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

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Spy Coast is one of the more recent books that covers older assassins/government agents who have retired and are forced back into action. The few that I have gotten my hands on so far have all been a great tribute to women of "a certain age" that I love. I was already a fan of Tess Gerritsen's, but this book has increased my admiration for her writing. The Spy Coast is the first in the Martini Club series where several friends have all relocated to Purity, Maine, and still meet as friends in their everyday lives.

Maggie is a former spy who has left some serious baggage from her active career that appears to be following her to her new retired home at her farm in Maine. She tells her story throughout the book, and the reader just likes her strength and resilience more. The other retirees rally around her and work to help her find out the truth of the threat against her and also to stand with her as the threat grows more dangerous. The title of the second in the series has already been released, and I am really looking forward to the next installment in this series.

Murder on the Vine by Camilla Trinchieri
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nico Doyle is a retired detective who moved to Italy to be closer to his wife's family after she died. Murder on the Vine is the third in the Tuscan Mystery series. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Nico has been pretty helpful to Perillo, the area's marshall of the carabinieri when the occasional murder pops up. He is not exactly made a temporary deputy, but he has experience from the NYPD detective squad that a small town in Italy just does not have, despite the number of murders they appear to be experiencing lately. In Murder on the Vine, the bartender from one of the local hotels is murdered. The murder in itself is not the odd thing. Where the body is found is the most interesting part of this murder. Jimmy, the co-owner of Nico, runs out of gas, and Nico is recruited to take him a can of gas and is on hand when the body is discovered in Jimmy's trunk.

Nico just wants to create dishes for his wife's family's restaurant, help out in the restaurant, and tend to his garden. Okay, occasionally, his curiosity is sparked when a murder crops up. He agrees that Perillo, Daniele, and he do make a great trio pitching in to solve crimes, even though he is retired. I guess you can take the police force out of the detective, but you cannot take the detective out of Nico. It has also been a few years since Nico's wife died, and he has possibly found love again. The issue is he does not know what to do with it and if he is betraying his wife's memory. Nico has a lot of introspection to do before he misses out on something that could be very good for him, as pretty much everyone in the town is not-so-subtly letting him know. There is a great mystery in Murder on the Vine, not just in how the victim was killed but also in who the victim is as a person. Camilla Trinchieri does a great job of drawing the murder for the reader and also providing the reader with a good bit of armchair travel in Italy, even if the town is fictitious. This is still a good book for armchair travel because this series draws a picture of Italian villages, despite the fictitious name. A traveler who likes to visit Italy can recognize a bit of other Italian towns like Pienza or Lucca, Italy. With each installment in this series, I become more enamored of the characters in the Tuscan Mysteries and of Italy.

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What could be more fun than The Blonde Identity? I loved it! It was Ally Carter's writing style and storytelling with a bunch of action thrown into it. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A woman wakes up in the snow in the middle of the night in the middle of Paris. Who is she? How did she get there? She doesn't know, and those who do are treating her like she is some kick-a-** spy. So maybe she is. She has no id and no money, just a keycard. As she tries to figure it out, she is hunted and harassed across Paris. She gets to put those skills to the test. She is lucky enough to run into someone who seems to be another agent on her side, and he is a big help in determining why all these people are trying to kill her.

One of the things I love about Ally Carter's writing is her sense of humor. As soon as I saw the title and the cover, I knew I would love this book. It is fast-paced. The action scenes just keep coming and coming. Now, do not get me wrong. I am not saying she is just this weapon cutting her way across Paris. I have to admit that I was thinking more in terms of amnesia and that she just doesn't remember who she is and what she can do. She did a pretty good job of just "throwing" herself out there and doing what she needed to do to survive. I like to think that I could do as well and maintain that level of humor and wit as it is done. Her thoughts, which sometimes made their way out of her mouth, were, at times, just hilarious. Interestingly enough, I did not think much about the book title. I recommended the book to a cousin, who saw it immediately as he read the synopsis. He is looking forward to reading it. I wished there was a way to stay in touch with these characters, as I love a good action book combined with witty characters.

Best Served Cold by David P. Wagner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is no secret. I love this series and pretty much drop anything else I am doing outside of work to inhale these books. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Rick Montoya leads a really interesting life. He spends most of his time in Roma, Italy unless he travels to serve as an interpreter. His business is taking off, and his current job takes him to Assisi to help a college friend who needs a replacement interpreter quickly because the hired interpreter disappeared after arriving in Assisi. A group has come over from New Mexico, Rick's home state in the US, where he attended college. Unfortunately, the missing interpreter is found dead, and Rick is in the right place to help the Italian police as they appear to need the help of an interpreter to interview the tour group from New Mexico.

Interestingly, Betta, Rick's girlfriend, had a different role in the storyline. I enjoyed the methodology but do not want to spoil the change for other readers. Of course, his Zio Piero is his usual self, a bit cantankerous but still a loving uncle. Rick is always a good proxy to Piero and seems closer to him than he is to his own parents. It could just be proximity. However, we get to meet another family member in Best Served Cold. That is another area of the book I will leave for the reader and not spoil. The reader can count on the author's excellent armchair travel and food descriptions, as Rick provides vivid descriptions of parts of Umbria and the food he ate throughout his travels in Italy. The mystery is more cozy but still a good addition to the Rick Montoya Italian Mysteries. I look forward to Book 9 and Rick's next case and Italian location.

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Killers of a Certain Age was an exciting read. I knew I wanted to read it as soon as I saw the title. I was hoping that I was not assuming a great title would mean great content, and I was not disappointed. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I, of course, was expecting a story about older killers; however, Killers of a Certain Age zeroed in on women over the 55 to 60 years old range. Possibly, it is more like the 60 to 65 range, and honestly, I have heard people in their 20s refer to people in their 40s as being too old for this or that, which is quite shocking. They expect older people to get out of the way so they have room for jobs, etc., which is quite odd. People do not lose the need to eat and pay for their homes, cars, and other bills because they have reached the age of 40. If anything, they have increased costs because they tend to have children that need help as well (speaking as once being one of those children). But I digress.

These four friends/previous co-workers are trying to come to terms with being forced to require because of their age. They have been given a cruise as a retirement gift by their employers, which starts with an assassination attempt. They dig into their repertoire to determine who has ordered their assassination and why which leads to an exciting trek across the world that allows the Killers of a Certain Age to show that they still have it. I love that this might be a series, and I hope to see more.

It Takes a Villa by Kilby Blades


What a wonderful story! It combines armchair travel with a bit of family mystery, all in a region of Italy that I was able to visit last year. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Natalie has done what so many have thought of doing when seeing the advertisements for the $1 homes in Italy. We ask ourselves questions. Is it too good to be true? In some ways, because the rules for purchasing the homes are quite stringent, i.e., earnest money has to be put down and the updates/repairs have to be made within a specified amount of time which requires ready money to pay builders and contractors. Another thing to consider is timing as Natalie found out. Italy and much of Europe are on vacation typically for one full month in the Summer. Permits for the building have to be purchased and there are rules that must be abided by for some of the homes that have historical value to them. That historical value dictates the type of update that must be completed. This of course is just the minimum of what a buyer is signing up for when they purchase a $1 home, especially if they do not have the ability to do any of the work themselves.

Natalie is an intelligent, quick learner who can follow videos she has found on the internet. She had grand plans for purchasing one of the $1 with her grandmother. This property is not just a typical home. It was a much-beloved hotel in a city that is counting on these renovations to draw jobs and visitors to this beautiful region of the Amalfi Coast. The creation of jobs is also another requirement of the purchasers of these homes, so it does draw buyers with dreams of opening their own businesses also. Things really start going wrong for Natalie from the time she lands in Italy, some of which relate to not speaking Italian. Some of the property is in pretty good shape, but, there are things that require update that she is not prepared for either physically or financially.

