Well who better to solve crime than a really good auntie? Determined to enjoy her retirement, Auntie Poldi has set out to have the Good Life. What better way to go about it than to relocate from Bavaria to Sicily? From therein however, adventures ensue. This is the first in a series of cosy crime mysteries starring the titular Auntie Poldi solving crime, narrated by her loving nephew. If I'm honest, it didn't entirely blow me away but it was a nice enough light read and I can see why lots of people would enjoy it. I wish Auntie Poldi the loveliest and happiest retirement.

Charming and witty this is crime with beautiful scenery, gorgeous food and good looking traffic cops. Loved Poldi and I thought the very straight nephew narrator made the perfect foil . This is ripe for radio 4 serialisation. Poldi has sass and intelligence and she is no spring chicken either. Good fun.

A cosy murder mystery where eccentric ex costume designer retires to Sicily from Bavaria to spend her latter years drinking and enjoying herself. Unfortunately for her she becomes involved in a lot more than that. The story is told through a third persons eyes and I felt that took something away from the story.

​When reading a book that has been translated from a foreign language into English there is always the chance that any subtleties in the prose by the author might not make it through the translation process.

When you take into account the vagaries of humour between countries the chances of a book originally written in German and set in Scilly retaining its quirky humour when translated into English seems remote.

But it works, I had laugh out loud moments when reading this book. John Brownjohn who did the translation deserves high praise. He has done an excellent job.

The main setting of the story is Sicily with a side trip to Bavaria. In many ways, these two areas seem very similar. Both have an independence of spirit that sets them apart from the rest of their country and both have a local dialect that is impenetrable to others who are non-native to the area.
This explains why Aunt Poldi fits into Sicilian society so well. It is a home from home for her.

I like the way the story is told. The narrator is the nephew of Aunt Poldi and he has no direct part in the murder mystery at all. He reports to us what is told to him by his aunt over the course of several visits.

This device allows the narrative to duck and dive, to weave around and play tricks because we are hearing the story second hand and so inconsistencies can easily be explained away.

The family ties and deep loyalties evident through the actions of various relatives ring completely true to me.

Coming from a Southern Italian family I recognised so many of these characters. Their community is built on loyalty and strength of character and it comes across very clearly in this book.

I suppose technically this book is a murder mystery with a dash of humour but I found it to be a homage to the strength of family and the beauty of Sicily.

I see there are already other books in this series published and waiting to be translated into English. Please don't make me wait too long. I want to know what Aunt Poldi gets up to next.

When her friend Valentino disappears, and then turns up dead, Auntie Poldi swears to find out what happened to him. Against the wishes of her family, some very suspicious local businessmen, and a handsome detective, Poldi gets 100% stuck into the case. After all, it's in her blood.

I was looking for something like The No1 Ladies Detective Agency when I chose this book: a kooky, funny crime novel, with an unlikely and unqualified female protagonist. However, although it wasn’t a million light years away, it simply didn’t quite match up. Auntie Poldi was indeed kooky and there were some amusing parts, but there were chunks of book made up of things almost totally irrelevant to the story that were, quite frankly, boring to read.

The narrative angle was interesting, because the story is told from the point of view of Poldi’s nephew, who has absolutely no involvement in the plot. This was quite well done, but it was sort of weird having the story told by a character (rather than just a narrator) who wasn’t even an active part of the story.

On the whole, I did enjoy Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions. It is fun and quite well written. However, parts of it were a bit of a struggle to get through and I wouldn't say I enjoyed it enough to bother reading any other books from the Tante Poldi series.

A lovely story that gently followed the course of an investigation. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more tales by this author. Definitely recommended for those who enjoy this genre.

I so love Auntie Poldi! Fabulously eccentric, German, retired to Sicily to be near the Italian side of the family, and to drink herself to death with a sea view, flirts with policemen, is acquainted with an unfeasible number of famous rock stars, sees off an aggressive gander with a stream of Bavarian invective and gets embroiled in the investigation into the murder of her young handyman.
Of course, all the characters are larger than life, Auntie Poldi is endearing and hilarious, and her nephew suitably long-suffering and tolerant in his reports of her exploits.
The (original German) writing style is engaging, and translator John Brownjohn treats us here to a creative and masterful translation which does total justice to the original, offering full value for money and more.
I can’t wait to read the next in the series!

