Murder in Chianti

May 11, 2020
At the start of this vibrant mystery from Trinchieri (The Breakfast Club Murder as Camilla T. Crespi), retired Bronx policeman Nico Doyle is having breakfast one morning at the run-down farmhouse he has rented near the town of Gravigna, Italy, his late wife’s hometown where he’s recently settled, when he hears a gunshot in the hills. When Nico investigates, he comes across the body of a man whose face has been obliterated by a shotgun blast. The victim’s Michael Johnson running shoes suggest he’s an American. Salvatore Perillo, the carabinieri officer who takes charge of the case, says on learning Nico was once a homicide detective: “I’ve dealt with only a single murder in my career. Holy heaven, New Yorkers must have murders every day.” Nico agrees to assist Perillo, despite his dislike of working homicides. Enticing descriptions of food and wines, an introspective protagonist with an unusual background, and an intricate plot that weaves its way amid past peccadillos combine to make this a winner. Readers will eagerly await Trinchieri’s next.

Pour yourself a glass of Chianti Classico and listen to the clear, steady voice of Angelo Di Loreto as he delivers this mystery. The story, set in the Chianti wine region of Tuscany, involves murder, meals, and a secret mistress. Di Loreto brings to life the colorful citizenry of Gravigna, giving them accents that are suggestive of Italian speech patterns but not overdone. The local carabinieri, headed by Salvatore Perillo, are not stereotypical bumbling fools. Instead, they are clever and capable. But because they're unused to murder investigations, a former New York detective living in this usually quiet village is called in to help. This police procedural, first in a new series, is well plotted, descriptive, and filled with unique characters. D.L.G. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine