Treachery in Tuscany

If you love Italy, you will really enjoy this book. If you have never been to Italy, you will very much want to go after reading this book. The author does an excellent job of interweaving landmarks, art treasures of Italy, countryside and cuisine of Italy into a compelling mystery involving an architect from the US who unravels the mystery while traveling in Italy with her travel author uncle. Great combination of travel writing and mystery writing. You really won’t know til the end who did what and there are some very interesting WHAT’s in the book. Lost loves, found loves, illegal loves, and a lover that I hope the main character ditches in the author’s next book. You will, too. AND I HOPE there is a next book!!!

I spent a little time in Tuscany. It was nice to revisit it in this book. Florence, Montipulciano, Cortona, all beautiful. The main characters in this book were middle aged or older. The story line was well plotted. And it posited that people will more likely listen to a good looking, charming man, than to a very smart woman. Also, there are women villians. An enjoyable read

My favorite of the series so far, the author is really doing a wonderful job with the descriptions of these characters, and the development of each one of them. I really find myself caring for the main character and hoping that she gets out of things and doesn’t get hurt. I love the descriptions of where she travels. The author does a very good job about that. It makes me feel like I’m in the location. There were some slight spelling errors that need to be auto corrected. The i before e type of error. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. I definitely recommend this book to lovers of cozy mysteries. *I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.*

Great writer and story

Loved this book. Endearing and interesting characters, plus good plot and story line that make you want to keep on reading. The author creates a wonderful picture of the Tuscany area.

TREACHERY IN TUSCANY by Phyllis Gobbell is 100% to my liking. It is evident that this award-winning author has put in hours of time and effort and research writing this wonderful book for readers like me to enjoy. I am so impressed by the way the characters are introduced throughout the story with such ease and clarity and the way she works in the famous historical sites, as the clever mystery unfolds. I have never been to Florence, Italy, but feel like I am actually there dining and traveling with Jordan and her Uncle Alex and socializing with her uncle’s friends at the vineyard. Jordan from Savannah is a spunky architect who is hard to fool. Her uncle is a travel writer and is doing research. They stay at a convent. Jordan is there to meet her love interest, Paul Broussard, and their many interruptions by Paul’s newly discovered daughter, Bella, causes friction. Jordan has met young energetic Sophia earlier. The police report concludes that Sophia has committed suicide by jumping out a window. Jordan doesn’t believe such a thing at all and becomes involved with the police for more investigating. If readers have an inkling of who commits the crime, they will be intrigued by the way Jordan uses her architectural knowledge in solving the mystery. This intriguing book is clearly and orderly written for smooth reading and will be one of my favorite things to give for a gift.

I really enjoyed this travel book/mystery by Phyllis Gobbell. I’ve been to Rome but not to Florence, so this was a treat. If you enjoy travelling or have a special place in your heart for Tuscany, you’ll love this book. Jordan Mayfair (in her third appearance) returns to Tuscany from her home in Savannah with her travel-writer uncle, Alexander Carlyle. They stay at a rustic convent filled with guests who are not always what they seem. When they first arrive, they notice a young girl they later find out is the teenage Sophia Costa. Also, a burglary, involving jewelry, has occurred in the area just before their arrival. This means the police are nearby on several occasions as more crimes occur. Besides a travel/work adventure, Alex wants to see an old friend, Victor Morse, who is very ill. His wife, Angelica Moretti, was the object of both Victor’s and Alex’s love long ago, but Victor won the day. Shortly after Alex and Jordan’s arrival, they find out Victor has died. They travel into the countryside to meet Angelica and her children at their vineyard and offer their condolences….and, of course, enjoy more Italian cuisine and wine. Meanwhile, the reader is treated to cooking classes, Italian cuisine, Italian wine and other drinks, cafes, piazzas, bridges, chapels, architecture, interesting districts of Florence, and, of course, an intriguing mystery. Soon, Sophia Costa is dead, an apparent suicide. However, Jordan is suspicious of that finding. An additional subplot involves Jordan’s romantic tryst with Paul Broussard, a wealthy art patron and his daughter, Bella. Gobbell has written a complicated mystery and an intriguing travel book.

