Murder Returns to Gravigna by Camilla Trinchieri
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Camilla Trinchieri delivers another engaging Tuscan mystery with Murder Returns to Gravigna. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. From the very first chapter, the story pulls readers back into the close-knit village of Gravigna, where the setting is every bit as captivating as the mystery itself. The charming Italian backdrop, delicious food descriptions, and familiar cast of characters create an atmosphere that makes you feel as though you've returned to visit old friends.

The murder of respected butcher Sergio Macchi sends shockwaves through the community, and what initially appears to be a straightforward investigation quickly reveals layers of resentment, long-held secrets, and personal conflicts. As former NYPD detective Nico Doyle assists Maresciallo Perillo, the investigation unfolds at a steady pace, allowing readers to piece together the clues alongside the characters. I appreciated that the mystery wasn't rushed, and there were enough twists to keep me guessing without feeling overly complicated.

One of my favorite aspects of this series has always been Nico himself. He's thoughtful, compassionate, and refreshingly human. His struggle to balance the emotional weight of investigating someone he knew with the comfort he finds cooking at Sotto Il Fico adds depth to his character. The evolving relationships among the residents of Gravigna remain just as compelling as the murder investigation, making the town feel authentic and lived-in.

As always, Trinchieri's writing shines through her vivid descriptions of Tuscany, the local traditions, and the incredible meals shared throughout the story. The food alone is enough to make you wish you could pull up a chair alongside Nico and Tilde. Those details enrich the novel without distracting from the mystery, giving the series its distinctive charm.

Overall, Murder Returns to Gravigna is a satisfying mystery with well-developed characters, a beautifully realized setting, and a compelling investigation. Fans of cozy mysteries with memorable characters, a strong sense of place, and plenty of Italian atmosphere will find much to enjoy in this latest installment.

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Spies and Other Gods

Spies and Other Gods by James Wolff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My first thoughts about Spies and Other Gods was that the agent in charge thinks of himself as always the smartest person in the room regardless to what room he walks into or who walks into the room. In this case it appears that he is so arrogant that he doesn't recognize that someone has walked into the room that is smarter than him. Why on earth would they send a historian to investigate assassinations?

Two days later I have read this book in one of the most unconventional means ever. I skipped an entire section because I could no longer stand not to know what happens to Zak and Aphra. Once I know that answer and I back my way into why I thought it happened, I went back to where I left off to determine if my thoughts were accurate. I could have stopped then since I had most of the answers to my questions. Why was Aphra assigned to this investigation? Why would a researcher be sent to investigate a complaint made about an intelligence investigation? These were the most compelling questions to me and honestly they were the factors that drove this book for me.

Of course, knowing some of the answers still left a hole in my thoughts. I needed to know Aphra’s story. Of course, we get to know Zak’s story as well which compelled me back to where I left off before skipping to the answers. The answers led to more questions so I had to go back. The story was compelling so only having the answers was not enough. Knowing someone’s why seems to be a huge trendy catchphrase these days and it is not really one that I spend a lot of direct time on usually as I am not a fan of trendy catchphrases. But, in this case, knowing what drives Aphra is the most compelling thing that drives this story. It is a great read and if I were to sit down to read this knowing what I already know about it, I would read it the same way despite skipping to the end not being one of my methodologies where there is a mystery in the middle of a slow burn spy story. I will post this on my blog at as it never gets enough attention these days. Ladytechiesbookmusings.Blogspot.Com

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Murder in Pitigliano by Camilla Trinchieri
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great addition to this series. I received an early copy for review via Netgalley. I keep looking for indicators of the cities or towns where the books are set. It feels like multiple places that can be found across Italy. If I interviewed the author, one of my questions would be, “Which towns or cities were in your mind when developing the settings where our favorite characters live and where the murder occurred?” Nico finds his way through these crimes, and no matter how often he advises that he is retired, they still refer to him as the detective. Something or someone always draws him into a case that he never wanted to investigate. This time it was a child’s love for her father. Who could ignore that? I miss Italy when I travel to other countries, as so many places in Italy are waiting for me to immerse myself. I can honestly say that either Camilla Trinchieri wrote all of these books long ago and is releasing them one at a time, or she has a way with telling a story that keeps building into the next story, leaving the reader with less time to fret over when the next book will be released.


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Double Tap by Cindy Dees
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The second book in the Helen Warwick series, Double Tap, does not disappoint. I know that it is said that authors tend not to live up to the hype of their first novels, but this is definitely not the case with this series. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have no trouble saying I loved it. Helen Warwick is an amazingly written character. She has flaws, especially if you ask her three adult children. However, she had a job that kept her away from her husband and children when they were a young family. She retired and had plans to make up for her absence from each of them. As seen from the start of the series, Second Shot, she has trouble breaking away from her government employers.