I loved this book! it's a really easy to read, entertaining book with very lovable & laughable characters. I will definitely be reading more of this series

A well scripted story with a wealth of interesting characters set in Sicily with its unique policing methods. The character of Poldi was particularly intriguing and the story being delivered through a third party made it all the more interesting given that opinions of Poldi and her activities added to the enjoyment.
The translation certainly appeared to have lost none of the humour in the book.
Most enjoyable.

Struggled to get into this book and eventually stopped reading it so am unable to give feedback. Struggled to get into this book so I am unable to give feedback.

I liked this except for the fact that the narration was by the nephew - this part didn't work for me, and was distracting. The main character, Poldi, is interesting and quirky, and I can see this becoming a series of 'cosy' murder mysteries. The setting, in the beautiful island of Sicily, was charming, and I enjoyed that almost as a character in its own right (and now I want to go there!). Quite charming on the whole.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

When I started this book I really wasn't sure what to expect. However the style of the writing soon grew on me.

I enjoyed the way the characters unfolded. There is some excellent underlying humour.

I liked the descriptions of the places and the use of many real locations. I was reminded of a recent holiday in the region. The author has created a novel with a sense of geographical authenticity.

The murder mystery elements are somewhat simplistic, but the entertaining writing style still makes this an enjoyable book to read.

On the strength of this book I will look out for other books written by Mario Giordano in future.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Johm Murray Press for a copy in exchange for this review.

I defy anyone not to love Auntie Poldi! A woman of huge character, passion, a small problem with alcohol..and a wig...
Firstly, I love how this book is set out. Each chapter begins with a synopsis of what is about to happen, eg "describes how and why Poldi moves to Sicily..." I really like this. It just made me happy and it made me want to read on eagerly., which I had to say I did!
This is a great book - Auntie Poldi is loads of fun, as are all of the characters - her poor nephew is the narrator and I couldn't help feeling a little bit sorry for him, but not too much - his humour with how he deals with, and interrupts his Aunt at key moments is great.
It's a fantastically funny book that is not short on plot, and of course, just enough suspense to keep turning those pages, and a lot of romance...
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more on Auntie Poldi - I can't wait to see what she gets upto next!

Absolutely delightful escapism, with an affectionate and yet not entirely uncritical view of Sicily and the Sicilians, as well as a larger than life, vivacious main character - the indomitable Auntie Poldi, a middle-aged woman with a lot of romanticism still left in her, as well as a very no-nonsense approach. Think Camilleri's Montalbano with an additional satirical edge!

A lovely family story of a slightly different Italian family. It made me laugh and keep me reading to the end, just to find out what happens.

I admit to being biased, having spent a long time in both Munich and Sicily. So the book instantly appealed to me. And then I met Auntie Poldi and I just wanted to adopt her. After the death of her beloved Sicilian husband she moves from her native Munich to Sicily in a melancholy mood, vowing to drink herself to death with a seaview. However, when she finds her handyman murdered on the beach she is determined to find his killer.
Poldi is a veritable kaleidoscope of a character: flamboyant, sassy, bolshie but also vulnerable and an alcoholic to boot. And as she tells the story to her wannabe-author nephew, her scintillating character shines like a rough diamond. Meeting chief inspector Vito Montana during the investigation yanks her out of her depression, but things are complicated. Add some impoverished Sicilian nobility with a penchant for the German poet Hölderlin, a ruthless plant nursery owner, a shady builder and plenty of Sicilian folks and folklore, all against the dramatic backdrop of Mount Etna makes this a truly cracking read! Cannot wait for Auntie’s second case!

