Murder Al Dente (A Novel)

“Mrs. Blossom is a pure joy.”—Tana French

New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman returns with a delicious whodunit, featuring former investigator Mrs. Blossom as she travels to a villa in Tuscany for cooking classes, only to find out that death is on the menu.

On the heels of an unexpected breakup, Mrs. Blossom needs to get away. And even though her last European vacation was anything but smooth sailing, she decides that a trip to Italy is just the ticket to recover from heartbreak.

Mrs. Blossom and her FBI agent pal, Danny, make the trip to Tuscany for eight days of cooking classes and scenic strolls at a remote castle that has been converted to an eco-resort. But once at La Villa en el Cielo, the guests are a mixed bag, and they feel as if they have wandered into one family’s soap opera, with a mercurial hotel owner, a beautiful second wife, six squabbling adult children, and an enigmatic handyman who seems to dislike Mrs. Blossom on sight.

The tension created by an unexpected death only ratchets up when a storm strands everyone—and a second, much more violent crime is committed. There is clearly a killer on the mountain, maybe more than one—and way too many family secrets to keep track of.

Mrs. Blossom, who has been underestimated her whole life, can’t help trying to figure out the identity of the murderer among them. The trick is keeping herself and her friends safe while she tries to untangle a family’s deadly history.