3.8 Stars
One Liner: Makes me want to go to Italy!

Dan Armstrong is now a private detective with an office in the Florence suburbs. He has cases, too, except that most of them deal with suspicious spouses, annoyed neighbors, etc. However, his friend and Chief of Police Virgilio sends a Hollywood case to Dan.
A film crew with the famous heroine Selena Gardner is filming in Florence, and someone doesn’t like it. The team has been getting threats with messages wrapped around arrows. Dan takes the case and finds that there seems to be a lot of scandals and gossip than danger. But when one of the prominent team members gets killed, Dan realizes he needs to step up the game.
Soon, Dan finds out there’s much he doesn’t know about the case, and this could put him and Oscar, his trusty black lab, in danger. Can Dan solve the case in time?
The story comes in Dan’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
This is the third book in the series and works as a standalone. There are necessary references to the past to keep the reader up to date about Dan’s personal life.
The chapters are shorter (thankfully), though the pacing is slow to medium. This is the kind of book you cannot rush through. With such a beautiful setting and enough mentions of food, there’s no point in rushing, either.
The book also gives insights into the lives of celebrities and the complexities involved in making a film. Since we see things from Dan’s perspective, there’s no overload of information.
The mystery takes time to unravel, and we have scenes where Dan and Virgilio discuss the same information multiple times. It can get a bit boring, especially in the middle, but things start to come together rather well.
I like how seemingly unrelated bits tie up to take the story to the conclusion. The pages allocated to ‘other things’ aren’t fillers but have a role in the overall plot. Oh, there’s a short explanation of the various types of law force departments in Italy.
I don’t like the repeated mention of Dizzy’s clumsiness. I get that she is klutzy (some of us are), and it’s okay to use it in a few scenes to advance the plot. However, repeated references make it a little too excessive.
I don’t have to separately mention Oscar, should I? He is a darling, always ready to be cuddled by ladies and fed by anyone. The book would be boring without him.

To summarize, Murder in Florence is a good continuation of the series, with a great setting, yummy food, an adorable doggy, and a few dead bodies. Looking forward to the fourth installment (and I’m so happy for Dan!).
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This book really was tremendous fun from beginning to end, although Dan has found that life as a private investigator – even in lovely Florence – can have its less glamorous side. But there’s a Hollywood film crew in town, filming some Medici-related historical scenes at various locations – and it seems someone doesn’t want them there, firing arrows with a chilling but clear message wrapped around the shafts, “Stop filming or start dying”. And when the local police can’t spare the manpower to provide a constant presence, Dan is brought in as the investigator, dressed in full Renaissance costume to blend in with the cast (yes, including the tights…), getting familiar with the cast and crew and sometimes appearing in the crowd scenes – until things get serious, one of the crew is found dead, the threat becomes increasingly real, and the set becomes a dangerous place to be.

As always, the characters are wonderfully drawn, from producer and director (and I learned quite a bit about the difference) through the several intriguing lead actors to the technical team, the writer and historical consultant, the gophers and security team. The threat might well come from within – there are certainly enough undercurrents and complications – but then again there might be a different connection, all tied up with the bloody history of the Medicis and the Pazzi uprising. There are suspects aplenty, all moving in and out of the frame in turn – and the dynamics and relationships between them are simply fascinating and quite perfectly handled.

One of the things I really love about this series – and I must say that you could easily read this book as a standalone, but seriously, why would you? – is Dan’s first person narration. He has such a wonderful wry and self-deprecating humour that lightens every scene – and I just adore his relationship with labrador companion Oscar, the notorious womaniser and devourer of anything remotely food-related that comes his way (sometimes with unfortunate and less than fragrant consequences). There’s a nice little frisson of possible romance for Dan in this book too, not easy when it’s difficult to know who to trust and when the woman in question looks increasingly like a possible suspect.

