Murder in Portofino by T.A. Williams - Blog Tour - Book Review

Series: Dan and Oscar Mysteries #8

Publication Date: 01st August 2024

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/murderportofinosocial

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210708006-murder-in-portofino

Genre: Cozy Mystery

3.8 Stars

One Liner: A quick and easy read

Book Blurb:

A much-needed holiday…

Dan Armstrong hasn’t done much retiring since moving to Tuscany, and with his new career as a successful private investigator taking off, it seems murder seems to follow him. He’s hoping a much-needed trip to beautiful Portofino will give him the break he needs and quality time with his girlfriend Anna.

A gathering of celebrities…

Portofino is a celebrity paradise, and holidaying on a nearby superyacht is a group of British media stars, all famous for being infamous. Dan isn't impressed by their status or wealth, but when he overhears an argument between two of the group, he suspects something fishy could be going on…

A cold-blooded killer?

And then a body is washed up on shore and Dan’s hopes for a holiday go overboard. Could this simply be a tragic accident or is there a killer amidst the assembled celebrity cast? Dan and Oscar have their work cut out before the tide turns…

It's another gripping case for Dan and Oscar - it's murder in paradise!

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My Thoughts:

The story comes in Dan’s first-person POV. 

Who doesn’t live a virtual tour of Italy for free of cost? That’s what I enjoy with this series. And of course, there’s food and murder. We visit the tiny but busy port village of Portofino and meet some British TV celebs with a never-ending supply of alcohol.

Dan is certainly more mindful about not letting his detective instincts take over his life and affect his relationship with Anna. But then, it is a part of who he is, so how long can he really stay away from solving a crime?

Oscar (black Labrador) does what he always does – eat, sleep, get pampered by ladies, and help Dan in unlikely ways. Anna has more presence in this one. Her mixed feelings about the cases come across well, and she is quite mature (or so it seems so far).

The mystery is intriguing. In fact, we have three threads (maybe even four). Two of them connect at a certain point, though you’ll have to read and find out whether they affect the other two or not.

We meet yet another police officer in this book. They have a different department for crimes in the waters. Dan sure manages to find friendly investigating officers most of the time (with exceptions, of course). It sure makes things easier if not always realistic. However, one can’t help but wonder how much better it would be if this happened often in real life.

There’s quite a bit of questioning and discussing about motives and secrets. However, the case is straightforward. The reveal is logical but felt a little too easy even for a cozy mystery. But since the entire mystery is solved in less than three days, I’m not complaining.

To summarize, Murder in Portofino is a quick and light read with beautiful destinations, great food, some sleuthing, and Oscar’s antics. It should work well as a standalone.

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley

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About the Author – T.A. Williams

T. A. Williams is the author of over twenty bestselling romances. Trevor studied languages at University and lived and worked in Italy for eight years, returning to England with his wife in 1972. Trevor and his wife now live in Devon.

Follow the Author –

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TrevorWilliamsBooks/

Twitter:https://twitter.com/TAWilliamsBooks

Newsletter Sign Up:https://bit.ly/TAWilliamsNews

Bookbub Profile: @trevorwilliams3

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This has been a stop on the ##MurderinPortofino blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources. (@rararesources) Thanks for stopping by!