Murder in Tuscany (Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Mystery, #1) by T.A. Williams

Murder in Tuscany (Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Mystery, #1) Reviews

• 
  Wulf Krueger

  I came to this book knowing nothing about it. I’m leaving it unfinished at 50%, knowing I hate pretty much everything about it…
  
  First of all, it’s rare that I read a novel and can tell after 5% that the author is an old white man. Why, you ask? Well, the hero, a retired police detective, never stops lamenting about his estranged and soon-to-be ex-wife while at the same time never stopping to ogle and lust after other women. Always commenting on their bodies, never on anything else…
  
  »She had short hair and was wearing no make-up but didn’t need any.«
  
  How very generous of him! The hero also keeps assigning “funny” nicknames to everyone around him, e. g. “»Agatha (aka Marge Simpson)« or the housekeeper/valet whom he calls “Dracula”. Of course, he’d never say that to anyone’s face.
  
  Also, our hero is full of entitled self-pity and oh-so-funny remarks…
  
  »This is justifiably reputed to be one of the greatest works of art in the world but all I can say is that it was probably a very cold day when Michelangelo sculpted the part of the statue’s anatomy that was attracting most of the attention.«
  
  Also, this thing is excessively boring. Together with the turd that came before it, it induced the worst reading slump in my life so far.
  
  The entire novel consists primarily of sexism, clichés and stereotypes and is so full of everything I do not like at all, that I can only actively warn against reading this.
  
  To round this up, here’s all you probably want to know about Williams in his own words…
  
  “Firstly, my name isn't T A. It's Trevor. I write under the androgynous name T A Williams because 65% of books are read by women. In my first book, "What Happens in Devon" one of the (female) characters suggests the imbalance is due to the fact that men spend too much time getting drunk and watching football. I couldn't possibly comment. Ask my wife…”
  
  Amusingly, my wife actually read this in parallel (without either of us knowing that!) and gave up at almost exactly the same point and she had exactly the same things to say about - just in a less friendly way than I do here…
  
  One star out of five for this streaming pile of faeces.
  
  
  
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• 
  theliterateleprechaun

  Do policemen ever really retire?
  
  This is book one of a brand-new cozy mystery series set in Tuscany. I remember reading one of this author’s romcoms years ago and thinking that it was a little too crass for my liking. I’m glad to have given his writing another try as I rather enjoyed the locked room mystery and intrigue of this one.
  
  Former DCI Dan Armstrong’s life is full of surprises. It seems that his colleagues gifted him this creative writing course as a retirement gift and didn’t read the fine print! Then as he settles into the course at the luxurious and remote retreat, Villa Volpane, the crime writer and host, Jonah Moore, is murdered. Before he knows it, Armstrong’s out of retirement and pairing up with the Italian Commissario Virgilio Pisano to uncover who amongst them is the murderer. Williams explores how nothing is as it seems and that everyone at the retreat has secrets to hide.
  
  Having lived in Italy brings authenticity to his setting and having written many books brings a tautness to his plot. I know that a Williams’ book will always push the boundaries, but thankfully I was fully engaged, focused on the intrigue, misled by the red herrings and thoroughly entertained. I’m already looking forward to book 2!
  
  I was gifted this advance copy by Boldwood Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
• 
  Rachel Gilbey

  From the opening chapter which is probably one of the funniest things I've read from this author, turning into a cosy mystery that had me completely and utterly gripped - I can safely say that I have thoroughly enjoyed T. A. Williams change of genre.
  
  I loved that this was set on a remote writing retreat in the Tuscan countryside, on a writing course specialising in one rather adult genre - which given Dan wasn't intending to write the genre in question, has a rather eye opening time for all manner of reasons.
  
  Some of the conversations between him and the other participants on the course were so so funny, and incredibly enjoyable.
  
  Then there is the murder, fairly early into the story, and it was good to see Dan trying to help the local police, given he is a retired DCI. I loved seeing his investigative attempts, and literally had no idea just who had offed a rather unlikeable man.
  
  I had a very strong theory the whole time as to the motive, and shockingly it wasn't even one contemplated by anyone in the book, which shows just how little I know about predicting a killer!
  
  I was transported to Tuscany, to this writing retreat, with great descriptions of the area, local food, Italian policing, and the authors trademark back lab has also made the change of genre, and plays a key part to the story too.
  
  I am very excited to learn this if the first book in a series, I literally can't wait to read the next books, I think just like their romance's, the author is onto another winning book here. I can't fault it in the slightest and was addicted!
  
  Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
• 
  Mairita (Marii grāmatplaukts)

  Principā savā cozy mystery žanrā šim romānam var likt arī 5 zvaigznes. Omulīgi, asprātīgi, noziegums un intriga laba, varoņi interesanti, vide burvīga. Ko vēl vēlēties? Man ļoti patika, saņēmu to, ko gaidīju un vēl vairāk. Galvenais - beidzot ir pat veseli divi izmeklētāji, kuru dzīves ir normālas un viņi neslīgst drūmā alkoholismā. Gaidu nākamo tikšanos ar Denu un Oskaru.
• 
  elisa

  mid book review:
  
  definitely a slow read. i like the scenery descriptions.
  
  what is keeping me from rating this 3 stars or more is all the objectifying he does of Charlotte…. how desirable she looks, the short skirt she decided to wear on a hot summer day. women can’t even exist in peace lol
  another thing is how the MC keeps giving unsolicited advice to women? specifically Serena or whatever her name is lol and the author writes it as if she is grateful for it lol
  
  more to come…..
  
  ———-
  
  final review….
  
  i called all the “twists” 2/3rds in. they were all very obvious and not surprising at all so i am actually shocked at all the 5 star reviews this book has lol
  
  i found this book very misogynistic in the way that the MC described women and how they looked “desirable”. again, can a woman simply exist for once???
  
  ALSO, when it came out about students being raped, the MC decides to picture the one lady (Diane/Diana) as a younger version of herself and decides that yes, she might’ve been attractive enough to be targeted. um what??? we are in 2023. i thought we have all woken up to the fact that rapists don’t care.
  
  this was a serious no from me. i was really looking for a cozy mystery in the italian countryside but clearly i will have to stick to female authors cause this was just horrid
• 
  Javier

  After countless romance novels (I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few), T.A. Williams has strayed into the dark side with this, his first murder mystery. But don’t be afraid, this is a cozy mystery so his trademark elements are still present here. Did anyone say black lab?
  
  Retired DCI Dan Armstrong got from his colleagues a creative writing course in the Tuscan hills as a retirement gift. His new life will be upended when his host is found stabbed with his award-winning silver dagger. Forced out of retirement, he will collaborate with the Italian police to bring the killer to justice.
  
  When you’re good at something and it works well, it might be difficult and scary to try something different, that’s why I’m so glad to say that the change from rom-com to cozy mystery worked perfectly. From the endearing, charming and quirky characters to the gorgeous setting, everything was really enjoyable in this fun mystery that is the first installment in a new series.
  
  The story started out a bit slow, setting up all the pieces on the board, but once the murder happened it turn into quite a fast read.
  
  The murder mystery was quite intriguing as right from the start it wasn’t clear the number of perpetrators, so theories were legion! I had a fully formed one I was sure would be the correct one but, although I guessed the who, I got the why completely wrong, so it was fun being misled right until the end.
  
  He may have changed genres, but the author’s love of Italy is still palpable in every page. From the wonderful descriptions to the mouth watering foods the characters keep having (why so much torture, why??!!), he makes the reader fall in love with all of it at the same time Dan did.
  
  The elderly (and quite shameless) ladies in the story put the note of humor that mixed so well with the general feel of the story.
  
  Great start to what promises to be a fun and delightful series.
  
  Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review and to Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour.
• 
  Nadishka Aloysius

  This has got to be my favourite new series
  I absolutely loved the descriptions of food and location (I love Italy, what can I say?) and I savoured every page. The mystery was also good and not too predictable.
  The biggest surprise was realising that my home country Sri Lanka is mentioned and plays a role in the plot!
  I will definitely read the next book when it is published.
• 
  Theresa

  This is a new series set in Tuscany. Dan, newly retired from Scotland Yard and facing a divorce, was given by his co-workers a writing seminar/retreat in Tuscany as a retirement gift. Turns out it is a writing retreat for writing erotica, which embarasses Dan to no end. He goes anyway as he's writing a murder mystery set in the Renaissance featuring a Medici type family. Soon after arriving, the 'host' is murdered and Dan finds himself assisting the locals in solving the murder. The only witness to the murder was the host's young black labrador, named Oscar.
  
  This is light, fun and has a fantastic setting near and around Florence. There is plenty of food and wine descriptions as well to inspire a few meals. The plot is just complex enough, and quite funny at times. One of my favorite parts is the discussion over wine of how one should describe ladies undies in contemporary erotica, which of course varies greatly country to country. My main complaint is that Dan spends a lot of time blaming himself for the disintegration of his marriage because of his profession and his love of it. Frankly, what is disclosed about the soon-to-be ex-wife has me thinking he's lucky to finally be free of her.
  
  As the series continues to be set in Italy, I'm definitely going to read on. Plus young Oscar promises to become a truly studly hunky dog.
• 
  Ashley

  When you start with newly retired and newly single police detective Dan Armstrong attending a two week writer’s workshop at a villa in Tuscany you’ve got me hooked. Throw in the fact that his detective pals chipped in to send him to the writers workshop in Tuscany and oops… didn’t read the fine print that it’s a workshop for erotica writers (or did they?) and you’ve got me unable to put this cozy mystery down for even a minute.
  
