This is book one in a cosy mystery set in Tuscany. The setting is gorgeous. The characters are quirky. The story started out slowly. The mystery was intriguing.

Thanks NetGalley for approving me for this ARC. A easy good read, kept my attention throughout and enjoyed.

Apologies for the delay in this review, i have been battling ill health.

I have read all the authors books and i have always enjoyed them, and this was no different.

Great story, lovely setting, enjoyed the charcters and the story very much. I thought it flowed really well and it was a really good read.

Very different book from this author. Still with a lovely location, but crime this time it was a winner. Great plot. Not hard hitting crime. More on a lighter scale eco h is great. The plot was great. The book was well written. Another winner from this author

A fun series set in an appealing locale. The main character can become a bit cliche at times, but he always has his trusty canine sidekick to draw us back in. The mystery in this one was also engaging.

Apologies, I thought I'd left my review? This is the first in a brand new cosy-crime series from one of my favourite authors. TA Williams is well known for his vivid descriptions of his settings, a skill he brings to Tuscany and this, together with a cracking cast of characters, make this a mystery to savour!

As a fan of the author I couldn’t wait to start this new series. I wasn’t disappointed. Even in a different genre he adds in something which ties all of his books together, a 4 legged friend!

I can’t wait to see what he brings us next.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.

Murder in Tuscany is the first Armstrong and Oscar cozy destination mystery by T.A. Williams. Released 18th Oct 2022 by Boldwood books, it's 264 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The second book in the series, Murder in Chianti, is also currently available on KU.

This is a beautifully descriptive and well written destination mystery set in Tuscany. Former policeman Dan Armstrong is visiting the Italian countryside at a writing retreat to regroup, recharge, and take stock of his own life after the breakup of his marriage. When the leader/owner of the retreat turns up stabbed with his own decorative dagger, Dan's cop instincts and his inside placement at the scene of the crime leave him in a good position to help the local constabulary. His insights are valuable and he and the lead detective develop a good rapport and friendship.

The plotting is solid and the dialogue and characterizations are well controlled and believable. The mystery, denouement, and resolution are self contained in this volume, so it works well enough as a standalone, but the writing and mystery are so well planned and executed, that it would make an excellent weekend mini binge or buddy read with the companion volume. I sincerely hope that there are more books to come.

It's not derivative at all, but it reminded me in a lot of good ways of Leon's exceptional Brunetti books as well as Walker's lovely Bruno, chief of police books. Fans of those authors will find a lot to enjoy here.

Four and a half stars. Highly recommended.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading TA William's first foray into mystery, it's hard to believe he has never written this genre before. His knowledge of Italy is well put to use and the setting is so evocative it is almost like another character. The characters are a rich and varied group and the story is intriguing, holding my attention, allowing me to go for the ride and be surprised. Bravo!

A brand new cozy crime series set in gorgeous Tuscany...It's murder in paradise! Cancel all plans while reading - I inhaled this amazing mystery book over one weekend and resented everything that kept me away from it! The writing was top notch and the characters were very real.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Newly retired DCI Dan is on a writing course in the Tuscan countryside. His former colleagues gifted him with the two weeks but did not read the fine print. Or so they said. It is a course for writers of erotica. He has this wild idea of the rain coat brigade of perverts being his fellow participants. He is surprised when he meets them and when he attends the various sessions. He is also surprised when the host of the course is murdered and the local cop with whom he has just struck up a friendship enlists his aid. It is going to be a rather difficult investigation. First it appears that there may have been three attempts at murder. And there is no shortage of suspects since the man was a slimy piece of work.

While Dan is learning more about the art of writing and touring Florence and the countryside, he is also acting as the eyes of ears for the police. He falls in love with Tuscany- and so will the reader whilst reading about his wandering. By the end of the story, the sad tales have been revealed. The deceased was a total cad whose exploits ruined many lives. Certainly those who were involved can be excused for their actions.
And by the end, Dan has decided to settle in Tuscany with his new dog and I can see there is a wealth of opportunity for new stories. There is also a lovely wink at the end of the book that was just the right touch.

I enjoyed the book but craved some wine and Italian food while reading it. Five purrs and two paws up.

Readers of my blog will know I’m a huge fan of T A Williams’ work and a search of his name here will offer plenty of reviews of his previous bestselling romances set in Italy.

This novel is a departure from the norm to some extent as he forays into the world of cosy crime.

That said, there is an abundance of typical features to be found within this new genre and fans will be delighted that the trademark Labrador is still very much present; in this case, it is Oscar who resides over proceedings!

The author always creates a vivid picture of the setting in the reader’s mind and the villa Volpone, set high in the Tuscan hills is no exception. Coupled with the usual descriptions of the delectable food and drink on offer, you can’t help but imagine yourself there, even amidst the crime that has taken place.

I found this just as easy a read as the author’s previous novels and felt a real empathy for the main character of Dan.

I’m already eagerly anticipating the next book in the series!

