Murder in an Italian Village - (A Bria Bartolucci Mystery) by Michael Falco (Hardcover)

About the Book

"For young widow Bria Bartolucci, running a B&B in the sun-soaked village of Positano, Italy, was supposed to be like going on a permanent vacation. But it s hardly la bella vita when her first guest is a dead body..."--

Book Synopsis

The first in a transporting new cozy mystery series set in beautiful Positano, Italy, as a widowed B&B owner discovers a body in one of her bedrooms before opening day... Perfect for fans of Mario Giordano and Lorenzo Carcaterra!

For young widow Bria Bartolucci, running a B&B in the sun-soaked village of Positano, Italy, was supposed to be like going on a permanent vacation. But it's hardly la bella vita when her first guest is a dead body . . .

On the surface, Bria's Mediterranean life radiates beauty--the kind her late husband, Carlo, dreamed about when he concocted the romantic idea to start a bed and breakfast on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast. With the grand opening of Bella Bella approaching six months after Carlo's tragic death, Bria and her eight-year-old son Marco brace for a bittersweet new beginning by the sea . . .

Before celebratory vino flows on opening day, a stranger appears in an otherwise pristine guest room, lifeless and covered in blood. Bria can't understand why murder would check into Bella Bella. And police are just as puzzled. As suspicions fall on a B&B employee, what's certain is that saving her reputation--and surviving--depend on catching the real killer before it's too late.

Flanked by her feisty best friend, Rosalie, and well-traveled sister, Lorenza, Bria vows to prove to everyone in Positano that no one at Bella Bella was involved with the crime. But as the women expose a scandal that stretches across their dazzling tourist village, it will take everything they've got to name the murderer and avoid becoming the next target of someone's deadly vendetta . . .

Review Quotes

Praise for Murder in an Italian Village

"Plot twists, the lovingly described Amalfi Coast setting, Italian-culture frame, and fully realized characters--including the smart, determined Bria coming to terms with her widowhood--make this first in a series a satisfying cozy mystery." --Booklist

"Murder in an Italian Village combines a smart and fiercely independent heroine possessing strong family values with a murder that takes place a little too close to home. Thanks to the spectacularly visually descriptive narrative, this is a delightful portrayal of Italian village life along with a hint of romance. Readers will soon find themselves longing to live in Positano Italy--dead bodies and all." --Lauren Elliott, USA Today bestselling author of Dedication to Murder

"Falco's beautifully written, atmospheric, and cleverly plotted mystery will have you longing for a visit to Italy's Amalfi Coast." --Darci Hannah, author of Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant

"There's so much to love in this series' premier. For starters, there's the huge and hilarious cast of characters, each so unique--from clothes to personality--that there's no chance of confusion. Add to that a series of capers that place Bria and her BFF, Rosalie, in increasingly risky situations. And Falco's peppering of the book with Italian--don't worry, you'll be able to figure it out--goes far to give it a feeling of authenticity. Finally, we go beyond the tourists and learn more about the unique and beguiling town that is Positano." --firstCLUE

About the Author

Michael Falco is a graduate of New York University and has studied at Playwrights Horizons and Gotham Writers Workshop. He currently lives in Secaucus, NJ, where he is working on the next Bria Bartolucci Mystery.