The story itself is excellent – plenty of complications and subplots, some with unexpected links, and they’re all very satisfyingly brought together by the book’s conclusion. The settings, as always, are beautifully drawn – the author’s books don’t just have a Tuscan flavour, they entirely transport you to the location where you can taste the food and feel the warmth of the sun. And despite the strong thread of humour, this was a really compelling read – I read the whole book in a single sitting, entirely immersed in its many twists and turns as the tension steadily built, and loved every single moment.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books, I think this might have been my favourite in the series so far – and I’m really delighted that Dan and Oscar will have many more adventures to come…

I’ve read several of T.A. Williams’s romance novels and I loved them so I was excited to know this author has a cozy mystery series set in Tuscany.

This is the third book in the series and even though I haven’t read the first two books yet, this one was easily read as a stand alone.

I loved the beautiful descriptions of Florence and it’s surrounding areas especially since I’m visiting there this summer.

The characters are written with a perfect amount of detail. The mystery itself is well plotted and entertaining.

Dan Armstrong, a retired London chief inspector, is now a private investigator in Tuscany. He has the help of his very friendly lab named Oscar.

In this book, Dan is hired to keep a movie cast and crew safe after they receive threats via messages sent with arrows.

After the threats escalate to murder, Dan is on the clock to keep everyone safe and catch a killer.

It can be hard to write something meaningful and interesting after you read and reviewed all the books in a series for blog tours.
I love this series and I think that T.A. Williams is a talented mystery writer, balancing the the style of his romance novel with the elements of a classic mystery.
This mix produces gripping and highly entertaining stories that always keep me guessing and turning pages.
Dan is the human sleuth but Oscar is the dog you would like to adopt. I always laugh when it talks about Oscar being always famished as one of my cats is also always famished and on diet.
This is the best story in the series and i like how the characters are evolving and the realistic descriptions of Tuscany and Florence
Read it and have fun.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books for this arc, all opinions are mine

A fabulous third novel in what is becoming a favourite series to look forward to and savour!

Having retired from the UK Police Force, Dan Armstrong has relocated to Italy and set himself up as a private detective. Along with his sidekick, labrador Oscar. he takes on whatever cases come his way. Have struck up a friendship with the local law officers, he works with them - not against them - and where he goes, Oscar goes too. This time round he's called upon to investigate a spate of attacks and threats at a Hollywood Movie Set, where they are filming in the gorgeous Tuscan countryside. Dan soon uncovers all the niggles between cast and crew, but he really needs to find out who is behind the threats . . .

I fall more in love with Oscar with each novel in this series. Dan's alright, but there is no doubt that Oscar has my heart, lol (We have our own Oscar, a chocolate lab). I've followed TA Williams' romances for several years and must say he has transferred to murder mysteries easily. There are always plenty of clues and lots going on - the culprit or culprits are never easily identified and each book is a brand new story in a new setting, showing off more of the wonderful Tuscan countryside. Who wouldn't want to live there after reading this series? As always, I was completely befuddled as to 'whodunnit' but, boy, did I enjoy the ride. An easy five stars to give - and I look forward to the next one!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Murder in Florence is the third book in the Armstrong and Oscar series of cosy crime set in Italy, and book 3 is just as enthralling as the first two books in the series.

This time, Dan somehow finds himself forced to wear tights to blend into the film set he works on, where crossbows have been shot at those on set. It is all very perplexing. I loved the use of the movie to enrich the story with historical details of Florence. Always a history buff, it was great to see it put to good use while keeping me entertained.

As with the first two books in the series, there is a twisty plot where Dan gets to venture to many local beauty spots before getting even the sniff at a breakthrough on the case, and of course, none of it would happen without the aid of the always hungry, and always a bit 'farty' Oscar the labrador pooch.

A thoroughly entertaining tale.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

I received this advance reader copy via Netgalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This is the third book in a delightful series with a retired, expat English Detective Chief Inspector, turned private investigator in his adopted country of Italy. Add interesting characters, a good cozy, and a dog to make a delightful trip to Italy. I look forward to the next book in this series.

hen Detective Dan is asked to investigate threats and arrows being sent to a film company in Florence, he finds himself in some difficulties. Is it a member of the crew, someone from outside or even one of the stars? Perhaps it involves a historical feud? Luckily, he has good friends in Florence and in the Florentine police to provide a little help together with his trusty Labrador Oscar, but he mostly has to solve it himself. Not only this, but he is trying to cope with a budding romance as well!

