Retired from London's Metropolitan Police, Dan Armstrong is living the dream in Tuscany. His former work experience has brought him in contact with the local police and he often serves as an interpreter for them. in addition to helping solve crimes. He's recently set up as a private investigator and also met a lovely Italian woman. and is working on his second novel - the first one being a huge success.
When a former London colleague phones to ask Dan to check on his sister who's currently with a group of UFO believers in the Italian Alps, Dan and his dog, Oscar, join the group as a fellow believer and immediately senses problems. When one of the group is brutally murdered and another critically injured and left for dead, Dan joins forces with local law enforcement to flush out the killer.
This is the fifth in the Armstrong and Oscar series and I've enjoyed all of them. The strength of the series lies in the setting and the characters. Williams portrays Tuscany and in this title, the mountainous area of Italy in a way that puts the reader on site. The descriptions of wonderful food is mouthwatering. But the characters are the stars. Each one is well-drawn, including Oscar! I look forward to the next in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced readers copy.

Interesting characters and several twists along the way. A very good read!

Thank you to T A Williams, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the arc of this book.

Murder At The Matterhorn is another engaging, cosy mystery in the Armstong and Oscar series set in Italy. It's full of quirky characters and has a likeable amateur sleuth team, Dan Armstrong and Oscar the lovely labrador. The vibrantly described alpine setting and the murder mystery, with echoes of close encounters and the X-Files, add new interest to the sleuthing. There are numerous suspects and twists, but the investigation is easy to follow and a satisfying conclusion. I love this story's vivid description, clever mystery, and humour.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A call from an ex-colleague worried about his daughter, part of a group of UFO enthusiasts camping in the Alps where a body has been found, sees Dan and Oscar leaving Tuscany for a while and going undercover, providing translation help (and, as always, a little more) to the local police. Although some of the group might believe it was the work of extra-terrestrials – fire at the site where the body was found, signs of a spaceship having landed, and plenty of lights in the night sky to excite the ufologists – the perpetrator is far more likely to be human.

And there are certainly plenty of suspects at the camp – the victim turns out to be known by several of them, and there are plenty who might have their reasons to be glad to see his end. And it’s quite a substantial cast of characters yielding those suspects – many of them distinctly quirky, others with hidden secrets, all quite wonderfully drawn individuals moving in and out of the frame in turn.

The police team is led by a heavily pregnant inspector who’s initially none too keen on Dan and Oscar’s involvement – but won over as they work more closely together, and she appreciates the advantages of having them on her side if she’s going to bring the investigation to a necessary early conclusion. Oscar, of course, sets about charming all the ladies in turn – while Dan, as always, usually has to work rather harder. And there’s also a part to be played by the supporting characters we’ve become familiar with in the earlier books in the series – paving the way, doing some background digging, helping piece the facts together.

The mountain setting is just wonderful – so vividly described, with its villages and landscape (with plenty of pine cones and sticks for Oscar), the nearby hotel and convent-cum-eatery extending the focus of the investigation and providing places to convene and regroup out of sight from the group (and also providing Oscar with opportunities to stave off any possibility of starvation – the local police chief ensuring Dan is frequently well fed too).

There are, as you’d expect, plenty of red herrings – some skullduggery and surprises along the way, but the expected satisfactory conclusion with identification of the villain I’d entirely failed to spot. And without spoiling the story, I really have to mention how very much I loved the scene at the book’s ending – the quite perfect touch!

Every book in this lovely series becomes my new favourite – and this one is certainly no exception. Sheer enjoyment from beginning to end, but with plenty of substance to the investigation to keep more dedicated mystery aficionados happy and make it a wholly compelling read – I really loved it, and hope we have many more books to come.

I love Dan&Oscar mysteries as I always have a lot of fun and they keep me guessing.
This time we are far from Tuscany, in Valle d’Aosta and I love the attention to the details and the realistic descriptions of the places.
This is an intriguing case and, trust me, there’s a lot of ufologists on the North West Alps. The characters are quirky, one of the most interesting parts is how Dan can communicate with them and learn what he need to solve the case.
The mystery is full of surprises, and I loved the solution. It’s a well plotted, tightly knitted, and fast paced story I read in one sitting.
I remain of the opinion that Mr Williams’ book should be marketed by the Tourist Offices as they’re an entertaining and compelling way to learn about different part of Italy.
I would suggest Langhe for the next mystery as I would be curious to read about Oscar searching truffles (joking)
If you are new to this series go and read the rest even if this one can be read as a stand-alone.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.

I adore this mystery series set in the Tuscan region of Italy. In this installment, Dan and his full of doggie personality, Oscar, head to the mountainous region of Italy to solve a crime.

Dan is a retired police investigator from England who is now a retired PI in Italy.

Dan is doing a favor for an old friend. He heads to an isolated mountain top with a group of UFO lovers where a murder has taken place. Dan helps the local authorities with not only translations but also with figuring out one murder that becomes two.

And it isn’t aliens doing these crimes my friends.

T. A. Williams delivers not only breathtaking descriptions, but also another nice twisty cozy mystery this series.

This is one of those cozy mystery series that I also call armchair travel. I enjoy revisiting Italy each time with these books and try to solve the mystery along with the characters.

Retired Detective Dan Armstrong is back giving us a glimpse of the beautiful scenery in Tuscany where he lives and works as a private investigator.
A man is found dead in the Matterhorn region and Dan is asked by an old police colleague if he can attend the scene and find out more about the incident.
Dan agrees to help and takes along his trusty sidekick Oscar the labrador .
The group of people the man was with were trying to spot UFO activity .
Dan helps the local police by interpreting the groups responses to the police interviews and also learns the man was murdered.
The group contains a few suspects and any one of them could be the perpetrator.
The book is well written and easy to read.
The location is beautiful as always and I was kept guessing right until the end .
An enjoyable cosy mystery and I’m looking forward to the next case for Armstrong and Oscar.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

I love this series more with every installment! This is T.A. Williams’ fifth mystery featuring retired police commissioner Dan Armstrong and his faithful dog Oscar. Here Dan travels north from his home in Tuscany, to the Alps, to help an old friend, whose sister is camping with a group of UFOlogists. When their search for extraterrestrial life at the Matterhorn is interrupted by murder Dan agrees to infiltrate the group and aid as a translator. The unusual setting and events make for a great story. Dan meets some very interesting characters and the descriptions of food and the beauty of Italy are as vivid as in the previous books. Plus, Oscar is as charming as always! Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Book 5 in the Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Mystery series featuring ex Detective and now PI Dan Armstrong and his best mate Oscar his black labrador. Settled in Tuscany he is asked by Virgilio if he could help with an investigation into a death in the Matterhorn region. It involved a group of English people and the local police needed help with translation.

Briefly, Dan finds himself amongst a group of ufologists. A body has been found and the group believe the victim was caught in the blast of a UFO taking off. The police and Dan investigate although to be fair an awful lot of time is taken up sampling the local good and wine!

Some hilarious moments from UFO the group believing there are aliens living amongst them. Yes it is that sort of story! An hilariously clever cozy murder mystery and a very enjoyable read.

Like Dan, I had to contain my scepticism for a fair amount of this book, as he helps the police investigate a murder at an encampment of UFO enthusiasts. For those at the camp are utterly convinced that it was an accidental killing, caused by an alien rocket ship backfiring, and the dead person just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Thankfully the evidence doesn't support that theory but instead leads us to meeting a whole group of rather interesting folk, of which I could of obvious looking suspects emerge fairly fast.

Was nice seeing Dan and Oscar away from their beloved Tuscany and instead up in the mountains this time, with a new police team being helped too.

And Oscar is as fabulous as always, able to put especially the ladies at ease, allowing Dan to try to get to know the truth.

I am loving how every book so far in this series feels quite different and seeing Dan and Oscar being able to travel and be in new situations will help keep this fresh for books to come. Of course the series regulars are present too, just not front and centre.

This is another fabulous addition to the series, and one I hope keeps going for a long while.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this latest book in the series (though I haven’t read them all so it also reads as a stand alone book). The descriptions of the Alps are stunning. Dan, and his adorable dog Oscar, step in to help the Italian police with their investigation into the murder of a UFO fan. The group of ufologists are a mixed and interesting selection of people, and their secrets are gradually revealed. I liked the relationships between Dan and the police officers, they are all convincing and likeable characters. I recommend this book, and am looking forward to reading more of Dan and Oscar’s detective works.

Oh my goodness!!! Another amazing read with Dan and his sidekick, Oscar, his Labrador.

This time Dan and Oscar are asked by Dan's in Scotland Yard to help out when his sister is caught up in a murder investigation within a UFO camp in the hills surrounding the Matterhorn.

Can you guess who is or are the murderers, this will have you guessing until the end.

I can not get enough of these book and look forward to the next installment!!

I really enjoy this series, set in beautiful Tuscany for the most part but travelling to the Alps for this instalment on the hunt for a murderer and little green men!

In this latest adventure, Dan and his ever present sidekick, Oscar the dog, have been asked to help track a murderer at a ufologist camp in the mountains. There are clues pointing towards aliens but they quickly find that this isn’t the case, but no one is saying anything. Working as a translator and lending his experience as a former police officer in the London force, Dan helps to find out what is going on. Including the source of the strange lights that have been seen night after night….

A quick easy read that keeps you guessing and perfect for fans of crime mysteries, aliens and Italian food!!

This series just keeps getting better and better!

Dan Armstrong and his dog, Oscar, are heading off to the mountains at the behest of an old friend in London whose daughter is caught up in a murder enquiry. Visiting with a group of UFO enthusiasts, one of their number has been found dead, so her father has reached out to Dan. It's not long before he and Oscar are on site, mixing with the other ufologists and offering to help the local police as a translator. - whilst doing a bit of investigating of his own . ..

As the owner of two labradors - one of whom is called Oscar - I have adored this series from the very beginning. I was always a fan of Trevor Williams' romances anyway, and his love of labradors just shines through all his novels. He has their traits down to a 'T', making me chuckle throughout. His mysteries are well-planned, beautifully written and rather delicious! As well as working out who did what to whom, we also get to enjoy the delights of the food - always tantalisingly described and which makes my mouth water and my tum rumble! I thoroughly enjoyed this latest enigmatic mystery and look forward to more in this series. An easy five sparkling stars and my highest recommendation - especially to lab lovers!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy cia NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

private-investigators, ex-cop, UFO fanatics, unputdownable, friendship, friends, cooperation, writers, cozy-mystery, hospitality-industry, Labrador-dog, local-law-enforcement, murder-investigation, relationships, relationship-issues, undercover, translators*****
Not an unbiased review. Love the series and Oscar in particular!
Dan Armstrong retired after 30 years in the Murder Squad where his "pals" gave him the "gift" of a writers' retreat in Tuscany. Since then, he has become divorced, settled in to stay in Italy, made friends with some men in the local Polizia, adopted a Black Lab (Oscar), written a mystery that's recently been published, and made the acquaintance of a bilingual professor who seems to understand that you can take the man out of The Job but you can't take The Job out of the man.
While this is a cozy mystery, it is also something of a procedural because of personal involvement with the local police where they make use of his Italian/English translation abilities and he gathers information from his colleagues back in England. Fun, twisty, surprising, and definitely unputdownable! Great characters, good worldbuilding, very relatable, and no problem as a standalone.
I requested and received an EARC from Boldwood Books courtesy of NetGalley. Thank you!

This was another brilliant mystery featuring Dan Armstrong and the gorgeous Oscar.
Dan receives a call for help from an ex-colleague in London who is worried about his daughter. As a result, Dan and Oscar drive to the mountains to join a group of UFO seekers where there has been a suspicious death.
At the mountain site, there is a whole company of odd ball characters including several who seem to be hiding something as well as a heavily pregnant police inspector who is determined to solve this case before beginning her maternity leave. She is initially reluctant to have Dan’s help but is won over by his interpreting skills and ability to talk to the UFO group informally.
As always, the setting of these mysteries is integral to the story. The mountain landscape and surrounding villages are vividly described and definitely made me want to visit the area. And the food! Just reading this book made me hungry.
I love this series. Dan is a really likeable character and his police background makes his involvement in these mysteries less unlikely than in many amateur detective novels. Oscar is as delightful as ever and adds a lovely touch to the situations.
This is part of a series but it could easily be read as a stand-alone. However I would recommend the whole series for any lover of crime fiction with a slightly unusual setting.
Huge thanks to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read this ARC. My thoughts and opinions ar entirely my own.

Having never read any of the books from the Dan Armstrong series, I applied to read this book based on the fact that it was set in the swiss alps. and the cover was cute!
Having no real expectations going into this book, I really enjoyed it. It is a murder investigation yes, but it is absolutely heaps of fun to read. The pace was strong and writing was good, between plot and descriptive writing. I need to catch up with the previous books now!

Shroud Of Secrecy..
The fifth entry in the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series and another assignment for Dan and Oscar - albeit a rather more unusual one than their usual ambit allows. As mystery, death and tales of alien abduction abound, can Dan get to the bottom of the strange goings on and break through the apparent shroud of secrecy? With a wonderful sense of place, a cast of well crafted and credible characters - not least the delightful Oscar- and an intriguing mystery at its very heart this is another enjoyable and entertaining entry to the series.

Three and a half stars.

Dan Armstrong and his trusty canine companion Oscar are asked by an old friend in Scotland Yard to assist his sister, she's been attending a two-week Ufologists camp near to Matterhorn looking for evidence of extraterrestrials but a fellow camp mate has died in suspicious circumstances and she thinks there is something weird going on. Dan agrees to pretend to have an interest in UFOs and at the same time offers his services to translate for the local police force as a bilingual native English speaker with the ufologists who are all British/American.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, I had my suspicions about the murderer almost from the start (well maybe midway through) but it came together well.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Available on Kindle Unlimited.