former New York detective Nico Doyle retires to Italy and finds himself as an advisor to the carabinieri in Gravigna. When he is asked to assist in the murder investigation of an eighty-year-old bartender, the body is unexpectedly discovered in the trunk of the local cafe owner's car. Who would want to kill this elderly, sad old man? Nico and Maresciallo Perillo join forces to figure out who murdered Cesare Costanzi. This is the third Tuscan Mystery,but only the first I have read. Reading this one doesn't require the reader to be familiar with the others, but I enjoyed this one so much, I plan to go back and read the others.

Another good one from Trinchieri - nothing earth-shattering, but still enjoyable to read and with her usual moderate delving into characters and the motives behind their decisions.

This is the third novel in a series that features ex-cop Nico who has moved to a small Italian town following the death of his beloved wife. Over the course of the stories, he has established himself in his new community.

Nico works at a relative’s restaurant for the joy and focus that it offers. He also helps the police in some of their murder cases. Given his avocations, readers get to know police officers, Nico’s family and friends, and some eccentric locals as they experience the story. Readers are also treated to many descriptions of cooking and foods. There is even a bit of romance. All of this makes me pretty certain that readers who enjoy the novels of Donna Leon will also want to read these stories.

This time, an elderly bartender is murdered. Was it because of his family land, his being gay, his connection to hotel owner Laura, or something else entirely? To what extent, will a tragedy in Laura’s past play into the story? All will, of course, eventually be revealed.

This book can be read as a standalone or readers may want to begin at the beginning. Either way, this leisurely paced series is one to savor.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Soho Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Some of the things I loved about this book are the same things I didn't like so much lol I absolutely loved the different cultures, the foods, the scenery! But those are some of the things I didn't like?! It seemed like I was lost in the wording? Or description? Its hard to explain but I think it was the different cultures I guess?! But I felt very lost at times and didn't understand what I just read?! The only thing I can think is the difference in countries?! I don't know, it was a decent read I enjoyed reading but I was very lost at times! Thank you netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC.

To be honest, this was a DNF for me. I think maybe it would have been different if I had already read the first 2 books but this is my first in the series. The number of different characters was hard for me to keep up with and I just couldn’t get into it.

cultural-exploration, dog, expats, family, family-business, family-drama, family-dynamics, friendship, law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, muted-humor, procedural, read, relationship-issues, relationships, relatives, restaurant, secrets, small-business, small-town, Tuscany, LGBT*****

Widowed ex-NYPD homicide detective (Nico) moves to Tuscany where he has good memories and his wife's family (and they need his help in the restaurant). Remember the adage about taking the man out of the job? He got to be friends with the local Carabinieri (Perillo and Daniele) last year over a murder and has made many other friends as well including a woman artist and a dog, OneWag.
I think that this can stand alone because the author references the past very well. I was surprised, however, that the cast of characters (pun intended) came at the end. There is quite a bit of personal stuff going on with the continuing characters as well as the new ones, and the integrated work by Carabinieri and retired NYPD is outstanding (especially with all the roadblocks erected by suspects).
Expect plot twists, beautiful countryside, believable engaging characters, red herrings, and mouthwatering menus. EXCELLENT read! Proof that books in series get better as they go along.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Soho Press/Soho Crime via NetGalley. Thank you!

This book was sent to me by Netgalley for review. Intrigue and mystery…likable characters and some not so much. Thanks to the publisher for the electronic copy. Enjoy

Nico is a widower, a retired NYC homicide detective living in Tuscany who helps the local carabiniere unofficially. When Cesare, a elderly bartender is murdered, there are a number of suspects. Perhaps the obnoxious businessman who had a nasty exchange with Cesare? Or could it be Cesare’s greedy nephew, who feels entitled to a large inheritance? I was not familiar with this series so it took me awhile to figure out who everyone was, but when I did, I really enjoyed this novel--now I want to go back and read about Nico’s previous adventures. Recommended for anyone who enjoys mysteries where the location (like Donna Leon’s Brunetti in Venice or Martin Walker’s Bruno in France) is as important as the characters and the plot. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Retired (and romantically conflicted) Nico Doyle, a former NYC homicide detective, investigates the murder of an elderly bartender in his adopted Tuscan village. What makes this book, and series, special are the personalities surrounding Nico, They make the village come alive, and the author paints a brilliant picture of Tuscan life. The meals and wines described are a magnificent bonus that left me searching for recipes. A mouth-watering reading experience. Recommended!

This is third in the series, and it felt like stepping back into the lives of old friends, as well as visiting a part of Italy I feel like I'm coming to know, even though I've never visited there. I cared as much about what was going on in all of their lives as I did the mystery, which in itself was well-developed and interesting. In particular, I love how One Wag has become a character in his own right. Series fans won't be disappointed. New readers should start with the first in the series.

Astonishingly good……the plot is twisty, and the location and sense of place feel like a holiday. This latest installment is marvelous, and a great beach read.

This is an endlessly fascinating series that completely satisfies - both for its complex mysteries and for its beautifully rendered setting - contemporary Italy in the Tuscany region. The food of the region is always lovingly featured, and surprisingly informative. Widowed and retired NYC homicide detective Nico Doyle is living a quiet life at his late wife's village, but crime calls frequently. The police and local characters have slowly adopted Nico as their own, and each brings his or her own story and interesting quirks to life. Well written plots and excellent characterization. Highly recommended series.

This was a fun mystery set in Tuscany. It seems like it would be better to read the entire series in order, although I was able to read this book as a stand alone and follow along. The depictions of Italian life (and food!) are lovely. The characters and the relationships between the characters are well developed, although they did become predictable as the book went on. While I enjoyed the mystery and wanted to find out what happened, the solution was also somewhat predictable as it felt clear that various stories were introduced in order to all tie together at the end.