I really enjoyed this light murder mystery. Dan is an engaging character and Oscar is cute. The beautiful setting and historical references added a lot to the story, and I am sure that there will be many tourists wanting to follow in Dan’s footsteps!

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review

🎬Who'd've guessed? Not me!🕵

This one kept the action moving, the danger mounting and the mystery intact through most of the well put together plot. Plus, always a bonus: a beautiful setting in Florence and the hill country of Tuscany. And a retired police detective turned writer/private investigator hero who modestly tries his best to stop the unknown nemesis threatening a movie set while grudgingly wearing a bizarre period costume to "fit in."😏

This is the second I've read in the series and both were hugely enjoyable because they kept me guessing and gave a good feel for the Italian lifestyle, relaxing with a glass of wine or a beer while contemplating a beautiful vista and with a faithful (though perpetually hungry) Labrador retriever at his feet. This British expat detective really has the life (when he's not putting himself in danger for the investigation! ).

The character count was reasonable and each named character had a distinct career or movie role that made it easy to keep them straight. A good read all around.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

This is the first in the series that I have read but it certainly won’t be my last .
It’s in the cosy mystery genre but it has more of an edge than my usual cosy reads .
Dan Armstrong is a private investigator and author and he has a trusty side kick his labrador Oscar .
One of his latest cases involves a film set in Florence .
Mystery, murder , intrigue and a touch of Hollywood glamour make this story an entertaining read.
The writing makes for an easy read and the description of the Italian settings brings the book to life .
An appealing and engaging read , highly recommended and I’m looking forward to the next instalment in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

Book 3 in the Armstrong and Oscar Cosy Mysteries Series following Murder in Tuscany and Murder in Chianti and we have now moved to the beautiful city of Florence. Dan Armstrong is a Private investigator based in Florence who is always working with his partner, his beloved black labrador Oscar. Dan is approached by his friend Inspector Virgilio Pisano of the Florence Murder Squad to help out on security for a film crew, filming in and around Florence, who have received death threats.

Briefly, Dan turns up at the film set to find that crossbow darts have been fired at the crew, luckily all missing. Shortly afterwards one of the darts hits a target causing fatal injuries. Now that things have turned serious Dan and Virgilio (along with Oscar) take matters in hand. Although they have a list of possible suspects there is no obvious killer.

Lots of fun and detective work and Oscar proves he isn’t just a food guzzling labrador. The descriptions of Tuscany are wonderful and I enjoyed the historical information, the more I read this series the more I want to go there! There’s a bit of everything going on; Dan even enjoys a romantic interest but then discovers she is a suspect! A very entertaining, easy read with a good plot and excellent twists and turns to keep you guessing. It’s a great book in an equally great series.

4.5 stars

Intriguing murder mystery that kept me engaged all the way through. I enjoyed the setting and the little tidbits of history and local colour. I received this as an advance copy from the author and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Murder in Florence turned out to be the second book about Dan Armstrong, a former Chief Inspector at the Met who has retired to Florence and now works as a Private Investigator.

Somehow I managed to miss the first instalment in this series but I discovered this gem on Netgalley and was immediately triggered by the title to request a review copy and I must say: I was not disappointed.
Dan and his dog Oscar, as well as his friend Vergillio are likeable and interesting characters. The setting in Florence of-course is fabulous and the plot about deaths during the shooting of a movie on several locations in the province of Firenze is very interesting. As a second house owner in Tuscany I am quite familiar with the scenery and historic places and buildings that are mentioned in the book.
I was very pleased to notice that the author also mentioned some less visited places in Tuscany like Montaione and one of my favourite places in Tuscany: San Vivaldo. The monastery and the quaint little chapels surrounding it are certainly lovely but I was a bit disappointed that the most striking aspect of this site, the absolutely lovely terracotta scenes from the live of Christ inside the chapels, isn't mentioned, leading me to suppose that the author hasn't visited the site or unfortunately missed the best feature of San Vivaldo. Anyway, I can heartily recommend a visit, followed by a lovely pasta lunch at the Osteria San Vivaldo in the nearby village.

The storyline of the book was very interesting and I loved the references to the history of Florence during the Renaissance, although there were some little glitches in the historical information about the Pazzi uprising.

I will certainly read the first episode in this series and watch Netgalley in expectancy of further instalments.

I am a huge fan of this author and couldn’t wait to get stuck into the latest one in this series.

The story is brilliant, told really well, and all of the characters are written well too. I love the way the characters of Dan and his faithful companion Oscar are developing more with each new book.

Highly recommend this series for those who love a cosy mystery.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.

I love TA Williams' writing and I was looking forward to seeing what adventures former detective, Dan Armstrong, and his Labrador, Oscar, would get up to this time. As Dan is the narrator, we get frequent insight into his thoughts and feelings as well as a glimpse of his dry humour, which makes the novels in this series easy to read. Dan also has a really strong relationships with his colleagues in the Italian police which is wonderful to read.

Murder In Florence takes place on the set of a movie, where there is a killer on the loose. As there is a large cast of characters, this gives us a lot of suspects, and I was intrigued by the dynamics and relationships between each one. TA Williams has made sure each character is vibrant and has an intriguing story to keep the reader engaged with them.

As the novel reaches the end, there are a few subplots that come together. The author does this brilliantly, which really increases the tension in the last part of the novel.

I was also pleased that the author was able to draw on his romantic roots in Murder In Florence and I look forward to seeing what happens next as the series continues.

Really enjoyed this series from the start! Was good to see how well Dan is adapting to his life with his dog! Loved it and looking forward to the next one.

This is the second book I have read from this author. I enjoyed the quirkiness. It had many red herrings which added to the suspense. Great premise and enjoyed the description of the location. Would definitely read the next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Another enjoyable book in this cosy mystery series. It is great to see how Dan’s life in Italy is progressing. The murder mystery is well paced with plenty of suspects and some humour too. I’ll be sharing a review on the blog tour.

The perfect combination of cosy crime and escapist travel fiction makes the Armstrong and Oscar series one of the best in the genre. The Italian setting is authentic, from its culture to its cuisine, and the characters are complex and engaging. In Murder in Florence, the detective-centred mystery is twisty and builds to a suspenseful conclusion. The setting on a film location is intriguing, but the true stars of the story are Dan Armstrong and the enigmatic Oscar, the Labrador.

I like this story's characters, mystery and Italian setting.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

If I have to sum this book in a sentence (might be a pretty long sentence, mind), I will say: Fantabulous, engrossing, entertaining, super fun, adventurous, gives the reader Hollywood-movie vibes, a masterpiece.

I am a huge fan of this series and I have enjoyed every single installment. This time, Dan is on a case on a Hollywood movie set. Actors and their cranky behaviors aside, there's a robin hood on prowl. First, he starts shooting threatening letters (he's no cupid!), then ups his game to grievously harm the crew. Dan finds himself in the midst of a real-life melodrama: the actress, director and producer are at each other's throats, the producer's assistant is a clumsy girl named Dizzy. Her clumsiness might have saved a would-be victim or two.

The second half of the book is where things get tense. Real tense. Edge of your seat kinda scenario. Dan is an ex-copper, so his sleuthing skills are superb. There is a mind-blowing and totally shocking twist in the second half of the book - at about 75% through - and it left me gawping. I was like, Woah, how? where? why? when? OH NO!!

I enjoyed reading every bit of this fantabulous installment of Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Mystery series. Excellent storytelling (T.A. Williams is the best!). Likable characters and excellent plot-to-story development and, a dash of humor to seal the deal.