Murder in Verona
Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Mysteries #9
by T.A. Williams
GENRE: #Contemporary #CozyMystery
My rating: ★★★★★
THE PERFECT COZY RECIPE | OPERA, SECRETS, AND AN UNEXPECTED DEATH
A gifted, womanizing opera singer. A stifling mother who wants her son all to herself. A collection of luxury cars. A prestigious opera academy for a select few. Numerous beautiful women... and one inexplicable death!We are in Verona, Italy. Ah, Italy! Not just because I live here, but it truly is a splendid country, filled with breathtaking rural villages and magnificent cities of art.
It serves as the ultimate, captivating setting for an intelligent cozy mystery like this, where the author masterfully mixes a Poirot-esque investigation with the world of opera, a friendly dog, and mouth-watering Italian food.
BREAKING PREJUDICES | DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
I have a confession to make. I owned this book for a whole year before finally picking it up. Why? Because I was trapped in my own prejudice. While the adorable dog on the cover and the connection between Verona and Shakespeare’s Juliet appealed to me, I was convinced I would end up reading a silly, bland, low-key detective story. Well, I was completely wrong! Far from it!! If you love Agatha Christie-style detective stories but with contemporary settings, a good detective (who lacks Poirot’s petulance and collaborates beautifully with the Italian police without any presumption), and the warmth of the Italian sunshine... then this book is absolutely for you!Before delving into my full opinion, let me share THE PLOT IN A NUTSHELL:
Dan, an English private detective who has happily settled in Tuscany, sets out for Verona—the legendary city chosen by Shakespeare as the setting for Romeo and Juliet.Traveling alongside him are his charming Italian companion, Anna, and his fiercely faithful Labrador, Oscar.
Officially, they are in town to enjoy the world-famous opera festival at the Verona Arena (thanks to a gift from Anna's daughter!). Unofficially, Dan has just been hired for a very delicate job.
Violetta Argento, the eccentric and utterly stifling mother of the famous opera star Rodolfo Argento, refuses to believe her son's recent death was just a tragic car accident. She is absolutely convinced it was murder!
To investigate without raising suspicion, Dan, Anna, and Oscar move into the prestigious Argento Opera Academy as Violetta’s personal guests. Under the guise of simple family friends, Dan begins to dig into the school's inner circle.
As they mingle with competitive students, intense vocal coaches, and wealthy academy officials, the victim's true character profile begins to emerge. Rodolfo was a gifted man, but he left behind a trail of secrets, broken hearts, and bitter rivalries as well as a considerable amount of money. The motives for killing him are endless... and the hunt for the truth is far from simple!
MY OPINION | WHY I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS INVESTIGATION
THE AUTHOR'S FASCINATING DESCRIPTIVE STYLE
From the very first pages, the author's way of narrating the scenes completely captivated me.
The Italian locals chatting at the village bars, those typical conversations where everyone is an expert on everything and feels they have "the truth in their pocket" on every single subject, the genuine friendliness of the hotel manager and his wife, the unmissable ritual of the "aperitivo" before dinner, the classic behavior of a loyal dog, the local ice cream shops, and even the nightmare of finding a parking spot in the historic centers of Italian cities—everything felt so real! He even accurately describes the screeching of tires on the pavement when an arrogant, wealthy lady pulls into the parking lot with her luxurious vintage car.
All these vivid details didn't just help the images flow through my mind as if I were watching a well-made movie; they made the entire story and setting completely authentic and deeply credible.
The author, much like his protagonist, is married to an Italian woman and has lived in Italy for a very long time—and it truly shows!
With just a few masterful strokes, he has painted a perfect picture of the country, tied not to hollow stereotypes, but to real life.
THE MYSTERY | A TRUTH WELL HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT
The plot and the mystery completely gripped me from the start because the author beautifully blends a classic whodunit investigation with the lightheartedness of cozy mysteries, without ever falling into boredom or superficiality.
Following the finest traditions of the Golden Age classics, our detective follows the careful practice of interviewing every single character in the victim's life. He perceptively extracts nuances and small details that might seem insignificant at first glance, but prove crucial to the investigation's progress.
Inheritance, professional envy, and broken hearts are themes we have seen revisited in thousands of mystery novels—they are a part of life, after all! But here, they are so skillfully inserted into a fascinating context. The friendliness of a wagging, affectionate dog (who happens to love singing, women's short skirts, and, even more so, the words "lunch" and "dinner"!) makes the whole atmosphere lighter and incredibly enjoyable.
I also highly appreciated the inclusion of the local police detective, Inspector Massimo Ventura. Their friendly collaboration and mutual respect gave me that wonderful sense of camaraderie that I enjoy so much in books. Their tandem interviews with the suspects made everything more plausible, clearer, and precise, completely avoiding those frustrating "blank spots" that sometimes happen in weaker whodunits.
The final solution, once uncovered, might seem obvious in hindsight. In fact, I initially suspected that exact person myself! However, the writer's skill manages to brilliantly divert your suspicions by introducing so many small puzzle pieces about numerous characters from the victim's past and present.
It built up such a strong desire in me to find out WHO HAD DONE IT AND WHY! Luckily, I resisted the temptation to skip ahead to the ending, but it was an overwhelming struggle!
THE CHARACTERS | REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL CHARM
I really liked the main character, Dan, precisely because of his normality.
There is nothing eccentric or over-the-top about him; he is a divorced former Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard, starting a fresh life as a private investigator in the Tuscan countryside with his dog. The fact that he is in his fifties (and therefore my own age!) probably made me feel much closer to him.
His relatable fear of getting bored during long opera shows or city tours, balanced by his genuine desire to share his new partner's passions, along with his deep affection for his dog, make him incredibly likable and friendly.
Anna, too, despite appearing only briefly, acts as a wonderful support for our detective. She is deeply respectful of his work and his boundaries; she proposes activities she enjoys, but without ever imposing them on him. As for the rest of the cast, they are all beautifully painted—some with peculiar and rather unpleasant traits, others more affable and cooperative, but all absolutely convincing and believable.
A NEW SERIES TO EXPLORE | PERFECT AS A STANDALONE
After initially choosing this book simply by its cover and the magnetic name of the city, I discovered that it is actually part of a long-running series!
It begins in Tuscany and features investigations in several different locations around Italy, where our detective travels for vacations or business.
Even though this current installment is number #9, it can easily be read as a standalone novel. In fact, I had absolutely no problem thoroughly enjoying the story despite not having read a single one of the previous books. However, I am now incredibly curious to read the entire series from the very beginning.
I am absolutely thrilled by the prospect of experiencing new investigations and settings, exploring different beautiful Italian locations each time!
FINAL VERDICT | PERFECT FOR YOUR SUMMER READING LIST
Concluding thoughts: This book is suitable for readers of all ages, especially for travel, opera, and dog lovers! It features clean language, a fluid writing style, and it is a quick read that you can easily finish in a couple of days or less. Absolutely perfect if you are looking for a light, yet smart and engaging read! ☀️🎭🐾
Thank you all for reading my opinion 😊
With love,
Tizi 🐾
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