I didn't realise this was the second in a series, but had no trouble following the story or the characters. This was a clever and enjoyable murder mystery set in Italy at the turn of the 20th Century, and follows Pellegrino Artusi, a gastronome who is doing quite well for himself following the updated, and fifth, printing of his renowned cookbook.

He is visiting the home of an entrepreneur who has created a tinned meat product that he's been selling to the Turks (very spicy, which upsets Pellegrino's stomach) and done very well by it. There is a variety of guests, all of whom have their own reasons for being there, and when a murder occurs in a locked room, Pellegrino and his friend Ispettore Artistico, lead the investigation.

I find translated books difficult sometimes because I think the nuances of the language can get lost in translation, and they can lose their beauty, and, to me, start to feel a bit formal and stiff. It's hard to explain, although I love to read translated stories! Despite this - and it's only a minor niggle - I enjoyed this and the very clever mystery within.

My thanks to Quercus Books MacLehose Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Foul Deeds and Fine Dying’ by Marco Malvaldi.

This is the second book in the Pellegrino Artusi Mystery series. It was originally published in Italy in 2020 and was translated from the Italian by Howard Curtis.

This was my first experience of Marco Malvaldi’s writing though I found that it worked fine as a stand-alone.

It is set in 1900 and Pellegrino Artusi, the great gastronome and amateur detective, is flushed with success given that his famed cookbook is in its fifth edition. He joins a weekend party at the Tuscan castle of the wealthy agricultural entrepreneur, Secondo Gazzolo. Here he meets a curious collection of guests, each with their own purpose for being there.

Then one of the party is found dead in their locked bedroom and Pellegrino and his old friend, the detective Ispettore Artistico, have to solve a classic locked room mystery.

Aside from the central mystery the book is peppered with nuggets of information about the science of food. After the main text and author’s note, Malvaldi includes a number of recipes from the ‘kitchen of Pellegrino Artusi’.

This was written in an unusual style as while set in 1900 the author often broke the fourth wall interjecting contemporary observations. I found this rather jarring as when reading historical fiction I prefer feeling immersed in the author’s vision of the period. His anachronisms disrupted my appreciation of the story.

Certainly ‘Foul Deeds and Fine Dying’ was an okay mystery with some quite clever observations. However, it didn’t particularly wow me or encourage me to want to read more of this author’s works.

‘Either you are writing a historical mystery, or you are not’ – that is what I have to say to this author, and those like him who insist on picking a historical setting for their plot, then proceed to write a very modern book which is no more than a contemporary story in period costume. This book seems to have garnered quite respectable reviews yet almost each one mentions the jarring 21st Century anachronisms, although these reviewers manage to get beyond this and appreciate the mystery. Unfortunately, this reviewer was unable to do this, as not only was I unimpressed with constantly being dragged back to the 21st century whilst attempting to immerse myself in the period, I was not particularly impressed with the mystery either and I found the constant breaking of the fourth wall - presumably in an attempt at levity and humour - merely smugly facile. Add to this the writer’s habit of constantly changing scenes with no indication or warning, characters bursting out into speech without any indication that they are even on the scene, the hyper-patronising exposition pointing out the differences between the period setting and the modern world as though the reader was a complete idiot and not able to see this for himself, and a ridiculous plot that hinges on a premise that makes no sense at all, then you have a book that is a confusing, frustrating and condescending read.

*3,5 stars. While I ended up appreciating the writing style and sass of the author intertwined with the story, I did not enjoy the story fully. Alot of this story revolves around trade, and as that is not an interest of mine it became a bit tiresome. I found myself skimming at some parts of the investigation because it simply couldn’t keep my attention. The mystery itself was intricate, enjoyable and quite unexpected so it really has to do with personal preference, don’t let my review hold you back!

The writing style was interesting and fun tho with references to our current time and interests in the world and a note of the author here and there.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the second in the series fraturing investigator Pellegrino Artusi, set in Tuscany in 1900. I've not read the first but felt it was quite easy to get to know the characters.

Pellegrino is invited to join the businessman Secondo Gazzolo in his castle for the weekend. The site is sprawling and all the different guests are there for their own reasons, one of whom ends up dead and the locked room mystery needs to be solved

This is lighthearted, funny and with plenty of red herrings to throw you off the scent and keep you entertained.

I'm a huge fan of Marco Malvaldi and his Bar Lume series is amongst my fav mysteries. I was curious to read this work in English as I wanted to know how the style of writing, with strong local influences, was translated and I had not read it before.
Malvaldi doesn't disappoint and delivers a solid mystery full of humour and featuring well researched and fleshed out characters.
I loved it and it strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

An invitation to dinner ; a gathering of gastronomic and food trading and production experts in a Tuscan castle is the backdrop to this tasty crime novel ( sorry about the pun) .Amongst the guests is Pelligrino Artusi, the infamous food writer and Professor Paolo Mantegazza - author and follower of 19th century science. The death of one of the guests opens up intrigue and suspicion as this is a locked room mystery. He has been suffocated but how ?Ispettore Artistico is summoned and the search for the murderer begins. This is a clever and at times comedic novel ; reminiscent of Andrea Camilleri when writing 19th century Sicilian tales of misdeeds.There are twists and turns and a few red herrings thrown in for good measure but what remains is a fascinating story and enjoyable crime story.Highly recommended for lovers of historical crime novels with a culinary twist and a bit of eccentricity and wisdom

Foul Deeds and Fine Dying is Italian author Marco Malvaldi's second novel featuring Pellegrino Artusi, the real-life author of La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiare bene ("The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well" - 1891), in which he is recognised to be the first to include recipes from all the different regions of Italy in a single cookbook.

Atrusi is attending a weekend party at the castle of a wealthy entrepreneur, when one of the other guests is found murdered. Inspector Artistico is called in to investigate the crime, and is helped along the way by Artusi, who he has encountered during a previous investigation (see the first novel, The Art of Killing Well).

Foul Deeds and Fine Dying is an intriguing mystery, with an original motive and unusual method, and is an enjoyable way to spend a winter weekend, dreaming of trips to Tuscany, filled with fine food and wine.

Satisfying Spin…
A satisfying spin on a locked room mystery in this atmospheric and well crafted tale featuring, gastronome and sometime amateur sleuth, Pellegrino Artusi. A weekend party at a Tuscan castle hosts the great man and other guests - all there for various reasons of their own - when one guest is discovered deceased in a locked bedroom. Artusi is soon on the case and is ably assisted by his old friend and detective Artistico. Translated from the Italian, an entertaining read with an eclectic and well drawn cast of characters, an engaging narrative and a wholly puzzling mystery at its’ heart.

First I must say having not read the first book in this series (which I didn't know there was one) I felt a bit lost at first and it took some time to get my bearings. But once I did I found it an entertaining book and I liked the food theme of the book as I love my food (cooking and eating) as much as I love reading.

There is mystery, intrigue and the setting of makes a good change to this mystery making it different from other similar books. I found it fun and enjoyed the read.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for an advance copy of Foul Deeds and Fine Dying, the second novel to feature gastronome and amateur detective Pellegrino Artusi, set in Tuscany in 1900.

Pellegrino is invited to a weekend in a castle in Tuscany by successful businessman Secondo Gazzolo. The castle is rambling and the guests have their own agendas, so it is little surprise when one of the guests is found dead in his locked room, apparently suffocated. It is up to him and Ispettore Artistico to uncover the truth.

I have not read the previous novel in this series, so I took a little time to settle in to the style of writing. To be blunt I initially found it smug and arch, with the author using 21st century analogies to make his point. Soon, however, the story took over and I found it quite immersive as it’s a real puzzle. The solution and especially the motive have to be read to be believed, but probably quite in keeping with the times, albeit at the cutting edge. I had no idea of the who or the why, but, looking back, the clues are all there if you are smart enough to put it together.

As Pellegrino is a gastronome with a successful cookery book under his belt food plays a large part in the narrative, although not in the murder. There are descriptions of what they ate, lots, but not very appealing (I’ll stick to the Hairy Bikers, thanks) and actual recipes at the end of the novel.

Foul Deeds and Fine Dying is an oddity of a novel. It has a strange narrative tone and a genuine mystery, so I came to appreciate it by the end.

A Pellegrino Artusi Mystery Series. Writer of cookbooks and amateur detective spends a weekend in Tuscany with entrepreneur Secondo Gazzolo. Each of the weekend guests are there to do their own deals but something goes seriously wrong and we end up with a locked room death. This is a mystery where the setting becomes one of the main parts of the mystery. You have all the aspects of a locked room mystery but it’s given a new fresh spin. This is my first look at this series and found no problem as the story can be read as a stand alone.
I would well recommend giving over a wet afternoon to this latest in the series.
Thank you NetGalley and (publisher, Quercus Books) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.