SUMMARY
Salvatore Carlettini is doomed to suffer a painful death from the moment he sets foot inside Damiano's house. He is seeking expert advice as to the edibility of some rare mushrooms he has picked in the forest. Little does Salvatore suspect that Damiano has a sinister motive for exacting revenge on his unsuspecting visitor. A seemingly simple case of death by mushroom poisoning turns into a puzzling murder investigation. Commissario Beppe Stancato finds himself involved in a series of events which leave him convinced that he must delve into Salvatore's family history if he is ever to discover the truth. His overwhelming desire to solve the mystery of Salvatore's death leads him unwittingly into peril when he goes to interrogate his chief suspect. Set around the medieval hilltop towns of Abruzzo, the novel explores the invisible and often inexplicable forces of good and evil which govern our mortal lives.
MY REVIEW:
This is the second novel in the Commissario Beppe Stancato series. Yet again we are treated to a cleverly paced mystery suspense novel with our protagonist, the perceptive detective, based in Pescara, Abruzzo whose mission is to expose villains and bring them to justice. Beppe’s methods are random and unorthodox but his quiet integrity, determination and unrelenting pursuit to find the truth make him a very appealing character. I hesitate to make comparisons, but if you like the emotion, comedy and Sicilian sun of the Inspector Montalbano crime series by Andrea Camilleri, then you will love this series about the enigmatic Commissario Beppe Stancato and his team. I love the humour in the book which lightens the dark shadowy intertwining boughs of religion and mafia. The author knows and understands life in the remote region of Abruzzo, from eating ‘porchetta’ to the parking problems in Penne.
It is also an insight into the order, the structure of life and deep-rooted Italian customs. As one would expect, there are many references to food and descriptions of eating in various restaurants yet ‘observing proper Italian procedures, the business in hand is not mentioned until everyone’s appetites have been satisfied.’ The author skillfully depicts characters who are seemingly endearing and charismatic, yet they have Machiavellian traits, they have weaknesses and flaws. The inspiration behind the book came from the Italian passion for mushroom picking. Poisonous mushrooms are all too frequently mistaken for their edible counterparts. Could someone with a knowledge of mushrooms commit the perfect murder? Beppe and his team are exposed to adversity and danger as they attempt to solve the mystery and discover the truth.
Note from the Author Richard Walmsley
It is a fact that hundreds of Italians indulge in the nation’s passion for mushroom picking every year. Poisonous mushrooms are all too frequently mistaken for their edible counterparts – with occasionally fatal consequences. This simple starting point gave me the idea of writing a mystery novel about a man with murder in his heart uses his knowledge of poisonous mushrooms to take revenge on the man whom he believes to be responsible for his wife's death
AUTHOR BIO:
Richard lived, loved and worked for eight long years in Puglia in the deep south of Italy's heel. From 2005 until 2008, he taught English at the University of Salento, Lecce. It was his Italian 'girlfriend' who suggested that he should write mystery novels. His novels and short stories are born from his vivid experiences of living in Italy.
BOOK BLURB:
Published by nonno-riccardo-publications (2016) Available in paperback from Amazon and kindle version
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR:
The Case of the Sleeping Beauty
The Vanishing Physicist
Dancing to the Pizzica
The Vanishing Physicist
Death is Buried
The Demise of Judge Grassi
Long Shorts