She is lucky enough to start crossing paths with Pietro, who decides that Natalie needs help and he wants to ensure the renovations to the hotel bring the property back to the standards that are required. Pietro is very knowledgeable and he is also purchasing and renovating many of the properties in their town. Natalie does not want to accept help, but, as she meets others in the renovation program, she realizes that she is one of the few that are working alone and she needs help to meet the deadlines. Pietro, who is also part of the committee responsible for the renovation program, is also butting heads with others on the committee who are more concerned with bringing jobs, money, and people into the area than they are about the renovations being done properly. All of this makes for a great story with a sweet romance, not just between Natalie and Pietro, but, also between the reader and the Italian town on the Amalfi Coast.

A Secret About a Secret by Peter Spiegelman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Secret About a Secret is a slow-burn thriller based in Europe. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I became totally enamored of this book because it contained one of my favorite things, which I will call contentious repartee. Normally, I love witty repartee, but, somehow this book has surfaced another subgenre of conversations that I confess to loving.

Myles an agent with what is called Standard Division is assigned to investigate the murder of a Brilliant scientist who at first glance is loved by everyone she comes in contact with, from her co-workers to her running club. But, there are secrets upon secrets, and some go back to the history of the building where the business, Ondstrand Biologic, is located. Something else key here is that what turns out to be a brilliant investigator is pitted against multiple brilliant scientists, who seem to be backed by a sister agency of Standard Division.

Despite Allegra being gone, her personality and history with the local towns and the company shine through as if she is still living. Myles has a way of investigating that puts everyone on edge, just with him walking down the hall or coming into the cafeteria. Just as interesting is how he has a room on the campus of the company which ratches up the tension as it is akin to sleeping with the enemy. A Secret About a Secret had a few good action scenes, but, some of the conversations between Myles and the suspects were so fraught with tension that I kept expecting a slap or something thrown at any time. Myles is very driven and focused and his relationship and conversations with his director drive so much of this story in how he responds to her directives and how he finds a way to rebel against her wishes, sometimes to his detriment. I did get the hint that this may be a series and if I am correct, it is welcome!

Alias Emma by Ava Glass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alias Emma is a wonderful, action-packed chase from one end of London to the other with two lives at risk. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Emma Makepeace is tasked with safely escorting a physician whose life is at risk because of his mother's previous relationship with the Russian government before he was born. His mother has warned him all of his life, but being raised as a British citizen, he has trouble believing that after all of these years, the Russians would care about his parents being Russian dissidents, almost to his peril.

Emma is well aware of what the Russian agencies are capable of, even with only a short time as a British agent under her belt. She knows the danger and is ready to face it head-on. Despite only being an agent for a short time, she does have some surprises and a serious determination to get him to safety within twelve hours. More than just his life is at risk if the Russians reach him. Unfortunately, they have more than just experienced, ruthless agents on their side. They also have serious hacking power and have managed to take over London's extensive CCTV network to monitor Emma and her charge as they cross London on foot. Things get even more serious when Emma learns that she has no help from her agency.

Emma Makepeace is a very well-written character who understands her limitations but definitely has courage. I kept wondering how an agent with no weapons would match up against multiple Russian agents who have no shortage of weaponry. Alias Emma demonstrates how an author can turn a location into one of the characters of a book and make that location stand out as the reader recognizes locations or is even drawn into conducting research to get to know London better. Emma is a character that the reader wants to get to know better. The reader definitely will sit on the edge of their seats, pulling for her to make it to safety. By the end of Alias Emma, I was hoping that this book was the first in a new series, and it looks like I will get my wish. View all my reviews

