Private investigator, Dan Armstrong, lives and works in Florence and knows the world famous Ponte Vecchio well. Usually a magnet for tourists, on this occasion it is the scene of an unexplained death, and Dan finds himself involved in the intriguing case.
Dan quickly discovers that the victim, an elderly jeweller, was every bit as hard as the diamonds he sold in his shop on the bridge. Few people liked him, not even his adult children, and his business dealings look murkier than the waters of the River Arno. Dan suspects more secrets lie hidden…perhaps inside the massive safe in the old man's luxury villa…
As the evidence begins to mount up, so too do the suspects with their different motives. With a fortune in gold bullion and precious stones involved, Dan thinks the only way to catch the killer is to lay a trap, but might he be caught in the killer’s sights? Fortunately, he has Oscar, his canine wingman at his side, always eager to prove that he's as good as gold.
Can Dan and Oscar sniff out the killer’s tracks or will this case be a bridge too far? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)
It’s another fun crime caper from the best investigative duo, (Dan) Armstrong and Oscar!
This time, Dan has been tasked with finding out what really happened to an elderly jeweller whose crime scene initially presents itself as a possible self-inflicted scenario. Despite how disliked the jeweller had been when he was alive, trying to find a concrete motive proves difficult for Dan and the police. The jeweller had a falling out with his children years ago, so could it be a disgruntled family matter that led to an untimely death? Or could it be sinister dealings in the diamond industry? It could even be a dirty cop that muddies the waters, making the list of suspects a mile long.
Dan is very methodical. Ordinarily, that isn’t my approach when I engage in crime thrillers, but it works for Dan and with Dan. I like how the reader is given the evidence, layer by layer, allowing for the opportunity to form our own opinions and thoughts on who we might think the culprit could be. For a while, I went down one avenue, but quickly discovered I was wrong. Then I hit a dead end. It very much paralleled what Dan experienced, too, while he tries to narrow down the list of suspects.
When the truth is finally revealed, it was a touch and go scene that was pretty exhilarating! Up to this point, and having read most of the Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Mystery series books, it’s never been as physical as this. I couldn’t believe the showdown Dan finds himself in, but I was there for every moment of it!
As with all of T.A. Williams’s books, the reader gets to delve into cinemagraphic scenery, but this time, I focused more on the delicious food highlighted within various scenes. Just thinking about the fresh seafood and cheeses in different dishes makes me hungry. As always, I also want to travel to Florence. I’ve been saying it for years, so maybe at some point, I should pull that trigger and make it happen. But until then, I can live vicariously through Dan and Oscar. Murder at the Ponte Vecchio was yet another great addition to this book series, a definite five-star read!
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.
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