by Mario Giordano
translated by John Brownjohn
Find out more about this book and author:
Goodreads
Published: 2018
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Genre: Mystery, Cozy, Italy, Sicily
Hardback: 352
Rating: 5
An Auntie Poldi Adventure series:
Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions
Auntie Poldi and the Vineyards of Etna
Auntie Poldi and the Fruits of the Lord
First sentence(s):
On her sixtieth birthday my Auntie Poldi moved to Sicily, intending to drink herself comfortably to death with a sea view.
Zombie sighting:
My writing spans a wide range and I love to read a board range: from literary fiction to, er, zombie novels.
-Q&A with Mario Giordano, page 332
On her sixtieth birthday, Auntie Poldi retires to Sicily, intending to while away the rest of her days with good wine, a view of the sea, and few visitors. But Sicily isn’t quite the tranquil island she thought it would be, and something always seems to get in the way of her relaxation. When her handsome young handyman goes missing—and is discovered murdered—she can’t help but ask questions...
Soon there’s an investigation, a smoldering police inspector, a romantic entanglement, one false lead after another, a rooftop showdown, and finally, of course, Poldi herself, slightly tousled, but still perfectly poised.
My two-bits:
Loved this cozy mystery set in Sicily. Plenty of arm-chair traveling in and around the protagonist's small town as well as food references to make one go out to seek a restaurant serving a squid ink pasta dish - just for a taste.
The mystery solving includes some romantic interludes to spice things up.
* part of Books, Inc. Foreign Intrigue Book Club (here)