A lovely, cosy crime novel that reminded me a lot of Alexander McCall Smith's No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

Set on the Sicilian coast, Auntie Poldi has retired to the region... and accidentally discards retirement to find a new amateur career in detective work, much to the dismay of the authorities. She is a sweet character, with all her flaws (she loves things to excess) and I think the translator has done a great job of keeping the lightness that I imagine was intended in the novel.

On the flip side, I would have liked the narrator to simply be the narrator - the nephew gets in a the way a little bit, from my point of view here.

"For Sicilians, joie de vivre rests on two pillars: good food, and talking/arguing about good food." It also seems that Bavarians like Auntie Poldi gain their joie de vivre from wine. Much of the book is about food, wine and the the warm coast of Sicily. And that's absolutely fine with me.

Many thanks to NetGalley, John Murray Press and Mario Giordano for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't read enough light books, I know this. I mainly use them to break up darker, heavier stuff, but really I like them. I just struggle to find ones that really hook me in. Aunt Poldi has definitely hooked me though. Let's start with the fairly simple stuff...

This is a book about someone writing a book, or not writing a book I guess. Maybe it's a book about Aunt Poldi telling him stories - that feels more accurate. Anyway, it's all centred around Aunt Poldi's home in Sicily. So obviously, both our humble narrator and his Aunt Poldi are German. Well, Bavarian. The Sicilian Lions in the title? They'belong to Valerie, a Frenchwoman. If you think this sounds complicated, don't panic! I assure you this is the charm of the book. It's a delightful jumble of characters and happenings that give the whole story a grounding and a sense of realism. It's a book that can be reached on many levels, a nice, gentle, cosy mystery mixed with classical arts, a dash of eroticism, and a healthy dose of humour. Really, you should smile this much during a murder investigation. Oh yes, there's a murder too. And a lot of thefts. Looking back I'm even more impressed at just what Giordano managed to cram into this book whilst maintaining an enjoyable lightness.

What makes it all work so well? Well, Aunt Poldi is unsurprisingly the star. She's a gloriously misbehaving old lady. She's the kind of character you wish you knew in person, although you also can't help but cringe on behalf of her nephew and realise she'd be far more enjoyable as someone else's aunt. She knows herself well and she's comfortable with that. SHe's the kind of person we all hope we'll grow into. Giordano slips in some immensely enjoyable backstory of her younger days here and there which are completely indulgent and frivolous, and that's the much subtler part of where this book shines. It's sprinkled with these simple touches of complete extravagance. The use of language(s) adds a vibrancy to the story. The small details about various foods and drinks aren't needed at all, but they give the book a dimension that is easily missed in a book like this. It's a book that transports you to the scene. It paints pictures, even of inconsequential pieces. It encourages the reader to luxuriate in these treats. It makes an effort in the places that make a difference.

This book was a perfectly timed pick-me-up in my reading. A ray of sunshine in spring that draws me towards summer. The mystery was well presented, with an enjoyable array of suspects, a number of clever twists, and a suitably dramatic reveal. The characters wear their flaws proudly and are all the more likeable for it. It's a nice gentle read which put a smile on my face countless times and had me coming back for more each time I, reluctantly, put it down.

This is the first of a series featuring the retired German quirky Isolde Oberreider aka Auntie Poldie, who has moved to Sicily with every intention of living the good island life of sun, sea and wine whilst eyeing up the young men. The book sets out to establish a set of characters, the tone of gentle humour in this crime cozy and is narrated by Auntie Poldie's nephew, Giordano, an aspiring writer. Her magnetic personality draws people to her and who go out of their way to help her. One such person, the good looking Valentino Candela helps around her home until he vanishes, only to later be discovered murdered. Auntie Poldie can't believe that hardly anyone is concerned with his disappearance and sets out to find out what happened to him, she has no qualms about interfering in detective Vito Montana's investigation. This is a light hearted comic crime mystery set in a wonderful island location. I found it slightly laboured at times and uneven on occasion but overall an enjoyable read. Many thanks to John Murray Press for an ARC.

Larger than life 60 year old Bavarian lady detective in a wig - in Scilily. How could this not be a riot? Hugely enjoyable, looking forward to her next adventure.