Review by Booklist Review
As of The Road to Murder, 2024, retired New York homicide detective Nico Doyle has resettled in Gravino, Italy, unexpectedly discovering a new beginning with found family, food-forward village life, and mysteries that illuminate life's joys and tragedies. But when Nico agrees to help a young girl clear her father's name, he wades into a tangle of betrayals evocative of the region's Machiavellian history. The girl's father, Saverio, is accused of murdering his embezzling business partner, Giancarlo. Unfortunately, Saverio's gone on the lam, which hasn't helped his case with the Pitigliano carabinieri. The case looks bad for Saverio, who publicly attacked Giancarlo hours before he was found bludgeoned to death in their store. Giancarlo, Nico learns, was disloyal on every level, sowing plenty of motive-worthy discontent, especially among those affected by his serial affairs. Series fans will savor the evolution of Nico's relationships along with the mystery's satisfying unraveling. Readers seeking well-crafted mysteries like Louise Penny's or M.L. Longworth's will enjoy Trinchieri's fine story-craft as much as they do the Tuscan setting.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Just when a retired investigator thinks he's out, they pull him back in again. Former New York homicide detective Nico Doyle is enjoying his morning meal with breakfast pal Gogol and pooch OneWag at Bar All'Angolo in idyllic Gravigna, Italy, when redheaded little girl Cilia Bianconi disrupts his daily ritual by running boisterously around the cafe, pursued by Livia Granchi, her embarrassed mother. It's only after the two have departed that Gogol points out that Cilia has sneaked a note under OneWag's collar. Saverio Bianconi, Cilia's father, has been implicated in the murder of his business partner, Giancarlo Lenzi, and is currently on the run, naturally heightening suspicion of his guilt. Nico waffles about pursuing the case. For one thing, he's deep into a romance with artist Nelli Corsi, his first relationship since the death of his wife, Rita, the event that triggered his initial move to Italy. Eventually, however, he makes the six-hour trip north to Pitigliano to look into the matter. His long, tangled investigation begins with his friendly interview of Lenzi's cousin, Matteo. Suspicion falls hard on Lenzi's elusive son, Eddi, who's often at odds with his father. Trinchieri's fifth Tuscan mystery continues to expand Nico's adopted community. The pursuit of the perpetrator often takes a back seat to her portrait of a contented community in picturesque rural Italy. It even concludes with a recipe for "Penne Alla Nico." Come for the whodunit, stay for the sweet life. Mangia! Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
