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Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Murder at the Ponte Vecchio by T A Williams - Book Review - Blog Tour

Series: Armstrong and Oscar Mystery #11

Publication Date: 04th May 2025

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

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223781456-murder-at-the-ponte-vecchio

Genre: Contemporary Cozy Mystery, Italy

4.2 Stars

One Liner: Three-in-one mysteries!

Book Blurb:

An iconic bridge... 🌉

Private investigator Dan Armstrong lives and works in Florence and knows the world-famous Ponte Vecchio well. Usually a magnet for tourists, on this occasion it is the scene of an unexplained death, and Dan finds himself involved in the intriguing case.

An uncompromising man... 😠

Dan quickly discovers that the victim, an elderly jeweler, was every bit as hard as the diamonds he sold in his shop on the bridge. Few people liked him, not even his adult children and his business dealings looked murkier than the waters of the River Arno. Dan suspects more secrets lie hidden…perhaps inside the massive safe in the old man's luxury villa…

A complex case. 💎🔍

As the evidence begins to mount up, so do the suspects with their different motives. With a fortune in gold bullion and precious stones involved, Dan thinks the only way to catch the killer is to lay a trap, but might he be caught in the killer’s sights? Fortunately, he has Oscar, his canine wingman at his side, always eager to prove that he's as good as gold. 🐶

Can Dan and Oscar sniff out the killer’s tracks, or will this case be a bridge too far?

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My Thoughts:

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

That’s book 11 in the series, but works as a standalone since there isn’t any disturbance in the personal track.

This book has not one but three (or is it four) mysteries that start at various points. While there’s a decently long cast, it is easy to track the cases separately.

I like that the books are short (200-270 pages) and ideal for reading in a couple of sittings. I’m used to the author’s style by now, so the pacing is good too! I’m no longer worried about chapter lengths.

Every book takes us on a virtual tour of a different place in Italy. This time, we remain in Florence but read about Ponte Vecchio. I googled it to see the pictures (love the ones during sunset and night). It’s not just a bridge. It is a three-storied structure with tiny stores packed tight from one end to another!

We also get descriptions of delicious food (never mind that I’m a vegetarian and eat none of it in real life) and the generous quantities they serve. This is something I relate to. Apart from a few places, Indians love to serve large portions of food. We’ll feed you until your tummy bursts open. ;)

The mystery starts like every other case, but it becomes a bit more complex as new details emerge. Things start to come together in the last quarter, and finally, we have the reveal and showdown!

Oscar is his usual best, obviously! Everyone falls in love with him, and he is delighted with all the attention (and food). Can there be a better life than that? I don’t think so!

To summarize, Murder at the Ponte Vecchio is a steady-paced and entertaining book. It continues the series’ momentum and takes us on a virtual tour of Florence with a dead body or two!

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 bestselling author of the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series. 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: @TrevorWilliamsBooks

Twitter: @TAWilliamsBooks

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

Bookbub profile: @trevorwilliams3

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

 


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