This is the second Tom Hindle book I have read this year – I read A Fatal Crossing for the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

This definitely gives golden age of crime vibes. There’s a cast of characters where none of them are particularly likeable, and even the most likeable can’t quite be trusted. Everyone is keeping secrets from each other, and everyone has a motive.

Laurence Heywood is spoiled and privileged. His best friends are his posh boarding school buddies who are all as obnoxious as he is. He is marrying beautiful but spoiled model/influencer Eva, who treats everyone, especially her assistant, badly.

Having derailed her career, she is desperate for success and has sold the rights to her wedding to glamorous magazine. The whole weekend is being photographed, and the gorgeous blue of Lake Garda is the perfect back drop.

But behind the smiles, tensions are simmering:

Laurence’s brother Toby is facing pressure to join the family firm. His girlfriend Robyn, is uncomfortable and can’t wait to leave.

Best man Stephen and his pregnant wife are arguing.

Eva’s sister is sulking and resentful.

And Eva’s father is definitely hiding secrets of his own.

No spoilers from me! But once they are all on the island and one of them is found dead, it is clear that the killer is still on the island.

This definitely kept me guessing. There were lots of potential suspects and motives for murder. Robyn was definitely my favourite character, but I wasn’t always sure if she was who she seemed which adds to the tension.

This was fast-paced and intriguing and overall a great read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my advanced digital copy of Murder on Lake Garda.

"Murder on Lake Garda" is a modern who done it but with distinct Miss Marple vibes. The setting is gorgeous and there are some wonderfully OTT characters. I didn't feel at all sorry for the first victim (sorry, slight spoiler there) as she was a real piece of work. The story revolves around influencers, social media, etc and shows how dangerous they can be. Well written and immersive.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

A small, intimate wedding in a beautiful castle on a secluded Island in Italy. Attended only by the bride and groom's closest friends and family, everybody becomes a suspect when a murder occurs ...

Tom Hindle is an excellent mystery writer, drawing you in and trailing just enough breadcrumbs to keep the reader engaged and guessing. This book had plenty of twists and betrayals, and a very satisfying ending. Definitely one to pick up for any fans of a good whodunit!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A new spin on the “locked room” mystery, with a wedding going horribly wrong. A very readable fun read, with enough twists to keep you guessing.

A welcome introduction to Tom Hindle. What a setting and so descriptive. I could almost feel the heat and the swell of the lake. What a load of monsters in one place at the same time. Great plots, yes there is more than one so be prepared.
Perfect holiday read, especially to Lake Garda of course.

Thanks for the early opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed this murder mystery set in Italy. Lots of interconnected stories leading to a tragic set of events at the wedding. Enjoyed reading and will be recommending on my book blog and Bookstagram page

Another very good locked room type mystery from a top author in Tom Hindle. As the title suggests the story is set on lake Garda where all the main characters are assembled for a glamorous wedding. All the guests have various issues which in true Agatha Christi style makes them all suspects when a murder is committed. Lots of twists in the storyline to keep you turning the pages, culminating in the unlikely killer being identified, A highly recommended holiday read.

It is a wedding that every bride dreams of: a stunning,, picturesque location in Italy, a photographer from a London magazine taking photos of the big day, surrounded by the family and closest friends.

However, the guests are far from friendly and kind. The bride, Eva Bianchi, is a spoilt and ungrateful influencer, her husband-to-be, Laurence Heywood is a privately educated pompous buffoon, with equally entitled family and friends.

Stephen Dalton is Laurence’s best man. He’s known him from school, however, he attended it on a bursary, something that is always at the back of his mind. Is he resentful of the Heywoods’ wealth? You bet he is!

Toby is Laurence’s brother, however, he wants to do his own way and step away from the family business, much to his mother’s and brother’s dismay.

Robyn is Toby’s girlfriend and it is her first time meeting Toby’s ‘enchanting’ family. Do they think she’s leading Toby away from the family business? Of course they do!

Before the ceremony begins, the guests hear a piercingly loud scream. Someone is dead… But who?

And more importantly, who from the wedding entourage is the killer?

I really enjoyed this captivating thriller from Tom Hindle. There is a lot of tension between the guests and I was desperate to uncover what they were all hiding.

There wasn’t a character in there that I liked, but I think that was author’s aim. Robyn appeared to be the main character and sometimes she was showing traits that I didn’t like. The worst was, of course, Eva. I just couldn’t stand her self-entitlement, and how she treated others.

I loved the stunning location of Lake Garda, it just makes you want to be there, basking in the sun.

Thank you so much to Century Books for approving my NetGalley request to read and review this title.

Murder On Lake Garda publishes on 18/01/2024.

An enjoyable book. Robyn and Toby are invited to Toby's brothers wedding on lake Garda. Intrigue and murder follows. The book is a great holiday read.
I look forward to his next novel.

Tom Hindle is fast becoming one of my favourite authors! After enjoying his first two ‘locked room’ novels, I was really pleased to receive a copy of this.

Set against the backdrop of Lake Garda where a wedding is about to take place, until as the title suggests a murder happens.

Full of the usual twists I have come to expect, family secrets, all solved and tied up with a nice little bow. I raced through this in a day - wonderful stuff!

Thank you to Netgalley and Cornerstone for my eARC

I have read all of Tom Hindle's book so far and they have all been enjoyable. I loved the setting of this book on the Lake Garda and the entitled personalities of the families fit the book very well. I didn't like any of the characters and there was a lot of conflict between the families which added to the tension.
It did feel a little slow in parts and I thought it could have moved forward a little quicker. The murder doesn't even happen until about 50% by which point I was starting to feel a bit bored with all the family drama but this picks the story back up again.
The ending ties up all unanswered questions nicely even though I did guess who the murderer was a little bit before. Overall I loved the setting and it is a clever story that made me want to keep reading on.

