BOOK REVIEW: Murder at the Duomo

MURDER AT THE DUOMO
by T.A. Williams
Available February 2

Dan Armstrong and his trusty lab Oscar are back to solve more mysteries in sunny Florence. And as Murder at the Duomo begins, the main mystery on Armstrong's mind is how he's going to juggle planning (and paying for) two weddings — his own and his daughter's. But a new problem emerges when a body is found in the confessional at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (colloquially known as the Duomo). Someone was shot dead, and the "someone" is a major player in the world of arms dealing.

Finding someone who'd want to kill Tristan Angel is the easy part: his villa is packed with associates, each seeming to have a pretty strong motive. But in the midst of picking through the roster, the killer strikes again. With two weddings on the horizon and the potential for an international incident looming, Armstrong and Oscar will be hard pressed to solve every problem on their plates.

I've read a few of these Armstrong and Oscar cozy mysteries, though I came in somewhere around the middle. The lives of the core cast of characters — the title sleuths, Armstrong's fiancée Anna, Commissario Virgilio, and others — move forward constantly, but it's always relatively easy to join them where they are. It's also very pleasing to see Williams's writing strengthen with each new volume. The mystery this time is far more intricate, with a Knives Out-sized cast and political intrigue woven in. Without giving anything away, the answer to "whodunit" isn't all that simple... just not for the reasons you might expect.

Cozy mysteries are a mixed bag, and I've discovered that much of what sets the strong ones apart is how the "coziness" is expressed. Food and dogs are two big constants in these books, and a lot of times both of those aspects come across as twee and Hallmark-ish. But here, they work. Stops for food are a master class in Tuscan cuisine and, rather than being constant, come at believable breaks in the story. As for Oscar... he acts like a dog. There's never any real pretense that he knows what's going on beyond living his best life, but he just happens to be extremely helpful while doing so. And funnily enough, the fact that Oscar is just a good boy doing good boy things makes him more lovable, and believable, than a lot of dogs in cozy mysteries.

T.A. Williams started good, but each book gets better. It's gratifying to follow this duo through each new mystery.

TEA PAIRING: Beach Reads
It's cold as all get-out here right now, but sunny Florence demands something summery. This blend of hibiscus, raspberry, and lemon makes a great iced tea. And while I can't vouch for how it would go with Tuscan fare, I imagine it would fit right in. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!