Murder in Chianti

Written by Camilla Trinchieri

Narrated by Angelo Di Loreto

Set in the heart of Tuscan wine country, Camilla Trinchieri's new mystery introduces Nico Doyle, a former NYPD homicide detective who's just looking for space to grieve when he finds himself pulled into a local murder investigation.

Mourning the loss of his wife, Rita, former NYPD homicide detective Nico Doyle moves to her hometown of Gravigna in the winesoaked region of Chianti. Half Italian and half Irish, Nico finds himself able to get by in the region with the help of Rita’s relatives, but he still feels alone and out of place. He isn’t sure if it’s peace he’s seeking, but it isn’t what he finds. Early one morning, he hears a gunshot and a dog's cries near his cabin and walks out to discover a dead body in the woods, flashily dressed in gold tennis shoes. When the police arrive, Nico hastily adopts the fluffy white dog as his own and wants nothing more to do with the murder.

But Salvatore Perillo, the local maresciallo, discovers Nico's professional background and enlists him to help with the case. It turns out more than one person in this idyllic corner of Italy knew the victim, and with a very small pool of suspects, including his own in-laws, Nico must dig up Gravigna’s every last painful secret to get to the truth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9781980098539

Reviews for Murder in Chianti

[seasidereader · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Loved the premise - widowed former NY detective relocates from America to Italy and reluctantly teams up with local law enforcement to help solve a murder - and the culinary descriptions made my mouth water. But seemingly endless speculation about the victim and his past grew tedious.

[bcrowl399 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book made me feel like I was in Italy. The characters, scenery and food all contributed to a marvelous atmosphere that I couldn't get enough of. Nico was a great protagonist. All of the characters were full and complex. The suspense was about right for an Italian mystery. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. I only just discovered her.

[drapple_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I bought this book accidentally, looking for one with a similar title, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are engaging characters, including a very smart dog, and the description of the setting and food is wonderful. The mystery involves a man shot to death in the woods and his ties to the local community and the past.

[brianewilliams · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Despite a violent killing at the beginning this is a mellow read. The story is filled with interesting characters, a sound plot and the spectacular backdrop of Tuscany -- it's lifestyle and culture. The murder mystery is a puzzle that is only resolved in the last chapter. Many secrets among the cast prevent an early solution to the crime. Dani the junior cop and Rocco/OneWag the dog are standouts. It's a book to read and enjoy.

[pennymck_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had a whirlwind trip to Italy this week. I visited with the locals over breakfast, tasted some fabulous meals, and attended a wine festival. Of course, every minute of it was imaginary, but it was still highly enjoyable. If you’re in the mood for a change of scene, I highly recommend Murder in Chianti by Camilla Trinchieri. Interestingly enough, she also publishes mysteries as Camilla T. Crespi.Attention, dog lovers! A stray mutt with impeccable manners has a starring role in this book.

[thornton37814 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This excellent debut mystery features former NYPD police detective Nico Doyle who moves to his deceased wine's Italian town. A small dog alerts him to a problem in some wooded property adjoining his own. He calls the local carabinieri when he discovers a murdered man. Nico, fired from his position and with no other remaining family, moved near his wife's family where he helps them with a restaurant. He loves culinary experimentation. When Perillo, the local maresciallo, discovers Nico's background, he asks for his unofficial assistance in the investigation. In spite of his request for assistance, Perillo does appear to be a competent investigator. I loved this book which reminds me of Martin Walker's Bruno series with an Italian rather than French setting. I look forward to reading the next in series.

[brangwinn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After his wife dies, former NYPD homicide detective, Nico Doyle, moves to the town in which she grew up, the wine region of Chianti Italy. Of course, there is a murder and he is enticed into helping to solve it. If you are stuck at home with all borders out of the US closed, this is a good way to armchair travel. It’s the first in the series, and I hope the rest will be as entertaining.

[eyes92c · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tuscany! Italian food and wines, complete with a baffling murder mystery coming too close to home!American 'Conor Domenico Doyle had had a very bad start to his day' owing to the discovery of a dead body in the woods near the farm house he's currently renting in Gravigna, Tuscany.Nico Doyle had left (well been asked to leave) the homicide squad with the NYPD. Which was timely as his Italian wife, Rita, the love of his life had been diagnosed with cancer and wanted to return home to Tuscany to be near her family.When Rita died Nico took up permanent residence in the village, cooking and helping out at the family restaurant, the Bar All’Angolo.Nico's start to the day involved finding a dog and a rather gruesomely murdered man. That leads to him joining Salvatore Perillo , Maresciallo dei Carabinieri, the officer in charge of the investigation, in an unofficial capacity. Of course the dog becomes part of Nico's life. Known to Nico as OneWag but amusingly the rest of the community calls the endearing animal Rocco.Eventually the murdered man is found to be a person from the village's past and his return, the discovery of his body, opens up old rumors and long held secrets.A pleasing crime story falling somewhere between the cosy and culinary type murder genre. The food descriptions had my mouth watering so much I went and put on a pot of Spaghetti sauce during the reading. I'll just dream of a fabulous bottle of Italian wine to match, urged on by the descriptions presented.Nico is a wonderful mix of the laconic realist, experienced detective, sensitive and creative (as evidenced by his cooking experiments).qI look forward to seeing Nico's on going relationship with Perillo and the young carabinieri, Daniele. And of course his delightful extended family and let's not forget the very cute OneWag.A Soho Press ARC via NetGalley

[cathyskye · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Even though the mystery seemed to take a backseat from time to time in Murder in Chianti, I didn't really mind because this first Tuscan mystery reminds me very strongly of Martin Walker's Bruno Chief of Police series set in southwestern France.Just what does that mean? Lots of mouth-watering food (I'm going to try my hand at making "stingy spaghetti"), getting to know the townspeople of the village of Gravigna, a very interesting main character, and a puzzling mystery to solve.Nico Doyle has a backstory that, once uncovered, explains so much about his character. He is a man who believes in justice, but he also has a great deal of empathy for victims. He's a man who can't turn away a stray dog he names "OneWag," and he experiments with various recipes in his kitchen with some of his food being served in the family restaurant where he works a few hours per week.The local maresciallo, Salvatore Perillo, is also a strong character. He grew up in the south of Italy, so in his own way, he is out of place in Tuscany, too. His partner is a young man, Daniele, who learns a lot during the investigation while contributing good ideas of his own. Being so young, he feels that his two biggest problems are being without a girlfriend and having the misfortune of blushing at the drop of a hat (even when he's not embarrassed about anything). Ah, the young!If you're a fan of Martin Walker's series, expand your reading range to include Tuscany. I really think you'll enjoy Murder in Chianti. If you're not acquainted with Bruno Chief of Police, try Trinchieri's book anyway. You're going to love Tuscany, love the food, love the characters, and love solving this mystery.(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Italian-customs, Italy, law-enforcement, family-dynamics, friendship, murder-investigation, muted-humor*****A widowed ex-NYPD detective moves to Tuscany where he has good memories and his wife's family. remember the adage about taking the man out of the job? Well, he not only is the first human to find the body, but is asked for his unofficial expertise by the local head of the Carabinieri. Good thing it's unofficial because this convoluted case comes much to close to the family. But at least he still has his day job helping with the family restaurant and learning to cook some very fine dishes in the Tuscan manner. And learning to parent a very inquisitive and smart street dog. Once the victim seems to be identified the case finds even more twists and misdirections with even a red herring or three. EXCELLENT!I requested and received a free ebook copy from Soho Press/Soho Crime via NetGalley. Thank you!