Deception in Siena: An Antonio Cortese Mystery

by Frank Curtiss

American Antonio Cortese considers Tuscany his second home. His mother was born and raised there, and she took him and his siblings home to Tuscany every summer to spend time with family. It was there—tied to the apron strings of his nonna, mother, and aunts—that he learned to love and master the art of Italian cooking.Following in the footsteps of his father and uncle, Antonio became a detective. He spent twenty years on the force in Southern California. But after an injury ended his career, he moved his family north to Washington State. There he pursued his love of Italian food and opened Antonio’s Pizzeria and Italian Café in the wine country of Woodinville.After a long absence, he has returned to Tuscany. He came looking for peace, and to move beyond a major tragedy in his life. But while bicycling the back roads of Chianti with his young cousin, Giulia, intentional harm befalls them, leaving Giulia fighting for her life. Now, an injured Antonio, along with Giulia's father, Detective Nicolo Zaccardi, seek to find those responsible and bring them to justice. But they each have a different idea what that looks like.

Genres: Mystery

289 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2021

Reviews

[Dave Greene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recommend having a pad of paper and pencil to keep track of the characters lest one get tangled in all the relationships. And have a smart phone handy to look up the cars, places, food items, and the pronunciation and meaning of the occasional Italian word or two. Fans of Italian food will enjoy the several detailed cooking scenes.

Antonio Cortese, former detective forced into retirement by a career ending injury, leaves his Seattle home where he now runs an Italian restaurant as a second career to visit family in Tuscany. Hoping to find restoration from past tragedy he becomes embroiled in a mystery as both a victim and as partner to his Uncle Nicolo, the head of detectives in Siena.

This is a fast paced, engaging mystery that compels the reader to keep on. The multi-layered plot is tight with no loose ends left hanging. The story continues for a few chapters after the resolution of the mystery as it is also the story of Antonio himself searching for the peace of heart that has eluded him since a tragedy some years earlier - that part is open ended, a sequel is promised by the author in his bio at the back of the book, but this mystery stands alone having fully wrapped up the case at hand.

My wife and I read this book out loud together and we both enjoyed it. We will be reading the sequels as they come out.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with the first reviewer. There are so many characters to keep track of which makes it hard to immerse myself into the scene. But after several chapters it narrows down the players and by the end you easily get a feel for their places in the story. Now I’ll need to read those first chapters again. For a first-time novelist I think Frank did a spectacular job with laying out the scenes and the puzzling mystery. The non-obvious clues have you guessing until the last few chapters. Plenty of action without any gore. It winds down nicely and leaves room for more stories which I’m looking forward to. Not only is the main character, Antonio Cortese, an insightful detective he is also a foodie! I love reading about the food prep and presentation which brings me back to when I visited the Campania region. My goodness, the food in Italy is exquisite. I highly recommend this approachable mystery to immerse yourself into a fun Italian adventure.

[Pat Resende · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book last week, and enjoyed it immensely. Much of the pleasure I find in reading a good novel is the author’s ability to make me feel connected to the characters. Frank Curtiss accomplished that in a significant way - I cared a great deal about Antonio and his family as I read. The family connections were described in a way that made it clear not only how they were related, but Curtiss also worked in quite a bit of family history, which helped bring the story to life. It’s a real page turner, well written and well told. I had trouble putting it down, and read well into the night a couple of times. Don’t miss out on this great story! Can’t wait for the next one!

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, easy read. We know Frankie as a restauranteur in Redmond WA, known for it's pizza, pasta, wine and photographs of his travels in Italy. The main character is an Italian-American retired LA cop and Seatta-area restaurant owner visiting family in Tuscany. There are murders, mob connections and great detective work from two countries. But unlike other mysteries, these characters never miss a meal, and Curtiss expertly describes the preparation and enjoyment down to the character of the wine.
I even enjoyed the slightly corny, translated Americanisms: "hands caught in the biscotti jar".

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, fast-paced mystery based in beautiful Siena, Italy. The language, food, and scenes made me want to book a trip ASAP! I like the main character and look forward to reading more stories about Antonio Cortese.

[Paige Norman · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of characters and Italian place names to keep track of, and this is a little different genre for me, so took me longer to get into it. The mystery and 'cop drama' of the story kept me hooked, as did the descriptions of various places and landmarks. It's the first book in a series, so a lot of set-up with family, law enforcement procedures, but overall an enjoyable read with some delicious sounding wines and foods along the way.

[loretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel very much! Italy, mouth watering food descriptions and a mystery to solve. What more could I ask?! It is also something of a travelogue and art history piece. His descriptions are excellent. While I identified a key suspect early in the novel, it did not influence my opinion. It captures the Italian love of food and family. Onto the second novel in the series!

[Aaron Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antonio is Cortese is on a journey, and I'm with him!

Antonio Cortese has a truly amicable demeanor, and you have to care about the protagonist. He's a likeable guy, though capable of some snark and opinionated exchanges. But I think in the end that's what makes you like him. He's a fitting detective and good at what he does. The unspeakable tragedy that befalls them - no spoilers - is heart wrenching, and then to have to see him wrestle with Giulia, set him on the path that Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) takes in "Taken", or Eric Bain (Jodie Foster) takes in "The Brave One." Just can look like revenge to so many people, and that's a fine line to walk. I think Curtiss does that very well in his novel, and Cortese straddles that line well as he pursues justice. Definitely a good read and looking forward to #2!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Former police detective Antonio Cortese now runs an Italian restaurant in a town near Seattle and the book is a real treat for lovers of Italian food and wine. The story takes him to Italy to visit his many family members there. For cyclists, the opening of the book, which takes him on a ride through the Tuscan hills, is a pure joy - right up to the moment when a motorcyclist forces him off the road. Most of the book deals with themes such as loss and healing, revenge and forgiveness, justice and redemption with impressive authenticity. A quite memorable read.

[Tommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Riveting Journey of Loss, Justice, and Redemption
This story beautifully intertwines family, food, and vengeance against the lush backdrop of Tuscany. Antonio’s struggle to heal and his fight for justice pull you in from the start. Richly emotional and suspenseful, it’s a gripping tale of courage, heart, and the fine line between justice and revenge.

[Chris Leuchtenburg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book only three stars less because it is a mediocre book (although it has its limitations) than because I just don't find the Mafia to be amusing. I'll go back to reading other mysteries set in Tuscany by T.A. Williams's (Armstong and Oscar) and Camilla Trinchiera. I might even read another of Donna Leon's dour Venice mysteries.

[Michael F. Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well done

Very detailed, wonderful descriptions of Italy and its family-centric culture. All wrapped up in a mystery inside a mystery. Looking forward to the next book in the series.