With thanks to the author, Rachel at Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

Well, this book had a winning combination of a stunning setting, gorgeous food and an intriguing cosy mystery. I love how T. A. Williams always manages to transport me to the wonderful settings in his books and Murder in Tuscany was another great example of this. This is a different direction to T. A. Williams typical stories but I do love a cosy mystery/crime. So I was definitely intrigued to see where this story would go. Within a short space of time it felt as if I had taken a little break to Tuscany. Then as an added bonus I also found myself playing detective right along side Dan.

Dan was a really likeable main character, he was also at a kind of crossroads in his life. It was almost like he was trying to find a new normal. I really enjoyed getting to know him and wondering how everything would turn out. Not only in the case he found himself tangled up in but in his private life too. There were quite a few suspects to choose from which also kept things interesting. I have to admit for a while there I couldn’t quite make my mind up over who was guilty. I do have to give a special mention to Dan’s boisterous and loveable four legged friend, Oscar. He was such a fun and cute addition to the story!

Murder in Tuscany whisked me away to Italy with a dash of drama, an intriguing crime and a likeable main character. It was a wonderful escape!

This is a promising departure into a new genre with a relatable main character taking on the role of the sleuth. Dan Armstrong, as an ex-police detective, commands the respect of the Tuscan detectives who are called on to investigate the mysterious murder at the writing retreat which Dan is attending. I enjoyed the gentle humour to be had at the expense of Dan’s fellow writers and there some quirky characters amongst them. 

I was overjoyed to see that the author’s favourite black Labrador made an appearance in these new series of novels. Oscar had all the characteristics of his breed with a never ending appetite and zest for life. He also turned out to be an excellent judge of character. Set in beautiful Tuscany, there is plenty to delight the reader with some lovely descriptions of the countryside and food of the area. With a few red herrings and carefully laid clues to intrigue, this makes for an entertaining read and I am hoping for a few more investigations from this Englishman abroad in the future. 


In short: murder, mysteries and mayhem 
#blogtour
thnaks to the publisher

I received this ARC via Netgalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. I really enjoyed this cozy about a newly retired DCI. His retirement gift being a writers’ retreat in Italy, it seemed a perfect transition until he discovers the course’s themes and the diverse group of participants, culminating in murder. Looking forward to the next in this series!

A fair start to a series but it didn't blow my socks off. It was decent but left me ambivalent as tow whether or not to seek out the second installment. Cannot place my finger on what precisely left me wanting more but I definitely didn't finish it and eagerly anticipate the next release.

I was very keen to start reading a book in TA Williams new series in a totally different genre. I was drawn in right from the first page. I love his romances and quickly fell in love with this cosy mystery genre.
Set in the beautiful Tuscan countryside, I enjoyed all the 'trips' and the delicious food. The writing course had some interesting participants and you were able to join in with the 'whoduunit'.
There was the expected canine companion which I have come to love and look out for.

‘Murder in Tuscany’ is a brilliant start to a very promising cosy series set in the rolling vineyards of Italy! I wasn't quite sure what I was going to make of this one since I'm a not a huge cosy reader, I like them more as a pick me up read. But I loved this one. Fell in love with the location, the protagonist and of course Oscar the dog! He reminded me very much of my crazy lab as he knocked me into Loch Lomond once. The pace was spot on, there was a great cast of characters and wow this book made me hungry. I'm now dreaming of DCI Dan Amstrong looking like Stanley Tucci on his culinary tour but with the added intrigue of murder!

Dan has just retired from the Met and has ambitions of being a writer. His colleagues clubbed together and booked him a two week creative writing course in the Tuscan Hills. Sounds like bliss but the course is for erotic fiction! He is persuaded to go and it's a mixed group who turn up as his fellow students - two older women who have multiple books already published, a few couples. The owner and leader of the course is a horrid Englishman who Dan decides is best avoided. However, when his body is found in suspicious circumstances Dan is asked to help by the local police as a translator. He soon finds out there is a lot to learn about the victim but also all his fellow residents!

I could feel the heat coming off the pages, the descriptions of the location were fantastic and I loved all the little nods to history that we're thrown into the narrative. I also loved that Dan was not a jaded cliche of an ex-copper, he was very self-aware and willing to embrace his feelings. Of course, his relationship with Oscar the resident dog was brilliant and the resolution of that was pitch-perfect. It did have elements of a locked room mystery which I thought was done especially well. Again like golden age crime, there was a roster of characters who all had something against the victim and their reasons were teased out slowly but surely by the author!

A great start to a series which is going to become one of my happy reads! Let me know if you read this one.

Love Italy and love this story. It was a cosy mystery written well and easy to read. Enjoyed reading and finding about the characters. Looks forward to ore in this series.

An enjoyable mystery that promises to develop into a good series. It certainly kept me guessing. Nice setting in Tuscany.

It's not quite my thing, but that doesn't detract from the good writing and interesting mystery.