Murder at the Duomo by T A Williams Book Review

About the Book:

As the sticky heat of August settles over Florence, Dan Armstrong is ready for a well-earned break—sightseeing with fiancée Anna, daughter Tricia and her fiancé Shaun. But when a British man is found dead inside the city’s magnificent Duomo, Dan’s plans quickly change.

The victim, Tristan Angel, is a super-wealthy arms dealer with a saintly name and a devilish reputation. But what was he doing in the cathedral, and who decided to make it his final confession?

At Angel’s opulent villa in the hills of Fiesole, Dan and Commissario Virgilio encounter a colourful cast of suspects—each one hiding secrets and none too eager to talk. As tempers rise and the heat outside grows ever more intense, Dan and his four-legged sidekick, Oscar, must sniff out the truth before the killer strikes again.

My Review:

I like this cozy mystery series mostly because of the settings. Williams does a great job of taking us on location, seeing and experiencing the buildings and landscapes. Here we get to experience the Cathedral, or Duomo, in Florence, both the beautiful exterior and the more plain interior. Dan and Oscar roam around various areas so we experience scenes overlooking the city too.

The mystery is good, taking us into the world of arms sales, exploring the ethical nature of selling arms to various entities. The possible suspects are many and it takes in depth investigation by the local Commissario with the help of Dan and his contacts from his previous government work. But the hero is Oscar who manages to find an essential clue.

This is a good cozy mystery for readers who like ones set in unique places and have interesting characters. There is a good balance of investigation and Dan's personal life. Williams' writing style is clear and entertaining. While it is down the line in the series, it reads well on its own.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my review of the previous book in this series, Murder in Venice.

About the Author:

I've written all sorts: thrillers, historical novels, short stories and now I'm enjoying myself hugely writing romance and whodunnits. Romantic comedies are what we all need from time to time. Life isn’t always very fair. It isn’t always a lot of fun, but when it is, we need to embrace it. Murder mystery is all very well, but it needs to put a smile on your face, so that's why I like to inject some humour. I'm having a lot of fun writing the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series set in sunny Italy. They are all standalone books but if you really want to do it properly, start with the first one in the series, Murder in Tuscany. If my books can whisk you away to gorgeous locations, put a smile on your face and maybe give your heartstrings a tug, then I know I’ve done my job.

Boldwood Books, 240 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)