4 Stars

One Link: Summer, food, and dead bodies!

 

Well, what can I say? This is one of my top cozy mystery series. It has a beautiful Italian setting, many descriptions of good food, and a super adorable lab, Oscar. 

The book should work as a standalone since the personal track is limited to a couple of chapters, and Anna doesn’t have any role in the investigation. Reading one of two previous books will work even better. 

The mystery is well done, as always. This time, Dan has to do something he never did – be in his birthday suit when solving a crime! It sure results in a lot of laughs and some awkward situations. 

It is fun seeing Dan being a gentleman and keeping his eyes away from where they shouldn’t linger. Also, he has to make sure Oscar doesn’t end up poking his excited nose where he shouldn’t! 

The details are revealed in stages, giving us enough time to come up with our own guesses. The information is not deliberately withheld, which is always a plus. Moreover, the inspector on the case is a good guy and happy to work with Dan. I like it when this happens. It shows them as sensible investigators. 

Of course, there is good food and yummy gelato in various flavors. Some for Oscar, too! I don’t usually read summer books in summer (why go through with it twice?), but this year, it seems I have to bear summer in real life and in books. Sigh! At least, ice creams are common on both. 

To summarize, Murder on the Italian Riviera is a solid addition to the series. The pacing is steady and keeps the narrative flowing. Let’s get ready for the next book! 

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.