I always love returning to Italy in this cozy mystery series. Great characters and mystery. Looking forward to reading more in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This book is another good story in this series about Dan and his Labrador, Oscar. The scene is new and described so well that the reader has a sense of the atmosphere, and of course the food descriptions ensure the reader is almost constantly peckish! The plot and investigation is engaging and twisted, and the new local police are interesting characters with an unexpected episode which made me laugh.

Murder at the Leaning Tower is the sixth book in T.A. Williams’ delightful series. This time former detective inspector turned private investigator, Dan Armstrong, and his black lab, Oscar, are hired to provide security for a top-secret meeting of high-level investors. The meeting is scheduled to take place at a palatial villa located just outside of Pisa. But things take an ugly turn when a murder occurs.

This book is quite enjoyable and filled with a variety of characters – some are quite unappealing and several are simply comical. But, the combination keeps the story interesting. The plot is well-conceived and the resolution is satisfying.

This is a series that takes the reader on a tour of Italy and even a few surrounding areas. Besides being well-written mysteries, these books also touch on the history, customs, and food of Italy. They do make you want to book a seat on the first available plane headed to Florence. And, it would be a perfect trip if Dan and Oscar could be your guides. NetGalley provided an advance copy.

A brand-new cozy crime series set in gorgeous Tuscany...It's murder in paradise!
The book was well written in that it stirred up all sorts of emotions while I was reading it and made me want to keep turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

Wherever Armstrong and Oscar go, trouble always seems to follow and they are back with another fun and addictive cozy mystery, Murder at the Leaning Tower.

When Dan Armstrong is asked to provide security for a palatial villa on the outskirts of Pisa, he jumps at the chance. It looks like Dan’s latest job will be an easy one without too many problems – or so he thinks. The guests are all super rich media barons intent on world domination and Dan suspects that there is something far more sinister going on than meets the eye – and he is soon proved right.

One of the group is found murdered and with Anna’s daughter in the frame, Dan knows that he needs to find the murderer before someone he knows is wrongly imprisoned for a crime they did not commit. With an inept yet formidable Italian inspector to deal with, Dan certainly has got his hands full. With help from his trusted canine assistant Oscar, will he manage to get to the bottom of this case? Or will this investigation end up leaving Dan barking up the wrong tree?

T A Williams writes the most delightful cozy mysteries! Sun-soaked, wittily written and full of red herrings and twists and turns that leave me reading way past my bed time, his Armstrong and Oscar whodunnits always hit the spot and Murder at the Leaning Tower is no different.

An exciting, funny and captivating cozy mystery where the pages just turn themselves, Murder at the Leaning Tower is another entertaining T A Williams novel I thoroughly enjoyed.

I am truly enjoying this series with the well written mysteries, Italian flair and characters that get my attention. Love Dan and Oscar!

Blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources

http://ramblingmads.uk/2024/02/11/blog-tour-murder-at-the-leaning-tower-t-a-williams/

Fun beach read!

The latest in the Dan Armstrong and Oscar series: In this installment, Dan and Oscar (Dan’s slightly tubby black lab) are handing the security at a top-secret business meeting. His employer is trying to get some investors interested in his idea that will revolutionize television delivery. Because the idea is potentially so valuable, he wants to make sure there’s no one snooping around that could steal the idea by having Dan sweep the place looking for bugs, etc. several times a day. It’s an easy job at a nice location, so Dan agrees.

The first wrinkle is that the assistant of one of the potential investors is the boss of his girlfriend Anna’s adult daughter, Virginia. Virginia is not too fond of the idea of her mum having a significant other, so she’s been ignoring Dan and that part of Anna’s life, but since her boss is going to be at the meeting, Virginia will be too. Once Virginia’s boss is murdered, she becomes a suspect which means of course Dan’s going to get involved with solving the case and get to know Virginia.

Some books try to be cutting edge and do something new or witty while others just want to be a fun read. This book is one of the latter. And it is fun – Oscar is charming as always, and it’s fun to see the different cities in Italy as in all the books. I really like the connection in this book – Virginia is not someone Dan’s directly related to, but it’s someone he cares about because it’s his girlfriend’s daughter. I think the only complaint I had was the idea behind the meeting: coming up with a new way to deliver content really isn’t nearly as valuable as the content itself, and they’d be better off talking to Disney or Comcast rather than individual investors.

Like the other books in the series I’ve read, this was a fun book, perfect for reading on the beach. Recommended!

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.com that I voluntarily chose to review.

I can't quite believe this is the sixth book in the series I've read.

The Armstrong and Oscar series is always a firm hitter. I needn't fear that there will be any pesky plot holes or leaps of faith.

Another fabulous addition to the series. If you've not started reading these yet, then what are you waiting for:)

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

Murder at the Leaning Tower is the sixth Armstrong and Oscar cozy destination mystery by T.A. Williams. Released 6th Feb 2024 by Boldwood books, it's 234 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also currently available on KU.

This is a beautifully descriptive and well written destination mystery set in Tuscany. Expat former policeman Dan Armstrong and his trusty canine sidekick Oscar are assisting with security at a stately home in a picture perfect setting near Pisa (what could possibly go wrong?). He's soon drawn into investigating a murder and at definite loggerheads with the local police who are determined to be obstructive and unhelpful.

The plotting is solid and the dialogue and characterizations are three dimensional and believable. The mystery, denouement, and resolution are self contained in this volume, so it works well enough as a standalone, but the writing is so well planned and executed, that it would make an excellent long weekend binge or buddy read. It would also fit really well in a longer term project for a mystery book club "destination mystery" type project. The overall quality of the entire series remains entertaining and engaging throughout.

It's not derivative at all, but it reminded me in a lot of good ways of Leon's exceptional Brunetti books as well as Walker's lovely Bruno, chief of police books. Fans of those authors will find a lot to enjoy here.

Four and a half stars. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Murder at the by T.A. Williams is a marvellous and highly entertaining murder mystery set in Italy.
This is the 6th book in the Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Mysteries series. It reads perfectly as a standalone, but it might help understand the dynamics between the main characters, as well as their back story, if you've read some or all of the previous books in the series.
There are so many elements that make this series great fun - a gentle humour, a wonderful relationship between man and dog, spectacular settings (a new location in each book), descriptions of social mores and food, vivid characterisation.

This is cosy crime at its best. As enjoyable and delectable as an Italian gelato on a hot summer day, or a glass of zesty Aperol spritz by the seaside.
You may find many dog characters in cosy crime fiction, who accompany the main protagonist and bring humour into the narrative, but Oscar is by far my favourite.
Murder at the Leaning Tower is a hugely enjoyable mystery, clever and well-plotted, with pleasingly ironic notes.

Dan Armstrong and his faithful canine sidekick return for another investigation.
Dan is approached to provide security for a wealthy party in a remote villa it seems like an easy brief , but as we know where Armstrong is there’s always a murder..
One of the group is murdered and is personal assistant is arrested for his murder to make matters worse she is the daughter of Dan’s girlfriend Anna .
So there is a race against time to try and find the culprit and exonerate Anna’s daughter.
I really enjoy this series I love the descriptive writing of the Italian countryside and towns.
The characters are likeable and the writing makes for an easy read.
Looking forward to the their next case .
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

‘Murder at the Leaning Tower’ is book 6 in the ‘Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Mysteries’ and it was a cracking read! I adore this series and it's both Dan and Oscar I have fallen for, Dan in a father/uncle type way though. These books have become a comfort read for me as they are brilliant mysteries but they also transport you to the sun, which radiates off the pages! This may be a series but each book can easily be read as a standalone, however, I do recommend reading the whole series as they are brilliant books!

Dan Armstrong, former DCI at the Met, now lives in beautiful Tuscany and runs a detective agency. He has been asked to provide security for a meeting taking place in a luxury villa in Pisa, as it is top secret and no one can find out about it. Dan thinks it will be an easy job and is looking forward to it. When one of the group is found murdered Dan finds himself in a strange situation as one of the suspects is his girlfriend, Anna’s daughter. He then has to deal with an infuriating incompetent detective, so it's up to him to solve the murder…

I have a soft spot for ‘big house’ mysteries and this book definitely ticked all those boxes for me - luxury house, entitled guests/owners, red herrings aplenty and a well-plotted mystery! Once again ‘Murder at the Leaning Tower’ is packed full of rich details that really does bring the location to life and this time round it is Pisa. The nuggets of history, local culture and of course the food makes for an authentic feel to the book.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and the humour and writing were top-notch! I flew through it in one day and I'm already looking forward to the next book! It was well-paced, packed full of intriguing characters and the tension ramps up right at the end.

Let me know if you pick this one up!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Murder At The Leaning Tower' by T. A. Williams .
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for T. A. Williams, Book And Tonic, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Tours.

Publication date 6th February 2024.

This is the third book I have read by this author. It is also the sixth book in the 'Armstrong And Oscar Cosy Mystery' series but can be read as a standalone. I have also read 'Murder In Florence' (book 3 in the series) and 'Murder At The Matterhorn (book 5 in the series).I would highly recommend them both. Each book in this series can be read as a standalone.
This novel consists of 25 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

Yet another murder mystery from the fantastic story teller T.A.Williams. The storyline had me hooked immediately and I love the way that Dan goes about his detective work and how Oscar is by his side helping him to put people at ease. There was so much going on that it kept me entertained thoroughly throughout with mystery after mystery and clue after clue. It was filled with mystery, laughter, stunning scenes, secrets, murder, clues, romance, doggy treats, tension, danger, suspense and so much more!! It is absolutely perfect to read either curled in front of the fire or lying on a beach which not many books can achieve. I never did work out who the killer was and was completely shocked when they were discovered. A great achievement as I am a huge crime fan and tend to work out who did what quite early on. In this fantastic addition to this addictive series Dan is asked to provide security for a top secret meeting that is being held in a stunning villa in Pisa to ensure nobody gets hold of the highly confidential information being discussed. However it seems that the threat is on the inside when the body of one of the guests is found dead with a dagger in his chest. Things become more complicated for Dan when it turns out his girlfriend Anna's daughter Virginia is attending the meeting. Virginia disapproves of her mums relationship with Dan and was adamant that she didn't want to meet him when she came to Pisa. With his faithful companion Oscar can Dan solve this case before anybody else gets hurt? The atmosphere was perfectly suited to the mystery and I loved the stunning settings at the renaissance villa and in Pisa. TA Williams evocative writing skills made me feel like I had been swept away to Italy and I was walking along trying to solve the crime and mystery along with Dan and Oscar. I got completely sucked in to the storyline and ended up devouring it in one sitting. I enjoyed getting deeper into this series and look forward to meeting Dan and Oscar each and every time I open a new book in this fantastic series.. I wont say anymore about that as I don't want to spoil anything for future readers by giving too much away. I also enjoyed how everything weaved together nicely towards the end and there wasn't any loose threads as a pet hate is ending a book with unsolved mysteries. A fantastic addition to this brilliant series!!
Although this is the sixth book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

There was another fantastic selection of characters that I met in this book along with the brilliant characters I have previously met in the third book in this series 'Murder In Florence' including our main protagonist Dan and of course Oscar. I was fascinated watching the character development from that back to the end of this book and I'm looking forward to how Dan started right at the beginning and to continuing to read this series to watch his character continue to grow, especially after reading the first chapter of book one which has me even more intrigued!! every time I pick up one of the books in this series it feels like I am meeting up with old friends again and I love seeing what they are getting up to in each storyline. They are all strong, realistic and leap out of the pages while turning them! I have to admit though that my favourite character just had to be Oscar!! As a huge animal lover myself any books that include animals gets bonus points for me and this one got mega points as Oscar played a main part!! He is such a sweet but mischievous boy and absolutely adorable!! I love how several of the characters personalities changed when they come across him and I must say who can blame them? Oscar can definitely turn a frown upside down! I also enjoyed meeting all the different characters that we meet throughout the book and each of them had their own unique personality and part to play which they played perfectly. They were all well rounded, strong, realistic with their own quirks and personalities. Unfortunately many of the characters in this storyline were unlikeable but then what fun would it be if we loved all the characters in a book!! There was the perfect amount of characters to keep you guessing who the killer is and I enjoyed trying to work out who was hiding what even though I kept getting it wrong!! I'm looking forward to meeting Dan and Oscar again in previous and future books in this series!!!
Overall a fun and easy to read page turning cosy murder mystery with the perfect amount of crime, history and humour that will keep you turning the pages.

234 pages.

This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £9.43 on paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

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Ex-Scotland Yard detective Dan Armstrong is called in to provide security for the rich and famous at a villa near Pisa. What seems like an easy job at first turns into anything but. The murder of one of the guests means Dan will have to investigate - especially when the daughter of his girlfriend is one of the suspects. A thoroughly disagreeable local Inspector is in charge of the case, and Dan is unable to find a way to work with him. With his faithful friend Oscar at his side, he rushes to find the culprit before it is too late.

I like Dan and Oscar and thoroughly enjoy following their escapades. Dan is an upright and tenacious man, with a strong moral code. His background in policing helps in his investigations - and he usually finds a decent local police officer, even if those in charge are belligerent.

The story felt very up-to-date, as it dealt with media tycoons and the world of high risk investments. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of their wealth and privilege with the normal, everyday persona of the detective. His unassuming nature manages to break through social barriers and allows him to get to the solution.

‘Murder At The Leaning Tower’ was a pleasure to read. It was well written and engaging throughout.

Three and a half stars.

Former Metropolitan Police DCI Dan Armstrong moved to Italy after his wife left him and he retired. Now he lives just outside Florence and has carved out a niche for himself as a private detective, alongside his Labrador Oscar.

Dan is approached in a very cloak-and-dagger way by a young man, his boss is hosting a meeting with some very influential and wealthy people at a villa outside Pisa and they want Dan to provide security - of the not-being-bugged kind rather than the black suit and sunglasses variety. Anyway, after assuring himself that there is nothing shady going on, Dan agrees, only to discover that his girlfriend Anna's grown-up daughter Virginia will also be at the meeting, as assistant to one of the guests. Virginia has already said she doesn't want to meet Dan when she visits Anna so this could be very awkward!

When Virginia's handsy boss is found on the first morning, murdered in his bed by one of the antique daggers that are on display in the villa there is no shortage of suspects, almost all the other guests seemed shocked and or horrified when they saw him arrive. The local police detective thinks he's a New York homicide detective and likes to throw his weight around first arresting one person then another for no very good reason, but when he arrests Virginia Dan knows he has to find the real killer.

In one of the other books I thought everything got way too complicated, there appeared to be multiple murderers in a tit-for-tat series of murders. This time things are much more straightforward, and I am pleased that the motive wasn't handed to Dan by his friend in the Met Police.

Overall, you know where you are with these books. Cosy retired copper and his trusty dog solve mysteries against the backdrop of the gorgeous Italian countryside, with copious luscious descriptions of delicious-sounding food.

Also available on Kindle Unlimited.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this cosy murder mystery - I felt myself unexpectedly drawn in and found it hard to put the book down! Interesting characters and a beautiful setting.

This man and this dog have so much appeal. Another most enjoyable read, in an enjoyable series. It's a great cozy mystery.

The protagonist has a lovely, balanced approach to every problem he encounters and, even when things get tough, manages to stay calm and keep the investigation moving forward. The combination of Dan being an ex-policeman, now novelist turned investigator gives a great deal of scope for each story, keeping it interesting. This time he's the security consultant. Unsurprisingly things don't go to plan, and this time it's personal, but Dan and Oscar (with a little help from their friends) get to the bottom of things in due course.

PS: As a bonus, the author takes the reader on a tour of Italy, with each story - this time we're in Pisa..

I highly recommend this episode and the series if you like a gentle, flowing interesting story. and look forward to the further escapades of Dan and Oscar.

It's four out of five for me

With thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and the author for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

There’s serious money involved in the secret meeting being held at a private villa near Pisa, and more than a few less than likeable key players. Dan (and, of course, labrador Oscar) are brought in to provide security for the week, at first checking the boundaries and sweeping for listening devices, but with things taking a turn for the worse when one of the guests – the most universally disliked – is found dead with an antique dagger in his chest. And this time, there’s a particular personal dimension to the story – the daughter of Dan’s lady friend Anna, disapproving of their relationship and having resisted any attempts at an introduction, is attending the meeting with the man who was murdered, and finds herself centrally in the frame as the prime suspect. The local police arrive – led by a distinctly hostile inspector who steadfastly refuses any assistance, with a misplaced confidence that a series of random arrests will bring the perpetrator to light. In time (thank goodness…), he’s no longer on the scene, replaced by a rather more amenable female officer, willing to work with Dan – but it soon becomes apparent that the only way of making the killer show their hand is for him to make himself a target and await the outcome.

With our hero in danger, there’s perhaps a slightly darker edge to this one – but Oscar’s interventions are always guaranteed to lift the mood, charming the ladies, enjoying hanging out in the kitchen, providing sympathy when needed, and always watching Dan’s back. Along with the perfectly drawn setting and the mouthwatering descriptions of food and drink, there’s plenty of the series’ trademark humour, with some moments that really made me laugh out loud – but also a fascinating investigation that reveals undercurrents and layers of complexity to the various relationships between the book’s wonderfully drawn cast of characters. There’s a distinctly Agatha Christie vibe once Dan gets into his stride, able to interview everyone individually, trying to catch them out – but it’s only when he puts his own life at risk that the pace dramatically increases and the pieces really begin to fall into place, leaving me (as always…) looking in entirely the wrong direction.

Sheer entertainment from beginning to end, but with some really clever plotting, moments that had me on the edge of my seat, and an outcome I really didn’t see coming – this was another wonderful addition to a series I’m thoroughly enjoying from an author who really can’t put a foot wrong for me. I’m looking forward to Dan and Oscar’s next outing already – but this one’s a particularly strong recommendation from me!

Let’s start with a clarification: Oscar will never be able to answer to any question about Italian politics but I am not able to answer in a simple way even if I studied Political Sciences at the university. Italian politics has been complicated for centuries and was already complicated during the Roman times.
That said I love this series and I consider Dan, Oscar and the other characters as friends I’m always happy to meet.
This is a complex story, a bit darker and twisty than usual. The world of high finance, secrets, intrigues.
Dan is expecting an easy job but he also knows that his fiancee’s daughter will be present and she doesn’t want to meet him. Oscar is the usual good boy, charming and friendly.
Even if it’s set in Pisa and the local commissario is a piace of work Dan, with the support of some new friends, will be able to solve the mystery.
A gripping and highly entertaining story that I thoroughly enjoyed and kept me hooked. I read it in one sitting and was a very pleasant way to read till late in the night.
Even if it can be read as a stand-alone it’s better to read the rest of this enjoyable series.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.