A group of wordsmiths, a remote hotel. Outside, the winds howl and the seas rage. But the real danger lurks within.
When travel author and part-time sleuth, Giò Brando, joins a writers’ retreat in Maratea, her quaint sea town, the last thing her companions are expecting is for the spiteful author who ruined their previous meeting to turn up uninvited. And the last thing Giò is expecting is to … expecting is to find that same woman lying dead on the restaurant floor the following morning.
At first, it seems the author’s death was the result of a tragic accident, but Giò suspects there’s more to it than meets the eye. What happened to the manuscript the victim had been working on? What was the mysterious business deal she was in Maratea to close?
With her fellow writers all having reason to lie to the carabinieri, Giò desperately sifts their stories for clues. But could the key actually lie in a tragic tale from long ago?
Peril at the Pellicano Hotel is the fourth book in the An Italian Village Mystery series.
Fans of cosy mysteries everywhere are invited to help Giò solve her latest delightfully dramatic case, unfolding against the stunning backdrop of the southern Italian coastline. That is, if you dare.
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Peril at the Pellicano Hotel by Adriana Licio has Gio Brando attending a writer’s conference being held in Maratea, Italy. The group is enjoying dinner when they are interrupted by Margherita Durante. Margherita used to belong to the group, but she was asked to leave because of her unpleasant attitude. No one is happy to see her. The next morning, Margherita is found dead in the dining room. With the author’s under suspicion, Gio starts nosing around for clues that will reveal the killer’s identity. Peril at the Pellicano Hotel is the 4th book in An Italian Village Mystery series. This story can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. Gio Brando is a travel writer who returned home to Maratea after the end of a relationship. She writes travel guides and is working on a book based on her travels in Scotland. I enjoyed the setting of the Pellicano Hotel for this mystery. Adriana Licio takes readers to Italy with her vivid descriptions. The rainy atmosphere was perfect for a murder. The mystery was planned out with several suspects who had good motives for killing the unwelcome intruder. Margherita was the perfect victim with her spiteful attitude. There are good clues to aid readers in solving the crime before the carabinieri and Gio. I liked the side story involving Gio’s sister and two customers at her perfume shop. It added humor and lightness to the story. Peril at the Pellicano Hotel is an entertaining cozy mystery with a party pooper, a curious killing, a vengeful victim, several suspicious suspects, and one snoopy amateur sleuth searching for the solution.
This was the best mystery yet. The description of the Italian coast made me feel like I was there. Gio is perfect and love Granny. The second little mystery with the couple going to Iran was unexpected especially just purchasing perfume. Loved it.
I absolutely love this series! This book is possibly the best of them all! I loved the double stories and the wonderful endings! Complex and interesting characters fill the book. Lots of twists and turns make this a book you will not be able to put down! I cannot wait for the next book in this series! Thank you Adriana Licio for the opportunity to read your arc! This is my honest review!
Get your mind completely off the pandemic. This book, in the series, can be read as a stand alone, but is even more enjoyable read in order since various storylines blend together from one book to the next. It’s full of action, danger, suspense, twists and turns, some sweet romance, and a surprising ending that I sure had not guessed coming.
This is a clean mystery that is as enjoyable as it is entertaining. If highly recommend this series of Italian Village Mysteries. The characters are fascinating and I love the main character, Gio Brando and her family. You will feel like you’ve been on a virtual vacation, falling in love with Italy, at a time where going outside of your community is either not allowed, or is frowned upon unless you are a worker who is needed for an essential job. If you like mysteries you will love this book.
A perfectly lovely series – fun and exciting too, with a flavor of Italy and its people. Gio Brando has arranged for a writers’ workshop at a hotel in Maratea, and a rather nasty woman is found dead one morning – with no trace of violence. All the attendees are questioned and seem to be hiding something – or not … The sub-plot of Gio’s sister Agnese and her perfume store (and two special customers) are also delightful, as in every book – and the ending is quite a surprise! Highly recommended!
I received an advance reader copy and voluntarily leave an honest review.
Adriana Licio has written yet another intriguing cozy mystery set in the small town of Maratea, Italy, where Gio Brando has returned to live with her family after being away in the bustling city of London, England. She has settled in to her life, despite stumbling upon several murders during her brief time back home. Now, Gio attends a writers’ retreat organized by her friend, Annika, that brings together a curious group, some of whom have a mysterious past. Not surprisingly, a murder ensues, and all of the writers, except for Gio who did not know the deceased, are suspects.
Set in a charming bed and breakfast, the group all talk to the carabinieri describing their whereabouts the night of the death. Something doesn’t sit right with Paolo, Gio’s friend at the carabinieri, and along with Gio’s insight, he begins his own investigation into the death. It seems that almost everyone in the group has something to hide and could be the suspected killer. Gio not only finds herself embroiled in identifying the murderer, and at the same time becomes enchanted by one of the writers, Guido, who is a marvelous videographer planning a trip to Iran.
A side plot adds complexity to the novel, and features a couple of Marateans who head to Iran for the adventure – and misadventure – of a lifetime.
Overall, this is a well-written story, but with a heavier plot that Licio’s previous books in this excellent series. The descriptions of the seaside town and its basilica make readers feel as if they are there with the characters and is stimulating for anyone who enjoys cozies set in a foreign country. My only frustration was the subplot that took the married couple to Iran. I still don’t understand why that was part of the book, even though there is a small connection with Gio, through her sister.
I highly recommend this book. I received an ARC but this review is my honest opinion.
