Murder in Chianti

Armstrong and Oscar, Book 2

By: T A Williams

Narrated by: Simon Mattacks

The next instalment in bestselling author T. A. Williams' Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series!

A cozy crime series set in gorgeous Tuscany...It's murder in paradise!

Murder in broad daylight…

When millionaire magnate, Rex Hunter is found with his head bashed in on the eighth hole of his prestigious golf and country club in beautiful Chianti, it’s a clear case of murder. Hunter was rich and successful and the envy of many, so retired DCI Dan Armstrong thinks the case will be a hole in one to solve….

A despised victim…

But as Dan and his trusty sidekick Oscar begin to dig deeper into Hunter’s lifestyle, they discover a man despised by many. A renowned womaniser, ruthless boss and heartless family man, it seems no one is particularly sorry to see Hunter dead. And the list of possible suspects is endless…

A murderer covering their tracks.

Dan is determined to catch this clever killer, but it seems every new lead brings another dead end. Will this be one case Dan and his canine companion won’t solve?

A gripping new murder mystery series by bestselling author T.A. Williams, perfect for fans of Death in Paradise, Lee Strauss and Beth Byers.

©2023 T A Williams (P)2023 Boldwood Books

Fantastic second book in the series!

After returning from a trip to Tuscany, a friend suggested that I read or listen to the novels of T A Williams. It just so happened that the library had the first novel in this series on audiobook. After listening to it and loving it, I pre-ordered the second audiobook “Murder in Chianti”.
And I’m so glad that I did. Simon Mattacks is a fabulous voice actor, allowing for the flavors of Italy, especially the Tuscan region, to shine through his narration. And he manages the Australian accents and Italian accents with apparent ease while still maintaining distinct voices for each character.
Well plotted, the mystery hums along at a quick pace, while continuing to build the character development of Dan and the supporting cast. Oscar the black Labrador Retriever is a wonderful pet Watson. Walks allow Dan the opportunity to search for clues, meet the potential witnesses and suspects, and ponder. The entire story resolves in a satisfyingly interesting way without feeling convoluted or forced.
Really hoping there is a third novel in the series in future.

Incredible performance!

The performances in this audiobook were very well done! Five incredible stars! Can’t wait to start the next book in the series.

Great story, perfect reader.

Looking forward to Murder in Florence, the next book in this series. Mr. Mattacks did a great job presenting a great story.

A complex and captivating murder mystery

Being a follower of British suspenseful thrillers and not much of a fan of “cozy” mysteries, I was delightfully surprised. I should have known: Simon Mattacks is always the best with his pitch-perfect vocal tones. I’m always on the search for British mysteries, I and have quite the Mattacks’ collection. We are treated to a few foreign dialects, each presented with rare skill. An issue I have with this series is that I wish each audiobook was at least 9 to 10 hours. However, I lucked out and found Books #1 and #2 at no cost in the Audible Plus catalogue. This proves that T.A. Williams is perfectly paired with Mattacks. We are treated to another murder mystery with his trusty canine, Oscar.

Another Hit!

I am living vicariously through TA Williams’ novels. …loved the atmosphere of the nooks and crannies in and around Chianti,.…and the Food! …loved the story flow and the believable dialogue, and loved the voice of the narrator, S. Mattacks. Can’t wait for the next in the series.

Cozy with a twist

I love Simon Mattacks, which is how I discovered this title. Excellent performance and delivery of variety of accents in an intricate tale in which I suspected everyone...except Oscar.

enjoyable story

Liked the content and narration, Characters most enjoyable,. Makes me want to visit Italy. Recommend as a cozy mystery.

A rare 5 and new favorite series

This series falls nicely between Cozy Mysteries and gritty Mysteries, in my sweet spot. This is my 2nd bk from this author/performer combination and I am loving them together. Mattacks (new to me) is great at depicting Dan, the various characters, accents, tone for the series - well done! Williams has written a series with detail, warmth and humor. I am enjoying the character development of Dan and friends and can’t wait for more from this writer/performer team. I’ve purchased the next audiobook and am hoping for more to come. A rare 5 for me and a new favorite in my mysteries line-up. An instant audiobook buy as well.

Visit Tuscany!

Fun story, and fun atmosphere! This is a great listen and it even includes a dog.

Great plot twist!

Italian-customs, Italy, ex-cop, situational-humor, writers, cozy-mystery, pet-dog, procedural, detective, murder-investigation, murder, family, false-information, false-identities, family-business, family-drama, family-dynamics****

Dan Armstrong retired after 30 years in the Murder Squad of Scotland Yard. Since then, he has become divorced, settled in to stay in Tuscany, made friends with some men in the local Polizia, adopted a Black Lab (Oscar), and written a mystery that he hopes to make ready for publication.
The publisher's blurb is a really good hook, so no need to recap.
While this is a cozy mystery, it is also something of a procedural because of personal involvement with the Polizia and his own history.
Fun, twisty, surprising, and definitely a good read! Great characters, good worldbuilding, very relatable.
I bought the audio, and Simon Mattacks really nails all the characters and more!