Murder in the Tuscan Hills by T A Williams - Book Review - Blog Tour

Series: Armstrong and Oscar Cosy Mystery #10

Publication Date: 02nd Feb 2025

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

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220181974-murder-in-the-tuscan-hills

Genre: Cozy Mystery

4.2 Stars

One Liner: Fun as always

Book Blurb:

It's murder in paradise!

A picturesque scene…

As grape harvest season rolls around, retired DCI Dan Armstrong and his beloved canine companion, Oscar, are looking forward to a nice quiet September. But when Dan is contacted about a mysterious death out in the Tuscan Hills, it seems that work must come before pleasure.

A suspicious find…

At first, it appears that the body found lying outside a prestigious winery has been the result of a tragic hit and run. But then the police discover that this is a cover-up for murder…but who would kill in such an idyllic spot and why?

A face from the past?

As Dan investigates, he meets famous ex-rock star, Digger, owner of the winery and prestigious Podere Dei Santi hotel. Digger’s guests include wealthy businessmen, tourists, and, among them, suspected mafia hitmen. But more significant for Dan is a face he knows only too well from his own past and he soon finds that wine isn't the only thing fermenting around him.

Could this murder be the start of a gangland war, or do the killer’s motives lie much closer to home? Will complications from Dan's past return to trouble his future? Either way, Dan and Oscar must work around the clock to solve another mystery.

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My Thoughts:

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

Well, we are back in Tuscany. The September here is brutal with no rain. Naturally, the farmers are worried about the yield (fewer grapes = less wine). The criminals don’t care, of course. They commit crimes no matter how annoying the heat is!

The tenth book can be a standalone, though it’ll help if you read at least one book (any) in the series. Someone from Dan’s past makes a reentry, and this does create some tension. Poor Dan has to think and overthink everything. He is a good man, so this also complicates things, lol.

The mystery is very well done. If you are a fan of the genre, you’ll guess the reason much before the MC and the police. The details are provided. How we bring them together depends on us.

It’s no longer a surprise that Oscar is a terrific judge of character and a competent assistant. He finds clues, identifies unsavory people, and ensures his human is safe. He is the hero!

We have a new sergeant Dini since Innocenti got a promotion. I like this new addition. She is smart, composed, and brave. Hoping to see her in more books.

The pace is steady. Since the book is less than 250 pages, you can easily finish it in a couple of hours or so.

To summarize, Murder in the Tuscan Hills is an entertaining addition to the series and discusses a few important issues that affect the global consumer market. As always, I enjoyed the descriptions of the region.

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 for HQ and Canelo and is now turning his hand to cozy crime, set in his beloved Italy, for Boldwood. The series will introduce us to retired DCI Armstrong and his labrador Oscar and the first book, titled Murder in Tuscany, was published in October 2022. Trevor lives in Devon with his Italian wife.

Follow the Author:

Facebook: @TrevorWilliamsBooks

Twitter: @TAWilliamsBooks

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

Bookbub profile: @trevorwilliams3

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