Can murder be the cure for a broken heart? Returning to her quaint hometown in Italy following the collapse of her engagement, feisty travel writer Giò Brando just wants some peace and quiet. Instead, she finds herself a suspect in a brutal murder.Anxious to clear her name, Giò embarks on her own investigation, eavesdropping on the gossip in her sister’s perfumery and the cafés of Maratea as she … sister’s perfumery and the cafés of Maratea as she pieces together the evidence. But something about the case isn’t adding up. Or is Giò allowing her attraction to a fellow suspect to distract her?
Wanting to distance herself from danger, Giò keeps her feelings in check. But when new evidence turns the whole case on its head, danger is exactly what is waiting for her.
Murder on the Road is the first book in the compelling and heartwarming An Italian Village Mystery series. Start reading now.
*Beware – this book is written in British English with some Italian popping in here and there.
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What a fantastic book! It kept me turning pages and looking up the amazing places and recipes described in the book. The mystery was fast-paced with lots of twists and turns, and a hair-raising climax. I loved the strong bonds between Gio and her family and reading about her sister’s perfume store. Her sister’s ritual for helping a customer find just the right scent for them was fascinating. I knew I wanted to visit Italy even before reading this, but now I just can’t wait. And I know where I’m going first – Maratea. 🙂
What a fantastic book this is by Adriana Licio! Her descriptions are so detailed that you feel you are there and her characters are well developed and you feel like you know them. With all the twists and turns I couldn’t figure it out on my own! I had to keep turning the pages! What a wonderful story! I am anxious for more from this author!
Great start to a new series and a new author!
I thoroughly enjoyed this start to a new series. The scenery is gorgeous and makes me want to visit Italy. The characters are well developed and already feel like old friends. Enough twists and turns throughout the book to keep my interest. Murder, accident, neither, both? I had a little of it figured out but not all of it! I will be impatiently waiting for the next book!
I received and ARC but enjoyed the book so much, I bought a copy!!
Murder on the Road by Adriana Licio is the first book in An Italian Village Mystery. Gio Brando is heading home to Maratea, Italy after breaking off her engagement to her cheating fiancé. She finds a woman crushed from a boulder inside a car and Gio becomes Maresciallo Mauro Mangiaboschi main suspect. Gio with help from her sister, Agnese and Briadiere Paolo Rossi sets out to find the real culprit. I found Murder on the Road to be a refreshing new cozy mystery. Adriana Licio’s descriptions swept me to sunny Italy. I found Maratea to be a charming village and I was intrigued by Agnese’s perfumery. Maratea is a small village where everyone knows your business and information travels faster than maple syrup on hot pancakes. Of course, small town politics are also at play with a less than stellar police chief and an overbearing investigator. We get to meet various townspeople, check out the shops and spend time at Agnese’s perfumery (sells all types of cosmetics plus scents). We get to see Agnese at work and meet some of her clientele. The mystery has some intriguing elements with my favorite being the unique method of murder. Suspects are questioned and gossip is obtained to help ascertain the killer’s identity. There are multiple suspects, a red herring or two and good clues to help readers solve the crime. I would have liked the whodunit to be more challenging since the guilty party can be identified early in the story. I kept hoping for a twist to surprise me. The Italian police have very different titles from our officers in the states. I enjoyed learning about the Italian justice system. Murder on the Road is a charming cozy mystery with a quaint Italian village, gossip galore, delectable Italian delicacies, pleasing perfumes, surprising secrets and a travel writer turned sleuth.
Murder on the Road was such a fun read I can guarantee you too will enjoy reading this novel.
The characters were well crafted and the scenery was delightful. It’s as if you were right there along the rest of the characters.
I highly recommend this book.
I know it was written in British English, but I couldn’t get past the simple name of “Granny” instead of Nonna, and “Auntie” instead of Tia or Zia–I found it distracting since the story revolved around a woman who grew up in a small town in Italy–The mystery was good with numerous twists and turns.
Four and 1/2 stars. Back in beautiful Italy for another mystery. Gio helps Vanda find a missing body. Lovely characters, fun little twists and turns. I was given a free ARC by the author. My review is freely and honestly given
Quirky characters residing in a small village in Italy provide humor and intrigue. A who-done-it With a surprising ending.
Enjoyed this debut cozy mystery by Adriana Licio. After breaking off a long engagement to her fiancé, Gió Brando returns to her hometown of Maratea, Italy to regroup and spend some time with her family. As a welcome home of sorts, Gió is the first on the sign of a “crushing” accident…or could it be murder? Join Gió as she tries her hand at amateur sleuthing to find the truth in this exciting cozy mystery, Murder in the Road.
A great cozy mystery set in scenic Italy!
Gio has left her life and failed love in London. After her breakup with her fiancé of 10 years, she heads back to her hometown, a small village in Italy. What could happen next to make her life even worse? Probably finding a dead body. Or worse yet, being considered a suspect in said murder! A determined Gio enlists the Gio enlists the aid of Paolo and her sister, Agnese, to investigate and solve the murder.