Finding Love in Positano by Lucy Coleman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Finding Love in Positano is a wonderful travelogue as well as a story. There was also a bit of mystery thrown in there. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Marci is extremely close to her Godfather, Richard, as is her mom and brother. But they talk and share what is occurring in their lives more often. Marci's family owns an antique auction business and Richard has an antique business in Positano, Italy. Richard suddenly makes a major change in his life and seeks out his Godchildren to request one of them help him close up his antique shop and ship everything back to the UK. It makes more sense for Marci to go since she travels more for the auction house, and she has spent more time in Italy on behalf of the business. Richard has described the work to be done as pretty simple but, when Marci gets to Positano, Richard's business is anything but simple, and the changes he has made in his life appear to be anything but simple and Marci is quite concerned.

Marci arrives in Positano to find that Richard has made a family there of the family that owns the Italian restaurant down the hill from his shop. Oddly enough, Nico and his family, treat Marci as if she is family and she is not familiar with them at all, which also concerns Marci. The entire situation has Marci questioning her relationship with Richard, what has caused Richard to change so drastically, and even looking more in-depth at her entire family's relationship with Richard.

As Marci spends more time with Nico and his family and exploring Positano, she starts to question more about her life and why Richard really wanted her to go to Positano to handle closing out his business. Positano is amazing. I only saw a very small part of it during a visit of only a few hours. I realized from reading Finding Love in Positano and mapping different parts of it while reading, that I had missed so much which warrants a much longer visit to that part of the world. It was great experiencing Italy through Marci's and local Italian's eyes. Remembering the beaches along the Amalfi Coast and the beautiful, blue water is great. What really stood out for me is how Lucy Coleman makes Positano another character and draws out the character development so well. The relationships between the characters and the development of the friendship between Nico and Marci were well-developed and draw the reader in, for example spending time with the family as they run the restaurant. If you read Lucy Coleman for the travel and characters then you will love this newest book, Finding Love in Positano.

Under the Italian Sun by Sue Moorcroft
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a phenomenal book! Excellent characters, a beautiful story, and an amazing reading travel experience.. Although Montelibertà is a fictional Italian town, I could envision parts of Tuscany and Calabria as I read the story. I look forward to reading more by Sue Moorcroft.

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The Bitter Taste of Murder by Camilla Trinchieri
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Bitter Taste of Murder is the 2nd book in the Tuscan Mystery series. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Nico is still living in the Chianti area of Tuscany. He spends his days working in his garden with his dog "OneWag" or as his Italian friends like to call him, "Rocco". I will leave it to the reader to find out why poor OneWag has multiple names. The great thing is he seems to answer to both names. OneWag is a character in this series in his own right. One of my favorite parts of this series is the way the stories are told. Yes, Nico is the protagonist, but, the reader also gets to see the thoughts of the key players in each book, including OneWag. I love that! We see just how intelligent he is and I would add that from his thoughts he almost seems like a person in a dog's body. I will stop there as each reader should spend time reading about OneWag to see why I describe him this way. In The Bitter Taste of Murder, a well-known wine critic, who is visiting the area, and pretty much making enemies as he walks down the street, is murdered.

Michele Mantelli is pretty much a messy individual. He is in the middle of a divorce and visiting Gravigna where he happens to own a home. He is traveling with his new girlfriend and pretty much using his articles and blog to try and bully the restaurants in Gravigna into carrying the wine he is pushing. He has a past with Gravigna and more than one resident has good reason to see Mantelli dead. Unfortunately, Aldo, Nico's landlord is top of the list. Nico, Daniele, and Salvatore team up again to investigate the murder, but, this time, a Captain who outranks Salvatore is being sent in to investigate and Salvatore and Daniele are supposed to toe the line. The Bitter Taste of Murder further demonstrates how great Camilla Trinchieri is with creating her characters, central of which, is the Chianti region of Tuscany. If you love Italy, look forward to visiting one day, or just love to armchair travel, this series should be on your list. The reader gets a great glimpse into the language, relationships, food, wine, and mannerisms of the people. I have been studying (okay, not studying enough) but, working with a tutor to learn Italian, and we always spend time on culture, mannerisms, food, etc., and not just the language. I spend a fair amount of time looking up words and pictures of the different villages mentioned in the books. If you love a good mystery, great, colorful characters, learning about regional food and drink, then The Bitter Taste of Murder is a must. I am really looking forward to more in this series.

