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.

June 1, 2020
After the death of his wife, Rita, Bronx homicide detective Nico Doyle starts a new life in the idyllic village of Gravigna in the Chianti hills in Tuscany, where Rita grew up. A barking dog summons Nico into the woods near his new home, where he finds a man lying on the ground, a single shot to the head. Nico's landlord, Aldo, calls the local marshall, expansive Salvatore Perillo. Since the corpse has no ID, Nico inherits a faithful dog, whom he names OneWag. There's a fair amount of chatter about the murder and a soup�on of family drama at Sotto Il Fico, the restaurant Nico considers a second home. Tilde, Rita's cousin, doesn't approve of Gianni, Tilde's daughter Stella's boyfriend. Matriarch Elvira, who runs the restaurant with quiet authority, declares that the victim was American, disquieting Nico, who's been careful to keep his Bronx background a secret. When Perillo, under pressure from prosecutor Della Langhe, learns of it, he and overeager sidekick Daniele press Nico for help. The discovery of the victim's abandoned car, a bracelet traced to a jeweler, and a visit to a hotel reveal the man's identity: Napa Valley vineyard owner Robert Garrett, born Roberto Gerardi in Tuscany but raised in California. Adding another wrinkle to the investigation is the news that Garrett was dying of cancer. Might this have been a mercy killing? Regular visits to the restaurant and to Rita's grave punctuate Nico's probe. The solution Trinchieri provides will surprise and satisfy. An engaging procedural that introduces a delightful cast readers will want to spend more time with.

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July 24, 2020

When former NYPD homicide detective Nico's beloved wife, Rita, passes away, he makes a drastic change and moves from New York to her hometown of Gravigna, Italy, a small hamlet in the Chianti hills. His sorrow is deep, but immersing himself in Rita's extended family, he rediscovers purpose in helping out at their restaurant. His respite is short-lived and early one morning he discovers a corpse on his property whose face has been blown off by a shotgun. It isn't long before the carabinieri (Italian police) realize that Nico is an ex-homicide detective who retired under murky circumstances. Salvatore, the maresciallo in charge of the case, requests that Nico help them in the investigation. As details are uncovered about the dead man, readers learn more of Nico's past and that of Rita's family. In this small village, secrets that have been kept for decades are about to be explosively revealed. VERDICT Trinchieri (Seeking Alice) has incorporated all the elements mystery fans could want in this Italy-set whodunit: eccentric villagers who quote Dante, delectable descriptions of Italian cuisine, endless glasses of wine, and a thoroughly gripping mystery. Recommended for libraries where mysteries set in Italy are popular. [See Prepub Alert, 1/22/20.]--Amy Nolan, St. Joseph, MI

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2020

Trinchieri, who has also published mysteries under the pseudonym Camilla Crespi, brings us half-Italian, half-Irish NYPD homicide detective Nico Doyle, who stumbles upon a dead body after moving to his late wife's hometown in Italian wine country.

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.