Adriana Licio expertly wove a tale of mystery that kept me guessing until the end. It was a fun read which I highly recommend. I look forward to reading more in this series!
“We’d had another argument about my travel arrangements, so I decided to come home a few days early. I didn’t call him; it was meant to be a surprise, so I arrived unexpectedly very early in the morning. And I found a blonde sleeping with him. In my own bed! I screamed and screamed; I’d never thought I would have to deal with anything like this. – – – Dorian came over and told me it wasn’t what it looked like. He kept saying that the forthcoming wedding had put so much pressure on him and the commitment was taking its toll, and I should try to understand it from a man’s point of view. The blonde meant nothing to him, and she even backed him up.”
After things ended with her fiancé, thankfully before the wedding day, Gió returned to Maratea. To nurse her hurting heart, and perhaps to really “come home”?
I am beyond happy that Gió found out that the red flags I’d seen in the prequel meant business. Sad that she’s hurt and disappointed; but I don’t think she’s all that heart broken really. Deep down I think she – like all her family – knew that Dorian was not THE one.
But it brings her back to Maratea. To the things and people she loves most. And another murder. The maresciallo is determined to close the case as an accident so as not to interfere with his planned vacation. But circumstances, and Gió, have a way of muddying the waters. Will she and the young brigadiere find the true murderer? I see a little bit of romance in their future too . . . I could be wrong! Jumping into Book Two!
A great series so far, I highly recommend it! The setting is beautiful too!
Giò, the main character has a host of family and friends in her small Italian village that help her solve wonderful mysteries. Each of her books is entertaining and a fun read!
Great debut!
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but not the last. Gio is an absolutely delightful character with her determination to figure out who the murderer was. It was surprisingly easy to be drawn into the story and feel like I was there due to the author’s ability to paint a picture. Twists and turns abound, and the characters come alive. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series. (It appears that solving a murder is an excellent way of moving on after canceling a wedding.)
3.4 sunny stars
This was a very cute mystery with a lot of red herrings. Of course I loved that it was set in a small beach town in southern Italy. Interesting characters and good variety of suspects. I did enjoy the mystery but it didn’t really grab me, which might have been due to the fact that the conversations felt a little strange to me. I am not sure if that was because the book is written in British English and the conversations are supposed to be Italian….I just can’t put my finger on it. I will read the next book in the series.
Murder on the Road is the first book in the Italian Village Mystery series. It’s a great start and I look forward to the next book. The descriptions were fantastic and I followed Gio on Google Maps everywhere she went (and wished I lived there!). The story was twisty and kept my interest the whole way through. The characters and the perfumery were humorous and well done. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
I received an advanced copy and am leaving an honest review.
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, but I enjoyed it so much that I bought myself a copy anyway, which is not something I do very often.
So what did I enjoy about it, well the mystery at the heart of the story is well told, and there are several possible suspects to lead the reader in the wrong direction so that is important, and the characters are really well developed and believable, especially Gio, the young woman at the heart of the story.
But it is the ‘incidentals’ that really make this book enjoyable: the descriptions of the scenery; the typical small town politics- especially the chief of police who is really rather incompetent; the side stories about the customers at Gio’s sister’s perfume shop, especially the ‘shy couple’; and finally the great dynamic of Gio’s family, very realistically Italian.
There is also a bit of low key romance to add a frisson to the story.
I think that this fascinating, uplifting book is very impressive, especially as it is the author’s first work, I can’t wait for the next one to come along and see what Gio gets involved in next.
I received an advance review copy and voluntarily leave an honest review.
A well-written and good first murder mystery! The setting of the Italian coast, the family and friends of our heroine, the sister with a perfume shop, and a possible love interest all add to the ambience of the small town of Maratea. Giò has come back to her birthplace and family to find a new direction in life, but her discovery of an accident – or murder? – makes her want to find out what happened. The plot has quite a few twists, but not only that kept me interested; the other anecdotes, particularly of some of the visitors to the perfume shop, and the descriptions of the landscape and sea rounded out the book and made it a good read all around. – A sign-up will get you the prequel, “And Then There Were Bones”, another good read which also gives a little background on Giò’s life before moving back.
I loved this book!! I cannot wait for the next one! Gio returns to her home town in Italy after her broken engagement. She is a travel writer, but really wants to do other writing. An accident occurs which she witnesses accident which is actually a murder and she becomes a suspect. Gio sets out to find who the real murderer is. Lots of twists and turns, this book is full of interesting complex characters that I have grown to love! Wonderful descriptions of a beautiful Italian town that I wish I could visit! This is truly a wonderful read! I received an arc copy from the author and loved the book so much that I have Bought a copy!! Love Love Love this book! I am so happy to have found this author and look forward to reading more!