As you read through Double Tap you keep wondering if the people who do this job in real life have the same family life issues, i.e., inability to bond due to extensive absences from her family’s everyday life. Do government assassins usually have families? Do they spend their lives spinning lies to everyone around them? How successful are they at retiring? Do they spend their retirement years with a target on their back? Helen Warwick is trying to find out what retired life is like. She has had several pointed conversations with her Russian nemesis about what is expected after they hang up their guns. The expected respect for their private lives once their government career ends. Helen’s problem is that despite all the new talent that has come on board after her retirement, they just do not seem as good as she is at dark work. I have to admit I sure hope that the entire series will not always be about Scorpius and the Russians. It would be good to see her measure up against different foes. Either way, I look forward to the next Heken Warwick book.

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Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies is a fun read with a bit of armchair travel included. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Eleanor is already a bestselling author with several published books under her belt. She is in Italy for a book tour with several other authors and her sister, who is her assistant. Along with all the authors, a group of reader enthusiasts follow their favorite author's careers pretty closely, sometimes too closely. In addition to Eleanor's sister traveling with her, her ex-boyfriend Oliver, who is also an author, and an ex-boyfriend who forced himself into her life even after they broke up, Connor. Oddly enough, Connor's ex-wife is also present as another author touring with the group. What transpires is a hilarious road trip across Italy.

Connor believes someone is trying to kill him. As the group travels across Italy, it appears he might be right. As much as he gets on everyone's nerves, some of the group begin to investigate the apparent attempts on Connor's life. Catherine Mack tells a good story. In addition to writing a pretty good mystery, she also offers some really good characterization. I enjoyed the humor and the descriptions of Italy. I especially liked Eleanor's asides. The footnotes did not work well on my Kindle app. They were quite funny, but eventually, I stopped clicking them because they took me to parts of the book that did not seem to correspond to where I was, and then I had to find my way back. Hopefully, this will work better in the published copy for readers. All in all, this looks like it might be a series, and I plan to keep up with future releases.

The Road to Murder by Camilla Trinchieri
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nico Doyle returns in the fourth book in the Tuscan Mystery series, The Road to Murder. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Nico is still busy helping in his wife's family's restaurant, creating new dishes for them to try and sell in the restaurant, and visiting with his friends at the cafe each day. His friend, Perillo, in the carabinieri, has a new murder case: a woman found slumped over her piano and an English-speaking house guest who was present in the house during the murder but did not hear anything from her guest room. Nico is needed for translating and of course, pitching in where he can with solving the crime. The victim, Nora, has two daughters, Clara and Adriana, and a son-in-law, two of whom seem to care more about Nora's money and home than they do about her being murdered.

The Road to Murder is a welcome addition to the Tuscan Mystery series, providing that much-loved armchair travel experience to my beloved Italy. I recognize so many things described about "Gravigna" in the books as they seem familiar even though they use a town name that does not exist in Italy, at least not with that spelling. Still, the descriptions of Gravigna do exist in reality in so many towns throughout Italy. The food, people, and town are vivid, colorful, and well-described like other characters in the book. The mystery is original in how it progresses, and the new characters introduced as part of it are also well-developed. They keep their secrets well until they are forced to release them. The relationships between the repeat characters in the book grow and change and draw the reader into their stories. I am really looking forward to the next book.

The Traitor by Ava Glass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a phenomenal follow-up to the already great start to this new series, Alias Emma. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was so excited when I found out that the Emma Makepeace books were a series. I absolutely loved Alias Emma and did not hesitate to drop all other books to jump into The Traitor by Ava Glass. Emma is on to a new assignment after she is called to a murder scene where an analyst for their agency has been brutally murdered. Emma has the background that makes her a perfect fit to be inserted onto the yacht of the Russian Oligarch who appears to be involved. The murdered agent appears to have been investigating the sale of illegal weapons, but Emma is kitted out to fit into her role and heads to France to begin her new assignment.

Ava Glass has done a wonderful job setting the scene and giving the reader a bit of armchair travel in the Riviera, which was phenomenal since I have wanted to visit this region and plan to in the next couple of years. We meet some of the other agents for the "agency" that Emma works for, along with some of the partners they have recruited along the way. The Traitor continues to show Emma's tenacity and grit even when she is outmanned, outgunned, and outmaneuvered. She plays by the rules but, manages to still find a way to stand up against impossible odds. I always wonder how police organizations in the UK manage to equally go against villains with firearms and other deadly weapons with no deadly weapons of their own. How does an agent who doesn't carry a firearm stand against ruthless mobsters who not only carry but are quite violent? When thinking about Emma Makepeace, ingenuity, cunning, and a bit of her own ruthlessness. I really look forward to the next installment in this series! View all my reviews