annieb123's Review of Murder in Florence

by T A Williams

Don't miss the next instalment in bestselling author T. A. Williams' Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series!

A brand-new cozy crime series set in gorgeous Tuscany...It's murder in paradise!

A glamorous film star…

Life as a private investigator in the suburbs of Florence isn’t always as glamorous as Dan Armstrong imagined it to be, until he is asked to investigate a recent spate of violent attacks on a Hollywood movie set in Florence. The star of the show, movie-star royalty Selena Gardner, fears her life is in imminent danger…

Foul play on set…

As Dan investigates, he discovers secrets and scandals are rife within the cast and crew. But with no actual murder, Dan believes these attacks could simply be warnings to someone…until the first body is found.

A dangerous killer on the loose.

Now Dan and his trusty sidekick Oscar are in a race against time to catch the murderer. But the more Dan uncovers, the more the killer strikes and Dan finds himself caught in the line of fire too! Is this one case Dan and Oscar will regret?

A gripping new murder mystery series by bestselling author T.A. Williams, perfect for fans of Death in Paradise, Lee Strauss and Beth Byers.

Readers love Dan and Oscar!

'The story line is brilliant no boring parts and kept me guessing to the end. Can't wait for the next one!' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review

'Well written, good plot, lovely descriptions of Tuscany and Italian way of life. Looking forward to the next in series, love the dog' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review

'I highly recommend these books . Tremendous fun and very witty and written with a light touch' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review

Praise for T.A. Williams!

"The perfect combination of character, setting and plot, heralding an addictive new cozy mystery series!" Bestselling author Debbie Young

"Watching unassuming detective Dan Armstrong weddle the truth out of folks is great fun. Highly Entertaining read!" Bestselling author Kelly Oliver

“Dan and Oscar are great company in a sun-drenched mystery that keeps you guessing right till the end.” Bestselling author Michelle Salter

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Murder in Florence is the third Armstrong and Oscar cozy destination mystery by T.A. Williams. Released 7th April 2023 by Boldwood books, it's 267 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also currently available on KU.

This is a beautifully descriptive and well written destination mystery set in Tuscany. Expat former policeman Dan Armstrong and his trusty canine sidekick Oscar are asked to help investigate a spate of attacks and accidents on the set of a movie in production in the area. Dan's ostensibly along to facilitate translations in English for the police and witnesses, but his insights are valuable and he and the lead detective have a good rapport and friendship.

The plotting is solid and the dialogue and characterizations are wonderfully rendered and believable. The mystery, denouement, and resolution are self contained in this volume, so it works well enough as a standalone, but the writing and mystery are so well planned and executed, that it would make an excellent weekend binge or buddy read. There are currently 4 books available. The scenery, characterizations, and mystery are consistently high quality and complex enough that it would also make a fine selection for a mystery book club discussion.

It's not derivative at all, but it reminded me in a lot of good ways of Leon's exceptional Brunetti books as well as Walker's lovely Bruno, chief of police books. Fans of those authors will find a lot to enjoy here.

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

Reading updates

6 August, 2023: Started reading

6 August, 2023: Finished reading

6 August, 2023: Reviewed