  Of course there is a murder and Dan gets pulled back into detective mode and teams up with the local Italian police to solve the crime.
  
  I highly recommend this so easy to jump right into and so hard to put down mystery. Five stars from me. Many thanks to Netgally and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
• 
  Cindy B.

  Really intriguing cozy (2 words that don’t usually go together). Love the narrator and his accents - very entertaining and easily understood. I hope it’s an affordable series.
• 
  Emmalynn

  This was a fun read. Dan is is Tuscany for a writer’s workshop gifted to him by his colleagues upon his retirement from the force. Except.. it’s an erotic writers workshop 😳😅😂🤣🤣🤣 his reactions are downright hilarious! He meets his host, an alleged successful writer, though Dan notes if her were truly successful would he be holding workshops?? Lol. Anyway, he also meets fellow attendees and many are not who they appear or claim to be. Dan is also separated from his wife of 30 years and while he hopes it’s temporary, he also knows he has to plan for the next chapter. When the host is murdered, along with a local inspector and the lab Oscar. Dan feels compelled to investigate and find the killer. This is a first person, witty Cosy,
• 
  Annarella

  It's not easy to switch from rom-com to cozy mystery even if there's some common tropes.
  This is an example of a successful change, the highly entertaining and gripping start of a new cozy series.
  I liked Dan Armstrong, a likeable and fleshed out characters, had a lot of fun in reading his reactions to discovering what was the course was about.
  Oscar the dog is one of my favorite characters but I found most of them likeable.
  The mystery is solid and well developed. There's no plot hole, there's plenty of surprises and it kept me guessing. I liked the relationship with the Italian police and enjoyed the investigation.
  T.A. Williams should be paid by the Tuscany Tourist Board as the descriptions of the places made me wish I was there. The descriptions of the food are mouthwatering and I was left craving crostini and bruschetta.
  An enjoyable cozy mystery and I hope to read the next in this series soon. This one is highly recommended.
  Many thanks to Boldwood Books, Rachel's Random Resources, and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
• 
  Bibliophileverse

  A Simple Whodunnit Mystery..........................
  
  Murder In Tuscany by T A Williams is a simple mystery about a murder in a villa with 11 residents. Although, the plot is simple, but, still it has a spark right from the beginning. At first, while reading I was eager to know that who is going to be murdered? And, after that who is the culprit? Indeed a good book to finish within a day. All the characters are far apart from each other, but, they are introduced as same at first. The real juice comes towards the end when the story unfolds in layers. I really enjoyed the story. Tip of the iceberg is that you cannot miss Oscar, the dog.
  
  Definitely, the book is 5 stars. Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and Netgalley for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
  
  Read more on bibliophileverse.blogspot.com
• 
  Charlene

  2.5 Stars. The overall story was interesting and quite descriptive, but it was very slow moving for me. Nothing began to happen until 25% into the book and even then, it was never jaw-dropping.
• 
  Jan

  This was just okay. I liked the setting and the food descriptions but really didn't care for the MC much. I won't be reading any more from the series.
• 
  Trudy

  Story o k. Main character’s comments on (and author’s descriptions of) women very cringey and outdated.
• 
  Elaine - Splashes Into Books

  Retired DCI Dan Armstrong has been given a treat
  A fortnight's holiday in a writers' retreat.
  A course to help him complete his own book
  But into the small print did his colleagues really not look?
  
  Dan never anticipated that on the course there'd be a killer
  Changing the genre from erotica to thriller.
  He can't resist joining in the investigation into the crime
  But can he help catch the perpetrator in time?
  
  It feels like you're there, in Tuscany, visiting each scene,
  Tasting the delicious meals, deciphering what the clues mean.
  The characters start to feel like folks you really know
  The twists and turns keep you guessing as through the story you go.
  
  What a brilliant cosy murder mystery this proved to be
  The first in a new series - great news to me!
  By an author who usually writes brilliant romance
  But is now also giving this genre a chance.
  
  With lots of possibilities, new friends and Oscar, too,
  An intriguing cosy mystery I highly recommend to you.
  I just have to say that one character is nothing like me
  Even though we have the same first name, I hope you agree!
  
  For my complementary copy of this book I give a huge thank you.
  I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review
• 
  Jan

  Dan is newly retired after 30 years in the Murder Squad where his "pals" gave him the gift" of a writers retreat in Tuscany. Needless to say, he was surprised to find that it was about writing erotica. Teeheehee.
  That was only the first surprise! The villa and countryside are beautiful, the company nothing short of peculiar, the plot labyrinthine, and the food delizioso. Of course there's a murder and a willing commissario to share the case with him. After all, Dan spoke English like the other guests. Fun, twisty, surprising, and NOT simply another "formula cozy". Loved it and plan to get the rest of the series as they come out!
  I requested and received an e-book copy from Boldwood Books courtesy of NetGalley. Thank you!
  
