Murder in Rome by T.A. Williams

 

"The more I look into this case, the more I believe our killer - or possibly killers - is to be found among the people staying at the castle. As far as I can see, everybody had the opportunity and the means to commit any of the murders... but I'm struggling to find a motive."

Murder in Rome by T.A. Williams is a smashing cozy mystery, set in Italy.

This is book no.15 in the successful Armstrong & Oscar Cozy Mystery. By now I have read most of the books in the series, with an exception of one or two.

If you scroll down to read a short bio, you will see that the author mentions he feels he needs to provide something to cheer his readers up because of so many horrible things happening in the world. And I totally agree with this. In times like these, books that let you escape from the awfulness of the politics around the world (and personal challenges), are a godsend. 

Blurb:

Murder in Rome

The BRAND NEW instalment in the bestselling, beloved Armstrong & Oscar Cozy Mystery.

A road leading to Rome.

Former DCI Dan Armstrong has been living and working in Florence for nearly three years - yet somehow, Rome has always eluded him. That is, until glamorous TV celebrity Tamsin Goodfaith turns up with a request he can't refuse: investigate her uncle's suspicious death in the Eternal City.

Murder at the castle.

Philip Hastings was a billionaire financier, found dead at his magnificent - if slightly spooky - medieval castle in the Roman hills. Dan and his faithful canine companion, Oscar, soon find themselves surrounded by luxury, secrets and more suspects than sightseeing opportunities.

This time it's personal.

But when a second murder follows close behind, the case turns dangerously personal. With whispers of ghosts and crumbling alibis, Dan and Oscar must sniff out the truth before he becomes the next victim. Harder to crack than castle walls - and harder still than stopping Oscar from stealing snacks - this Roman holiday is anything but relaxing.

Former DCI Dan Armstrong has been living in Florence for nearly three years, enjoying good food, better weather and a company of his loyal "colleague" Oscar the lab. 

Somehow, Rome has always passed him by. Until Tamsin Goodfaith, the British TV celebrity, straight out of the survival reality show sweeps into town with a mystery she wants him to solve. She is convinced that her wealthy uncle's death is not an unfortunate accident, as decided by the local police investigation. No further action was taken.

Philip Hastings, billionaire financier, has supposedly died from a fall while staying at his grand medieval castle outside Rome. It's a place full of splendour, with rich history and lots of opportunities for a killer to operate. That is, if there is a killer indeed present, as only Tamsin is certain that Philip's death was not accidental.

Accompanied by his loyal sidekick Oscar, whose main interests are food and more food (and pretty ladies), Dan sets off for the Eternal City.

Castello del Lago looks spectacular and menacing at the same time. "Yes, it was definitely beautiful, but it was also creepy", a bit like a setting for a horror movie.

The castle and its grounds provide plenty of exploring to do, both for Dan and Oscar. 

"...there was an ornate, but forbidding, suit of armour partway along the left wall... holding a vicious spear... As he reached it, Oscar suddenly stopped dead and surprised me by turning towards it and emitting a low growl".

Arriving to the castle, Dan meets the family of the late financier residing there. "By the sound of it, this family had its quirks, and I wondered whether jealousy, greed or plain animosity might have led to the murder of Philip".

He is trying to establish whether the death of Uncle Phil was an accident, suicide, or something more sinister.

And then the second death follows.

Gossip swirls, tempers flare, and alibis begin to crumble faster than the ancient masonry. 

With so many possible suspects to choose from, there is also an additional supernatural element to the investigation. The staff working at the castle hint at the ghostly shenanigans and possible revenge from the disturbed remains of the long gone ancestor.

Will the sleuth duo find the killer? And why is Oscar so unnerved by the antique suit of armour?

After following Dan and Oscar's exploits for a few years, they've become close like good friends, or even family. 

The evocative setting, rich in the historical detail, scrumptious descriptions of food, a delightful side kick, gentle humour - this cozy mystery incorporates all the elements to create a successful story with a masterful final twist. 

Isn't it time for Boldwoods Books to produce a Dan & Oscar cook book, with the recipes of the Italian meals mentioned in the series? 

Murder in Rome is a captivating murder mystery, entertaining, intriguing and enjoyable. 

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/MurderInRome

Author Bio – I’m a man. And a pretty old man as well. I studied languages at Nottingham University a long time ago and then lived and worked in France and Switzerland before going to work in Italy for seven years. My Italian wife and I then came back to the UK with our little daughter (now long-since grown up) where I ran a big English language school for many years. We now live in a sleepy little village in Devonshire. I’ve been writing almost all my life but it was only thirteen years ago that I finally managed to find a publisher who liked my work enough to offer me my first contract.

I started off writing romances but after 28 of them, I knew I wanted to try something different, and so the first of the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mysteries, Murder in Tuscany, was born three years ago. I’ve been having a lot of fun ever since getting to know the dynamic duo (and introducing them to people all over the world). These books are cosy crime [a genre I didn't even know existed when I started writing them). They are murder mysteries, but not gory, over-violent stuff, but stories designed to exercise the brain of the reader and to put a smile on their face. Maybe it’s because there are so many horrible things happening in the world today that I feel I need to do my best to provide something to cheer my readers up. My books provide escapism to some gorgeous locations all over my beloved Italy.

Social Media Links – 

Website: www.tawilliamsbooks.com

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tawilliamsbooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrevorWilliamsBooks/