I’m delighted today to be joining the blog tour for Murder at the Leaning Tower by T A Williams, and sharing my review: the sixth in his Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series, it was published on 6th February by Boldwood Books, and is now available as an ebook (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. Thank you, as ever, to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading copy (provided via netgalley).
I really think I need to stop saying that cosy mysteries aren’t usually my kind of reading – I don’t think I’ve ever read one that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed. And this lovely series has become a real personal favourite – Dan’s wry take on life and self-deprecating humour, labrador Oscar offering his own brand of assistance, the vividly drawn Italian settings, the enticing food and drink, the characters who leap off the page. And, if you haven’t yet dipped in, every book is entirely readable as a standalone – but I’ve really enjoyed the key characters’ developing personal story since reading the first, Murder in Tuscany, back in October 2022 (you’ll find my review here). If you pop the author’s name into my search bar you’ll find reviews of them all – with no spoilers, I promise! I particularly enjoyed the last one, Murder at the Matterhorn – the mountain setting, a motley collection of ufologists, a gripping investigation, and Oscar successfully staving off any possibility of starvation – and found it both a compelling read and a sheer joy from beginning to end (you’ll find my full review here).
But let’s take a closer look at the latest…
A cozy crime series set in gorgeous Tuscany… It’s murder in paradise!
A secluded villa…
When Dan Armstrong is asked to provide security at a private villa on the outskirts of Pisa, he’s pretty sure it will be an easy job. Villa Gregory is remote; the gathered guests are rich – what could possibly go wrong?
A glittering gathering…
Inside the high walls of the palatial villa, Dan discovers the gathered guests are some of the most powerful tycoons in the media world, with plans for world domination. With so much at stake, Dan redoubles his efforts to keep everyone safe.
A detective under pressure?
But when one of the group is found murdered, Dan’s heart sinks – especially considering Anna’s own daughter is in the frame! When the police arrive, Dan meets formidable Inspector Adolfo Vinci, a man whose main talent seems to be for getting things wrong. It all goes from bad to worse for Dan as the man from the Leaning Tower starts leaning on him.
It’s another case for Dan and Oscar to solve and this one won’t be easy!
There’s serious money involved in the secret meeting being held at a private villa near Pisa, and more than a few less than likeable key players. Dan (and, of course, labrador Oscar) are brought in to provide security for the week, at first checking the boundaries and sweeping for listening devices, but with things taking a turn for the worse when one of the guests – the most universally disliked – is found dead with an antique dagger in his chest. And this time, there’s a particular personal dimension to the story – the daughter of Dan’s lady friend Anna, disapproving of their relationship and having resisted any attempts at an introduction, is attending the meeting with the man who was murdered, and finds herself centrally in the frame as the prime suspect. The local police arrive – led by a distinctly hostile inspector who steadfastly refuses any assistance, with a misplaced confidence that a series of random arrests will bring the perpetrator to light. In time (thank goodness…), he’s no longer on the scene, replaced by a rather more amenable female officer, willing to work with Dan – but it soon becomes apparent that the only way of making the killer show their hand is for him to make himself a target and await the outcome.
With our hero in danger, there’s perhaps a slightly darker edge to this one – but Oscar’s interventions are always guaranteed to lift the mood, charming the ladies, enjoying hanging out in the kitchen, providing sympathy when needed, and always watching Dan’s back. Along with the perfectly drawn setting and the mouthwatering descriptions of food and drink, there’s plenty of the series’ trademark humour, with some moments that really made me laugh out loud – but also a fascinating investigation that reveals undercurrents and layers of complexity to the various relationships between the book’s wonderfully drawn cast of characters. There’s a distinctly Agatha Christie vibe once Dan gets into his stride, able to interview everyone individually, trying to catch them out – but it’s only when he puts his own life at risk that the pace dramatically increases and the pieces really begin to fall into place, leaving me (as always…) looking in entirely the wrong direction.
Sheer entertainment from beginning to end, but with some really clever plotting, moments that had me on the edge of my seat, and an outcome I really didn’t see coming – this was another wonderful addition to a series I’m thoroughly enjoying from an author who really can’t put a foot wrong for me. I’m looking forward to Dan and Oscar’s next outing already – but this one’s a particularly strong recommendation from me!
About the author
T A Williams is the author of over twenty bestselling romances for HQ and Canelo and is now turning his hand to cosy crime, set in his beloved Italy, for Boldwood. Trevor lives in Devon with his Italian wife.
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