  
• 
  Majriela

  I hate the word “cozy” but this definitely was a good, cozy mystery! I liked the background before the retreat and how everything unfolded during the retreat. Definitely kept me guessing and I didn’t totally expect how it ended, so it was good!
• 
  Jayne

  A fun new cozy series.
• 
  Thales Wieczorek

  A very good book that keeps you engaged the whole time. It was an easy and enjoyable read. Doesn’t get 5 stars because it gets a little repetitive towards the ending as well a bit predictable.
• 
  Alison

  When DCI Daniel Armstrong retired from the Met Police in London his colleagues, as a leaving present bought him a stay at a creative writing course in a villa in Tuscany hosted by author Jonah Moore. It is debatable whether or not they knew that it was for writers of erotica :)
  
  Dan has split from his wife of thirty years, his devotion to his job and inability to switch off in social situations were major factors and his retirement was too little too late. So this course is as much to think out his next steps in life as to learn whether he could take up writing as a second career.
  
  His fellow students are nothing like the perverted men he imagined, instead they are mostly women. Ranging from two mature ladies from Littlehampton, a history professor who wants to write a novel about Roman orgies, a brother and sister from Canada who want to write erotica, and several more novices who want to learn how to write.
  
  Dan can't help but notice that their host, Jonah is a heavy drinking letch, he ogles several of the female guests, even fondles one of them all under the nose of his wife Maria and sister Millicent. Despite the course being touted as being taught by Jonah the actual lessons are given by Millicent and a woman called Serena who has had several novels published. He also notes that there is something suspicious about Will and Rachel the brother and sister from Canada.
  
  When their host is found dead after lunch, stabbed through the heart with a silver dagger he was awarded for one of his novels, almost everyone is a suspect. Apart from Dan who was visiting Commissario Virgilio Pisano, an acquaintance of one Dan's colleagues, delivering a bottle of scotch.
  
  The plot thickens when the pathologist finds that Jonah was not only stabbed; he had also ingested a lethal dose of cyanide, and a non-fatal dose of Oleandrin. Was one person responsible for all three attempts or could the villa house three separate would-be murderers?
  
  I enjoyed this, I have seen other reviews which complain about the way in which Dan objectifies Charlotte with references to her short skirts etc. I didn't get that vibe at all. In fact, I thought T.A. Williams was a woman until I came to write this review. I saw Dan's remarks (internal) as more the awakening of an interest in a woman other than his wife and how he was surprised by suddenly noticing her attractiveness on a personal basis rather than objectively as he would have done when he was married.
  
  I liked this, although the luscious descriptions of the food and countryside dud have me googling the price of cottages in Tuscany and thinking about booking a holiday LOL. Some of the reveals were a little predictable, but others came as a surprise. I will definitely read the next in the series.
  
  Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.
• 
  Emily

  3 stars: an average read but I am intrigued to read the rest in the series (possibly because they are all set in Italy...)
  
  Positives:
  
  ✅️ Twists I didn't see coming (cosy mysteries usually have an air of predictability but this one had me raising my eyebrows!
  ✅️ I liked the low level of romantic interests, the mystery was definitely the focal point
  ✅️ Great descriptions of beautiful Tuscan countryside and food
  
  
  Negatives:
  
  ❌️ Quite repetitive at times..
  ❌️ Action developed quickly (often out of thin air with no build up)
  ❌️ I disliked how the author wrote about women's appearance.
• 
  JoLynn

  This might have been the most boring book I have read in a long time. I didn’t want to finish it but I pushed through. The storyline was slow going but I did like the details the author added. They were probably going for an Agatha Christie style storyline but it just didn’t have the same feel with the modern world vibe. It was cheesy in most parts.
  It was definitely a whodunnit but it was just really boring.
• 
  Jillian

  It’s pleasing to get in on the beginning of a promising new series. This is the first I have read of this author, and chose it because of the Italian setting. It has the right ingredients for engagement- a setting that contributes to the plot and atmosphere, an experienced (retired), empathetic detective who works cooperatively and a couple of minor characters with profiles being filled out.
  
  The writing is competent and pleasingly economical.
  
  My minor gripe is the pursuit of a romance interest for the about-to-be- divorced Dan. It felt imposed, as if the formula demanded its inclusion. It also meant I guessed part of the mystery - not something I usually do. It’s this slight clumsiness that led my to assign about 3.7 stars,
  
  I have, however, pre-ordered the second in the series.
• 
  Amy Prosenjak

  2.5 easy listen, loved the dog 🐾💖