Murder in Tuscany by T A Williams

Murder in Tuscany

by T A Williams

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

A remote retreat…

Nestled high in the Tuscan hills lies Villa Volpone, home to renowned crime writer Jonah Moore and his creative writing course. It’s also the last place retired DCI Dan Armstrong expected to spend his retirement! Dan’s no writer, but maybe this break will help him to think about the next chapter in his own life story?

A gruesome murder…

But only days into the course, Jonah Moore is found stabbed to death with his award-winning silver dagger! And Dan finds himself pulled out of retirement with a killer to catch.

Eleven possible suspects.

The other guests all seem shocked by Jonah’s death, but Dan knows that one of them must be lying. And as he and Italian Commissario Virgilio Pisano begin to investigate it quickly becomes clear that everyone at Villa Volpone has secrets to hide…

But can Dan discover who the murderer is before they strike again?

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

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

Reviewed by annieb123 on

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Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Murder in Tuscany is the first Armstrong and Oscar cozy destination mystery by T.A. Williams. Released 18th Oct 2022 by Boldwood books, it's 264 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 second book in the series, Murder in Chianti, is also currently available on KU. 

This is a beautifully descriptive and well written destination mystery set in Tuscany. Former policeman Dan Armstrong is visiting the Italian countryside at a writing retreat to regroup, recharge, and take stock of his own life after the breakup of his marriage. When the leader/owner of the retreat turns up stabbed with his own decorative dagger, Dan's cop instincts and his inside placement at the scene of the crime leave him in a good position to help the local constabulary. His insights are valuable and he and the lead detective develop a good rapport and friendship. 

The plotting is solid and the dialogue and characterizations are well controlled 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 mini binge or buddy read with the companion volume. I sincerely hope that there are more books to come.

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.

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

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Reading updates

  • 13 February, 2023: Started reading
  • 13 February, 2023: Finished reading
  • 13 February, 2023: Reviewed