The Marquess Method by Kathleen Ayers


The Marquess Method is the third installment in the Beautiful Barringtons series. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The Barringtons are a quirky lot, a sister that is a clothing designer in secret, another that is an artist, and one that is bold and more outgoing than the other 2 sisters. This does not even take into account the half-brother that owns a gambling hall. Each of the siblings has their own story that describes how they fall in love with the most unexpected person in society. The Marquess Method is Theo's story and based upon her obvious crush on a specific man who appears to have some interest in Theo as well, but, Theo feels unable to compete with the many ladies of the "ton" that also have their eye on Lord Blythe. When Theo creates a sexy art miniature meant as a gift for Lord Blythe but, it is intercepted by Lord Haven, a battle of wills is started. Theo is dead set upon Lord Haven staying away from her and Lord Haven is dead set upon having help for his estate and sister and has realized that he also wants Theo.

The Marquess Method is a great addition to The Beautiful Barringtons series. There are so many fun spots in the book and it is great to see Theo grow and step out of her older sister's shadow, though she has always stood out. She set her mind on Lord Blythe and even spent a hilarious time and a ball trying to get his attention while not wearing her glasses. What is great is how this part of the story is written. Without giving away too much, it is great how this ball is the center of events for two of the sisters and the author does a great job of not leaving the reader hanging at the end of the second book and leaving them to wait for a conclusion in book three. There was a good transition that shows the author is pretty gifted at writing transitions and points-of-view. There are two more siblings left so I am looking forward to the next story about The Beautiful Barringtons.

These Tangled Vines by Julianne MacLean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a phenomenal story! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I did something slightly different since I do not currently belong to any book clubs. My cousin purchased a copy of the book and we did a mini book club together. When I remembered that this book takes place in Tuscany, I had to drop what I was reading and join my cousin in reading this since I had a copy. I adore Italy. I have not visited Montepulciano, but, I hear that it is amazing. The pictures of it are amazing as are the surrounding areas in Tuscany that I have visited. I could not pass up this armchair trip to Tuscany, especially during a time when Italy was still closed to non-Italians who did not have approved business reasons for visiting.

Fiona has a full life in the U.S. where she lives and cares for her father who is quadriplegic after a terrible accident prior to Fiona's birth. They are quite close and have assistance from some warm and friendly care workers that also are pretty devoted to her father. A sudden call from Italy unpacks Fiona's parents' past and sends Fiona to Italy searching for answers. What she finds is a biological father that she had never heard of, a mother who lived in shame after an affair, and siblings that may not want to know her. These Tangled Vines are told mostly through two perspectives, Fiona's and her mother, Anna's, past perspective. The landscape of Tuscany plays a very large part in the story, because, a very lucrative winery that was built by Fiona's biological father, Marco, is front-and-center in the will.

These Tangled Vines display the lengths people will go through to prevent loss and sometimes punish those that we love. I have to admit this book is fraught with emotional baggage. But, the story does a beautiful job of portraying relationships, especially when they are suffering from betrayal and deception. Wait, that happens in every family. Julianne MacLean demonstrated that she understands family dynamics, even broken families. Fiona was part of two broken families without even knowing it. She was a strong character, well-written and I loved the way she handled the situation in Tuscany that she walked into. She watched, learned, and was not quick to judge which was a great benefit to her and the entire situation. When family members die you would think we would all be at our best, but, it seems to bring out the worst in us, pain, finances, and all the holes in the familial relationships tend to be magnified at this time and These Tangled Vines did a wonderful job of capturing that. I look forward to reading more by Julianne MacLean.