Murder in Pitigliano, by Camilla TrinchieriPro

 Prolific mystery writer Camilla Trinchieri has published four books in her Tuscan Mystery series. The fifth, Murder in Pittigliano, is due out this year. I haven't read the first four, but it's OK to start this series out of order, the author is very good at keeping a reader in the loop, regardless of their prior knowledge of the backstories of the characters. The series falls into the murder-in-a-small-town category, not exactly cozy but full of colorful characters, a cute dog, lots of food and wine, plus romance. 

An interesting comparison occurred to me while reading the book: some parallels woteh TanaFrench's most recent series, based i rural Ireland (particularly with the first book, The Hunter). In both Trinichieri's most recent book (at least) and in French's series there is an emigre American detective on his own (and then partnerec), there is a key young girl who enlists the services of the detective (the girl not quite so young in French's book), and frequent reference to preparing food (more basic in the Irish series, somewhat more Italianm though not totally traditional) in Trnchieri's. There ism of course death in both series, and there is also resisresisstancetence to the interloper detective in both.

But in Trinchieri's book, the American is integrated more smoothly into the community (though not totally welcomed) where as in French's there is always a distance. The dog adopted by the detective in Trinchieri's book helps to ingratiate him, whereas the most prominent animals in French's are a pack of raven's that mock the American despite his attempts to befriend them. And the biggest contrast is that in the Italian-set novel, there is ultimately a comfort in , for the interloper and for the reader, while in French's the American's comfort is much more limited (basically to two other characters), and the community as a whole never ceases to retain a threatening atmosphere. There are in the end cozy qualities to Trinchieri's very readable and enjoyable book, while French (as is typical in her work) goes to a darker place. I can happily recommend both, and would add that we are as readers fortunate to have both to choose from, and to inhabit each according to our taste and mood.

F.H. Batacan, Acidents Happen

Accidents Happen (from Soho Crime) is a story collection by the leading crime writer in the Philipines. Her fiction is darkest noir, dealing with social in a vivid and very noir manner. Accidents Happen brings together police procedurals, a ghost or horror story, a wistful apocalyptic dystopian nightmare, and other stories from other and blended genres. Batacan's Jesuit forensic scientist from her first novel, Smaller and Smaller Circles makes an appearance, leading an investigation into a mysterious death that ultimately leads to layers and layers of violence against women.  IN another story he oversees the investigation of family abuse that leads to horrifying mutilation. The stories are vivid, sometimes darkly comic and always imbued with a humanity that will keep readers involved even in the most difficult of the characters' dark situations.
 

Amy Jordan, The Dark Hours

 

The Dark Hours is the first novel Amy Jordan has published under that name: she previously pubished a crime trilogy in Ireland under the name Amy Cronin. The Dark Hours focuses on a 60-year-old former Garda detective in Ireland long retired from the force and living in seclusion in a rural town. Her reputation as a cop was based on her involvement in a serial kller cases, and after the death in prison of that killer, a murder that echoes his methods happens in Cork, and her former boss persuades her to come back to assist in the investigation (which she does unwillingly). 

     The novel alternates between that 0old case and the new one, with the resentments of more senior officers in the past and the resentment of currently serving detectives in the present case, as well as in both cases the race to catch the killer before more murders occur, and also in both cases, threats to the retired detective. The pace is quick and the stakes are hith, keeping the reader involved in a story that is interesting both for its unusual lead character and for the chase itself.

Sarah Foster, When She Was Gone

 Sara Foster, When She Was Gone

Sara Foster's When She Was Gone is a tense thriller about the abduction of a nanny and two young children in a remote vacation area near Perth,
Australia. We get a terrible hint of what is to come in the first pages, as well as a quick view of the nanny's estranged mother, a former BRitish detective and current activist against domestic violence. The parents of the abducted kids are rich and annoying, and the Aussie cop called back from a leave to take on the case is trying to temper his hyper-dedication to the job in order to save his marriage. kkkkThe complex scenario is handled ably by Foster, and the reader is swept along in the palpable tension of both the plot and the interpersonal relations. Highly recommended.