Adriana Licio’s “Peril at the Pelicano Hotel” is a lovely complex of three stories in this one book. One is a lovely love story mixed with self-discovery for the heroine. One is a double murder mystery complicating a writer’s retreat at the Pelicano Hotel, and the third is a delightful visit to the lovely, seacoast village of Maratea in Italy. The last is a slow, easy-going stroll through the village, nicely reminiscent of the typical life-style of the villagers. The first, the love story, is delightful – a push-pull, off-on struggle between an indisputable and strong attraction of the heroine for a member of the writer’s retreat, stressed by doubts about his honesty and suspicion about his possible involvement in the murders, and by her own voyage of self discovery. The ending is extremely satisfying,
Finally, the murder mystery sometimes get lost among the other stories, but all the clues are there for a discerning reader, and the ending is action-packed and surprising.
Altogether, an extremely satisfying book. Now I want to read all of the Licio ‘Maratea mysteries’.
In my opinion this is the best book yet in this series, the main characters continue to develop as we get to know them better, and they almost seem like old friends now.
The setting for this book is a hotel, where Gio has helped to organise a writers’ retreat, unfortunately an ex-member of the writers’ group is found dead in the restaurant.
The writers’ group gives the author the opportunity to include some great new characters, and the fact that they are all writers gives her the opportunity to make them a very diverse group, ranging from bombastic to flamboyant to nervous, but they are all distinctly individual.
The mystery is well thought out, and the perpetrator is well hidden, right up to the reveal, making this a very satisfying read. The smaller ‘side stories’ about Gio’s family and friends also provide a gentle contrast to the main story line.
Whilst it is not essential to have read the earlier books, as this works well as a stand-alone read, I think that the background they provide does make reading this one more enjoyable.
I received an advance copy of the book, but have voluntarily written this honest review.I
Adriana Licio has written another excellent book in the Italian Village Mystery Series. This latest mystery takes place on the outskirts of Maratea. The characters and locations are described so cleverly that you can easily picture them as you read the story. Gió Brando once again finds herself involved in not just one, but two murders that happen at the hotel where her writing group is having a retreat. In addition to Gió trying to figure out who is murdering people staying at the hotel, Agnese works with a couple who are searching for new life in their marriage and unknowingly through her perfume recommendations sends them off on an adventure they never expected. The story is full of twists and turns that keep you engaged and guessing at what will happen next and who the real murderer is.
I received an advance reader copy of “Peril at the Pellicano Hotel” from the author. This gift did not affect my review of the book. This review is my voluntary and honest opinion.
Thoroughly enjoyable
For me, this story had the perfect mix of lovely characters, picturesque setting, and a good mystery. A whodunnit reminiscent of Agatha Christie mysteries. It was thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining! And I didn’t see THAT coming! Which is always good in a mystery!
I read this without having read the previous books, and while that worked totally fine, I am going to go back and start from the top!
Another great cozy mystery set in scenic Italy!
This is the fourth book I’ve read in the “An Italian Village Mystery Series”. Gio has settled back into her small hometown village in Italy after living in London for 15 years as an author of travel guides. Gio spent/wasted the last 10 of those 15 years building a life with her cheating ex-fiancé. Gio receives an invitation to join a writers’ retreat of successful published indie authors. Gio is finally taking the next step in her career. Something she has wanted to do for years… writing a travel book. She is so excited! Life is good, right? Not so much. A murder at the hotel places the authors at the retreat under suspicion of murder. Gio begins her own amateur investigation and quickly finds that each of her new author friends have both motive and means. Can it be any worse? Yes, it can. The murderer strikes at the same hotel again! Now, Gio is even more frantic to name the murderer and for more than just the obvious reason. Gio had planned to make some changes in her life, but this writers’ retreat creates even more life-altering possibilities than she expected. Decisions, decisions, what will Gio do?
This cozy mystery is full of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. Adriana Licio is a master at weaving intriguing mysteries with just a bit of romance added into each story. I highly recommend reading each book in this series if you enjoy a well-written, entertaining, fun, and easy read.
I received an advance reader copy of “Peril at the Pellicano Hotel” from the author. This gift did not affect my review of the book. This review is my voluntary and honest opinion.
Another great addition to the series!
Gio receives an invitation to joint a retreat of successful indie authors in her city. Always ready to do what is advantageous, she is thrilled to join them. Unfortunately the least liked member of the group (a real b..ch) ends up dead the first night. Of course she joins the investigation only to find that each of the other members of the group had a motive for the murder. Again she is faced with decision to make about her future. What will she do? Ms. Licio again kept me guessing “whodunit” until the very end. Kudos!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Gió and her Brigadiere take a circuitous route to get to the bottom of this mystery. There are perhaps too many perfectly reasonable suspects. Yet we know that only one can actually be the murderer. Or do we?
Licio has done it again in this new installment of Gió’s adventures. Engaging characters, the beautiful backdrop of the Mediterranean, and a murder with many red herrings and twists. Another great read that leaves me impatient for the next one!
It is somewhat frustrating to watch as Gió consistently tries to bury her attractions. To be disagreeable instead of pursuing an interest. Her insistence on keeping her defences always on high alert. It is perhaps understandable given her history, but seeing how often she behaves like a spoilt child is a bit frustrating to watch! Still, love the character, indeed all the characters in these books!
I must say, I wish a perfumery like Agnese’s shop existed near me. I’d love one of her sessions!
[Many thanks to the author for the opportunity to read an Advance Reader Copy of this book. This is my honest review, the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.]
Oh, that was fantastic! I loved the location and the charm of a small town! The hotel sounded positively wonderful. The mystery from the point of view of the outsider of the Writers Group was a great perspective! I could not figure it out! It was a very well written story! I loved it!