I'm always disappointed if I work out whodunnit before the end of a novel and usually that is because the author is guilty of having a plot that is overly formulaic. Hindle puts all the possible killers on an island in the middle of Lake Garda and asks the reader to be "Inspector Poirot." To do this effectively an author needs to interweave sub-plots which have multiple interpretations and create characters that each reader might interpret differently. It is this complexity that misleads and so makes the ultimate unmasking of the killer a real surprise. Whilst still an enjoyable enough read "Murder on Lake Garda" regrettably is just too predictable and so falls short, in my view, of qualifying as a suspense novel.

Enjoyable murder mystery with a good range of suspects and enough shifts in perspective to not get tiresomely one-sided.
Its not perfect- it’s a wee bit melodramatic and I found it hard to maintain my suspension of disbelief at times. I think a factor there was the central influencer plot- I found some of the actions of her and those around her just a bit too much.

I’ve enjoyed all Hindle’s books but my favourite remains A Fatal Crossing - perhaps I’m more willing to accept unlikely events in a historical setting, or just prefer a golden age setting for a novel like this. That’s my bias and I’ve tried to review on what the book is and not what I’d like it to be! On that basis 4 stars (it’s a 3/4 borderline).

This is my second Tom Hindle book and one which I slightly preferred to A fatal crossing. Two families are brought together by the wedding of their children on an island in the middle of Lake Garda. Each family has secrets they wish to stay hidden. Secrets that include murder and links to the mafia. Most of the characters are extremely unlikeable so it is no surprise that, before the wedding can take place, a murder happens and everyone is trapped on the island until the police arrive. This leaves the only likeable character in the story, Robyn, to investigate and solve the crime. The plot is overly melodramatic in places and I thought the killer was obvious very early on, however, I enjoyed the story and found it sufficiently exciting to continue reading to the end.

Murder on Lake Garda by Tom Hindle was an excellent read. Not overly demanding but engrossing, I read it in huge chunks, eager to discover the killer and tie up the loose ends. I enjoy ed the red herrings that caused strife between friends and lovers. Although I worked out who quite early on, the why only came to light gradually as the threads were all untangled. I'm off now to read Tom's other books.

I really enjoyed Tom Hindle's first book and was really looking forward to reading this one.

Laurence Heywood, part of a prestigious wealthy family is marrying Eva a social influencer and Instagram commentator (what has the world come to.....) on a small private island of Castello Fiore, Lake Garda.

We meet the characters on the morning of the wedding, and then going back a few days we get to know them more. Majority of the people are unpleasant and you would hope never to meet any of them.

I found this book enjoyable but a little formulaic, imagination had to be stretched with the involvement of the Mafia, and the issue with the police.

An okay read but doesn't hit the heights of the first two books.

In the wonderful setting of Lake Garda at Castello Fiore, Laurence is about to wed his beautiful Italian bride who also happens to be an influencer.. what could possibly go wrong? A scream chills the air just before the ceremony is about to commence. Tom Hindle weaves a tale of complicated relationships and a thrilling whodunnit in a magnificent setting unfolds. There is the infighting amongst Laurence’s family and his two friends and also with Eva, the bride-to-be who has troubles of her own. A well written thriller which unravels with shades of glamour mixed with murder. What more could you ask for?

This was the first novel I've read by this author and I found it a satisfying read.
It is set in Italy, mostly on a small private island of Castello Fiore on Lake Garda where Laurence and Eva are due to marry. As the wedding gets underway a terrible scream is heard...
The story is then told through several flashbacks before returning to the ceremony which is brought to a halt. The guests are then trapped on the island as they wait for the arrival of the police and family relationships and secrets spill out.
The characters of Laurence and Eva, and indeed most of their families, are thoroughly unpleasant - indeed a little overly unpleasant, as if the point is being hammered home. On the other hand, Robyn comes across as feisty and sensible and it is easy to warm to her.
The book is a quick read, beginning and ending well, with a slower middle, and a satisfying number of twists and turns.
With thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

A very satisfying mystery with great filmic potential! Set on an island in the middle of Lake Garda this is a perfect setting for a murder mystery.A beautiful bride,a warring family,a cast of guests all with hidden pasts and even the dark undercurrent of the Italian mafia. I really enjoyed this third novel by the author and would highly recommend it.

Murder on Lake Garda by Tom Hindle
Published Date - 18 January 2024

My previous reading experience with this author was good and I was looking forward to reading Murder on Lake Garda. The story begins with the wedding of Lawrence Heywood and Eva Bianchi which is taking place in a castle on Lake Garda. Lawrence and Eva come from wealthy families. I disliked their characters, finding them spoilt, arrogant and self centered. They deserve each other! As the plot continues, the bride & groom and their guests create a big melting pot of murder, theft, and suspicion and things are not what they seem.

Toby, Lawrence's younger brother, is estranged from the Heywood family business and is passionate about owning and running his restaurant business without the help of his family's fortune. This causes friction between Toby and Lawrence. I felt myself rooting for Toby.

The protagonist, Robyn Whitford is Toby's partner of a year and works in Toby's restaurant. She is supportive of Toby's ambitions. I like Robyn's character. She wishes to fulfill her ambition of becoming an investigative journalist but, so far, Robyn's dream job has not come her way.

I enjoyed the author's style of writing. This is a whodunit murder mystery reminiscent of an Agatha Christie style of novel.

I enjoyed this book.

I give a 4 star rating and I would recommend the book.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW