Thank you to @rachelsrandpmresources for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another fab instalment of this great series featuring Oscar the dog, oh and Dan 🤭

This time they’re in Verona at an opera academy investigating the death of the owner. There’s loads of opera references throughout that went right over my head but have made me want to listen to more. There’s, as usual, loads of amazing food mentioned too and great scenery.

This is such a great cosy mystery series, and that well written that I’ve never worked out who it was until the big reveal - this book being no exception. Looking forward to the next one already.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Fun!

Rodolfo Argento, Italy’s greatest opera singer had died in a terrible car accident. Except that his mother doesn’t think it was an accident or a suicide. She knows it was murder and wants Dan to investigate the case. Rodolfo may be kind, generous, and a natural treasure. However, he was also a womanizer who liked women a little too much. Though, he was happily married for a year, there’s no saying who might have wanted him dead. Was it a revenge murder or a crime committed for money?
Dan and Oscar need to solve the case but they first need some solid clues! Dan also needs to prevent Oscar from joining the singers with his heartfelt howling.
The story comes in Dan’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
The ninth book in the series works as a standalone (and so do the previous books). However, you will enjoy it more if you read at least one of the earlier books.
This time, Dan and Oscar, along with Anna, go to Verona to enjoy an opera show and solve a crime. Dan is not a fan of opera nor does he know anything about it. Will he be a convert by the end of the book?
Oscar meets another black Lab, Elektra, and falls in love. Of course, he still has his priorities right – food comes first; always!
The mystery is decent but doesn’t have the same tension as some of the previous ones. Of course, each case is different, so we can’t really compare. This one is on the slower side with a lot of questioning and trying to find the clues (makes sense since the death occurred almost a month prior).
However, it took me a while to guess the killer, so that’s good. I was weighing my options when a certain detail made me wonder and connect the dots.
As always, we get a tour of the region, though this time, it’s not much. Dan spends his time on the case, so there isn’t much left for exploring. But… there is enough food and gelato to make you happy!
A few interesting themes are addressed using the plot and the characters. While there are quite a few suspects/ characters involved, it is easy to track them. Some of them have strong personalities.
To summarize, Murder in Verona is another entertaining installment in the series and might appeal even more to opera fans (as it mentions quite a few leading singers and tracks).
Thank you, Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and TA Williams for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Murder in Verona coming out November 3, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I need to read the other books in the series. I really love books set in Italy. It’s a beautiful place! Verona is a really cool city. I was excited to check out this book. I think it was easy to get into the story. It felt cozy but also fast paced. It’s a short book, but I really loved the mystery and the characters were great. I’d definitely read more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Italian cozy mysteries!

Dan and Anna are planning a trip to the opera in Verona. Dan's not particularly enthused but the tickets were a gift from his daughter so they're going.. Poor Anna can never enjoy time away with Dan although this time his involvement in a crime comes with perks. Dan is approached by a formidable older woman who hires him to investigate the death of her opera singer son, Rudolfo. At face value. the death appears to have been a road accident but Momma isn't convinced. Not only did the death occur in Verona, but she and her son run an operatic academy there and offer Dan, Anna, and Oscar lodging in the lovely villa filled with aspiring opera singers. Rudolfo was, in addition to being an opera star, a sports car enthusiast and a Casanova who jumped from bed to bed. His marriage appears to have put an end to that activity but Dan wonders if a broken heart could be the cause of what led to tampered brakes and Rudolfo's death. Although there are other viable suspects - cousins who stand to inherit, an estranged sister and a disgruntled agent.
This is the ninth in the Armstrong and Oscar series. I especially liked the characters in this one. They're all unique, even the secondary ones. the solution to the crime isn't easy to spot so I was kept guessing until the end. As usual there are lovely descriptions of the locale and food. I hope Dan and Oscar don't run out of Italian cities to visit anytime soon.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood books for the ARC.

Dan and Oscar are back – in fair Verona this time!

Dan is a retired Scotland Yard detective, now living in Italy; Oscar is his black lab. Dan retired two years earlier nominally to become an author. I believe as a retirement gift, he was given a writing seminar in Italy. He loved the country and soon moved there. His writing career has taken a bit of a back burner to his new career as a PI. And it’s in his role as a PI that he’s hired to look into the recent death of a young opera singer by his mother. He died when his classic sports car smashed into a tree near the villa which housed his opera academy. Dan agrees to look into it so off he and his girlfriend Anna go to Verona for a ‘holiday’.

I’ve read several of the books in this series, and they’re always enjoyable. The characters are likeable, there’s not a lot of negative tension, Dan (and Oscar) always get along with everyone. For me, it’s the perfect beach read (or maybe, given all the lovely the descriptions of the Italian countryside, good for reading on your lunch break on a rainy day?). This one is no exception. There’s lots about Verona (the setting of Romeo and Juliet), architecture, and opera.

Highly recommended. I received a copy of this from NetGallley.com that I voluntarily reviewed.

I love an Armstrong and Oscar contemporary mystery, and Murder in Verona is a fabulous read stuffed with operatic references. It is a pity that Dan gets to avoid wearing tights in this one (but does stay fully clothed). As always, the mystery seems unsolvable until something clicks, aided by the fabulous Oscar. A great read.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I enjoyed reading this book.

It was lovely to read, a mystery that also incorporates the history of the city and loved reading about the delicious food.

There was quite a few people that were all suspected of the murder as they all had a reason to kill.

I recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley.co.uk for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I love this writer. Each of his books that I have read so far are presented with an insight into Italian life, and this one is no different.
Verona is described in beautiful detail. The author is a master at presenting a romantic setting, which is brought to life by his words.
This mystery reintroduced me to the charming character of retired detective Dan Armstrong, and I was pleased to learn that he is in a loving relationship with Anna. What also pleased me was that the obligatory Labrador (a character that this author is well known for) made its appearance in the shape of Oscar.
As a cosy mystery, this story is appealing, with each chapter pointing the reader towards the culprit. There were a few 'red herrings' and the questions that the private detective asked himself all aided in pointing the reader in the right direction.
A lovely light, entertaining mystery story in the same vein as the 'Father Brown', 'Sister Boniface' or 'Madame Blanc' TV series.

Murder in Verona is another great murder mystery featuring ex D I Dan Armstrong and his gorgeous black labrador, Oscar. Dan is asked to look into the death of a well-known opera star which leads to him spending the week at an opera Summer school near Verona.
As always, the settings are brilliantly described and we are immersed in the beautiful Italian landscape together with some mouth-watering food descriptions. I really enjoyed the operatic setting of this book especially when Oscar joins in.
There are plenty of characters including estranged family members as well as students and teachers at the Summer school. At first nobody seems to have a motive but gradually the suspects begin to appear.
I really like Dan’s character and the way that he becomes involved with each of these investigations always seems plausible. The mystery was well-plotted and built up to an exciting conclusion. Another great instalment to this series although I think it could be easily read as a stand alone.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers, Boldwood Books for allowing me to read this ARC.

PI Dan Armstrong and his faithful companion Oscar are back, and in this adventure they are in the city of Verona. The backdrop to this mystery is the world of opera, as Dan investigates the recent death of a famous opera singer—which the police have ruled an accident. Dan is hired by the singer’s mother/manager and the result is a multi-day stay at a beautiful villa that has been turned into an opera academy. There are the usual twists and turns and red herrings as Dan snoops around and questions everyone, but the real gem is the setting. Williams provides wonderful descriptions of food, wine, and culture, as always, but I really loved the way in which opera was woven into the story. From the names of characters to costumed dining (yes, really!) to Oscar’s attempts to join the sopranos, Murder in Verona is an enjoyable addition to this series, told with humor. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Three and a half stars.

The ninth outing for former Scotland Yard detective Dan Armstrong and his trusty labrador Oscar.

Dan's girlfriend Anna's daughter has gifted them tickets to the opera in Verona. It's something Anna loves but Dan doesn't know much about it and fears he may loathe it.

Whilst getting a light refreshment with Oscar in the village, Dan is introduced to one of his neighbours, an elderly lady called Violetta Argento who drives a vintage Bugatti with reckless abandon through the village. Violetta is intrigued when she discovers Dan is a private detective, her son Rudolfo, a famous opera singer died recently in a car crash. The police have concluded it was an accident or (whispers) suicide, but Violetta is convinced that it was murder and suspects his wife who she loathes.

The Argento family are extremely wealthy, and the family business is jointly owned by Rudolpho and his two cousins - could his death have been motivated by greed? Rudolpho was also notorious for his womanising - could his wife or maybe a spurned lover have tried to kill him? Was he upset in anyway to substantiate the allegation of suicide?

Dan, Anna, and Oscar travel to Verona to the Argento Opera Academy, close to the family business headquarters, which was generously founded and endowed by Rudolpho to interview Rudolpho's widow and his cousins. Dan's investigations reveal that Rudolpho was a man of contradictions, generous and friendly, but he left a trail of broken hearts behind him. Some women hint that he may have been pressing unwanted attentions on women. Did his womanising end when he married? Why does his mother hate her daughter-in-law?

This was yet another cosy mystery set in the wonderful Italian countryside. My only complaint is that I am on a diet and all the descriptions of the luscious Italian food was very distracting.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

T A Williams does a fantastic job in writing this mystery novel. The characters worked well in the world that was set and was engaged with the characters and story. It worked with the mystery element that I wanted and the plot was everything that I wanted.

Murder in Verona is part of a series yet can be read as a standalone. It follows Private Investigator Dan Armstrong and his labrador Oscar as they solve the mystery of a famous Italian opera singer. Signora Argento, of the very wealthy Argento family, is convinced someone murdered her (womanizer) son Rodolfo, despite all indications pointing to accident or suicide. Dan, his girlfriend and Oscar stay at the Argento Opera Academy while chasing all the clues. This is a quick, cozy mystery with a large cast of characters. There are wonderful descriptions of the Italian countryside and food to enjoy while reading. With thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

A great cosy mystery that had me turning the pages from start to finish. A great addition to an already great series and I really enjoyed reading this book about family, accidents, cheating, feuds and much more. As always there are some great characters who make this story what it is.

I never got bored, I found it thrilling and cosy all at once and I loved the murder mystery involved. PI Dan Armstrong is a great character, the story is well written and easy to read yet it has the depth to it you want to keep you interested and reading. Another great book and I do recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read adn review this book.

PI Dan Armstrong is asked to look into the suspicious death of famed opera singer Rodolfo Argento. Rodolfo's mother is convinced her son was murdered, so Dan enters the world of opera to investigate. Rodolfo's flagrant womanizing, opera-world jealousy, and the Argentos' intra-family tensions give Dan a lot of suspects. A quick read and delightful to spend some time with Dan, his girlfriend Anna, and his black lab Oscar in Verona while solving a not-too-complex mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC.

The Dan Armstrong cozy mystery series is one of my favorite quick reads. They’re well-written and so wonderfully descriptive that they instantly transport you to Italy and its countryside. If the dreamy location isn’t enough to convince you, Oscar, his Black Labrador companion adds an extra layer of warmth. This book can absolutely be read as a standalone, should you desire.

In this sequel, we meet Signora Argento, a grieving mother with a bit of a lead foot. (Woman after my own heart lol). She hires Armstrong to look into the suspicious death of her son— and that’s where the story takes off. Was it accidental? A scorned lover? Or jealous family member or adversary?

This one gets a 3.5 ⭐️ from me. I loved the characters and setting, but the mystery itself felt less compelling than previous Armstrong editions. It was very slow reading, and there was no action or excitement until the end, when everything happened all at once.

This is the first Armstrong and Oscar book that I’ve read but that didn’t matter as this can easily be read as a standalone. Private detective Dan Armstrong, along with his canine sidekick Oscar, is tasked with finding out if opera singer Rodolfo Argento who died tragically in a car accident, took his own life or was murdered. This has a fabulous cast of characters, a beautiful location and a storyline that kept me guessing right until the end. I spent the whole book convinced that I’d worked out how it was going to develop and end to then find out that my theory was totally wrong! A great book and I’ll definitely be looking out for more in the series. Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

Murder in Verona is the latest in the Dan (human) and Oscar (canine) mystery series set in lovely towns in Italy. This episode takes place in Verona, an ancient city that is home to a famous fictional opera singer who dies in mysterious circumstances—many possible suspects, music, food, and evocative descriptions of Verona and the Italian countryside.

Dan and Oscar are engaged by one of the suspects to discover the cause of the singer’s death, and the red herrings kept me guessing until the very end. 

While this is a series book, it’s a great read even without having read the rest.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Another amazing adventure with Dan Armstrong (Private investigator) and Oscar his black lad.

This time Dan is asked by Violetta, the mother of an Opera Singer, Rodolfo, who was recently killed in a car accident that she thinks was murder!

Dan is not convinced that it was an accident and as the investigation continues with many suspects including the widow, Rodolfo's cousins and staff at the beautiful villa in Verona.

Could someone have interred with the brakes or was it a freak accident? Whichever is the case, Dan and Oscar are once again helping the local police solve the mystery!

I loved this book as all of them in the series! I can't wait for the next adventure!

This was a fun addition to the series. I love the characters and all the beautiful, Italian settings so richly described within the story. This plot centered around the death of a prosperous opera singer whose mother felt his death was suspicious. As Dan starts to investigate, it quickly becomes apparent that there is no shortage of suspects and whittling away the motive to determine the killer is going to be very tricky
Love this series. Cannot wait to see what Dan gets up to next.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.