When another murder comes on your path, but this time the stakes could be even higher..

Synopsis

An instalment in bestselling author T. A. Williams’ Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series!

A cozy crime series set in gorgeous Tuscany… It’s murder in paradise!

A secluded villa…

When Dan Armstrong is asked to provide security at a private villa on the outskirts of Pisa, he’s pretty sure it will be an easy job. Villa Gregory is remote; the gathered guests are rich – what could possibly go wrong?

A glittering gathering…

Inside the high walls of the palatial villa, Dan discovers the gathered guests are some of the most powerful tycoons in the media world, with plans for world domination. With so much at stake, Dan redoubles his efforts to keep everyone safe.

A detective under pressure?

But when one of the group is found murdered, Dan’s heart sinks – especially considering Anna’s own daughter is in the frame! When the police arrive, Dan meets formidable Inspector Adolfo Vinci, a man whose main talent seems to be for getting things wrong. It all goes from bad to worse for Dan as the man from the Leaning Tower starts leaning on him.

It’s another case for Dan and Oscar to solve and this one won’t be easy!

My review

Things are looking well for Dan Armstrong in Tuscany. His relationship with Anna is great, as he has learned from his past mistakes, and his business is also doing well.
So when he is asked to provide security at a private villa near Pisa, he thinks it would be a rather easy job, because what could possibly go wrong?
Dan and his loyal friend Oscar are ready to do their thing at Villa Gregory, and as Anna’s daughter is one of the guests, Dan hopes that he has the chance to get to know the daughter of the woman he loves.
But with a Villa filled with prominent guests, Dan is shocked to discover the murder of one of the most powerful tycoons. And with all the fingers pointing towards Anna’s daughter Virginia, and a rather lazy Inspector Adolfo Vinci, Dan is determined to discover what happened and to clear Virginia’s name…

There are a few cosy mystery – series that I am always eager to pick up, book after book after book. Yet this series is one of those lucky few! Is it because its setting in Italy? Is it because of the main characters, furry ones and not? Or is it the talent of this author that can keep on writing stories about, let’s be honest, brutal crimes, yet can keep a lightness in it after all?

It was a delight to visit Dan again, and seeing how well he was doing on several aspects in his life. Not only is his new career thriving, even his writing career is taking off. And he is surrounded by new friends, and has a beautiful woman next to him. Oh, and let’s not forget about Oscar, his furry but also most loyal friend!

His latest job brings him nearby Pisa, known for, well you know what. And as a reader, we all know that what should be an easy job for Dan and Oscar, will turn out to be the complete opposite…
Once again Dan has to investigate a murder, and not ‘just’ a murder, but a murder of a powerful man, and to make things worse, everything points in the direction of Anna’s daughter Virginia.

Obviously, as a loyal reader, I knew that Virginia would be only a diversion, as the real culprit would only be revealed at the very end of it. But in this book, the murderer could be just anyone, from the security guard to the cook, just anyone could be it.
And we all know, when there is money involved, the motives are only increasing…

I have to admit, that in this book, no matter how delightful it was to see my friends again, there were some aspects I didn’t really like. Hopefully the author will forgive me for that! 😊
For instance, I didn’t immediately liked Virginia… I could understand that it can be difficult to see your mother in love again, with another man that is not your father. But grow up, you’re an adult woman, you know how the world and how love works! How can she dislike Dan, even if she hasn’t ever met him before or talked to him?
And while I knew that she was innocent, the mean bit in me wanted her perhaps to pay for her dislike of Dan? 😊
Luckily Virginia starts to see that, despite her behaviour, Dan is in fact in her corner, and is in fact a nice man, worthy of her mother. And who could possibly resist Oscar???

Then there are the other guests present in the villa… I just couldn’t truly like them… There is a difference in being wealthy and just being a snob. And with each and every one of them having a plausible motive, the chances of me liking them only diminished. Of course they are not all alike and there are a few I disliked a little less compared to others 😊

Lastly, there is the terrible inspector, Adolfo Vinci… he is just everything that an inspector, or rather just anyone in the forces should not be. He is not only obnoxious, he is rude, thinks he knows it all, and has a severe case of tunnel vision. Just the moment he entered the scene, I felt my anger rise.  But also here we total opposite characters, showing us that while there are Adolfo Vinci’s in the world, there are plenty of others who are doing a great job!

Yet my issues with some characters didn’t take away the joy I had to put on my own detective hat on, ready to investigate along with Dan and Oscar, trying to get any clues or seeing things that may seem innocent yet hold a ticket to the truth.

Once a cosy mystery by this amazing author not only brought me back to a wonderful setting, but once again made me devour a book, where a former policeman and his loyal dog are up in resolving a murder. And next to the heavy matter of a murder, the author once again put enough of lightness, and even love in this book, making it a treat to read the book, even if blood spilling was involved.