Armchair travelers, fasten your seat belts and get ready to go! Jordan and her uncle Alex are on the road again, this time in Tuscany. There’s plenty of mystery and intrigue to go along with a wonderful tour of the area – geography, food, history. This is a good read on its own, but if you enjoy it, I suggest you go back and read Ms. Gobbell’s other novels. It’s more fun when you watch the characters develop over time. And these are characters you’ll want to get to know. I can hardly wait to see where we go next!

Will architect Jordan Mayfair ever get a peaceful vacation? I hope not! After following her sleuthing escapades through Provence and Ireland, I am happy to report that this newest Jordan Mayfair Mystery, by Phyllis Gobbell, is every bit as engaging as the first two. TREACHERY IN TUSCANY takes place in a picturesque, but “not-so-touristy” area of Florence, where Jordan and her ever-charming uncle Alex are staying in a fifteenth century Franciscan nunnery. From the very first paragraph, we suspect the convent will not be as staid and uneventful as the ancient façade suggests. With a cast of sharply drawn, potentially suspicious characters, with love interests for both Jordan and Alex, with a mystery that seems—right up to the end—stubbornly unsolvable, this may be my favorite Jordan Mayfair mystery yet.

It’s been over ten years since I visited Italy and the city of Florence. Opening up Gobbell’s book Treachery in Tuscany was the closest thing to returning to the sights, smells, and tastes of this incredibly beautiful place. Her descriptions made me feel as if I was sitting with her lead character Jordan, sipping on a glass of chilled wine, chewing on bruschetta, at an outdoor café in the piazza. I got to walk through cobblestone gardens and smell the floral fragrances. As if being personally escorted to the unique tourist spots, I enjoyed accompanying Jordan and her friend Paul to the museums; the small shops; and, of course, to the Duomo. While in Florence, Jordan stays at a historical convent that adds to the mystery and intrigue of the plot as Jordan encounters visitors who are not as they appear to be. When one of the characters faces an unusual death and once Pandora’s box is opened, the reader is in for one shocking surprise after another. I felt as if I was riding along on one of the frequently sighted vespas as the plot twisted and curved until its final resolution. If you’re looking for an adventure, a love story, and a mystery all in one, Gobbell’s Treachery in Tuscany has to be your number one choice!

I enjoyed the mystery plot and the main character who delights in the city of Florence. The book also gives an armchair tour of the city and its sights, architecture, and history, which is woven into the story. Lovely book for romance, mystery, and travel buffs.

Jordan and her uncle travel to Florence in pursuit of his new guide while she hopes to. catch up with her best throb, Paul. They meet a young woman in b+b at. Convent what they are starying who’s run from home, and is in search of her past .. a pair of thieves also staying are speed with traffic result. Old friend Vincent’s widow is very affectionate and Alex is attentive. but maybe it’s too much. , they all intertwine resulting in two deaths. The coincidences of family involvement is a bit stretching the plot , . but it’s all genial enough so we overlook it in discussion of food, and. buildings and landscape .. despite a. confusing plot, it’s all pleasant enough .. recommendable

This is the third in the series and now I need to go back and read the first two! This was an engaging, exciting book! Captivating characters, interesting murder and an enjoyable read! Jordan and her Uncle are in Florence, Italy and they go visit an old friend of her uncle’s. While in Florence they stay in an convent where the other guests create intrigue in this mystery! Overall I really enjoyed this book and hope there will be more in this series!

Exciting murder-mystery with a twist set in Florence, Italy. Written in a perfectly pleasant pace giving opportunity to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of this beautiful city. Very vivid, good read.

Jordan Mayfair is an architect who often accompanies her travel writer uncle on his trips. Jordan’s children are grown and she has the time to travel. In two preceding well-written mystery/travelogue novels, Jordan has solved mysteries in interesting places. This one is situated in Florence. Uncle Alex not only intends to write a travel guide to Tuscany, he also wants to visit with an old flame. He and Jordan visit a villa/estate which includes a vineyard owned by Angelina Moretti, his old love. They meet her family which includes two sons, their wives and a granddaughter. They also stay at an ancient convent in Florence where the nuns rent out rooms to tourists. Here they meet a young girl named Sophie Costa who cryptically says she has come to Tuscany “for the truth.” Jordan also meets up a beau named Paul Broussard. He brings with him a daughter, Bella. When Jordan visits the Moretti villa the next day to take a cooking class from chef Cristiano, Bella unexpectedly shows up. She soon claims that Jordan pushed her down. Later she insists that Jordan stole a valuable bracelet, a birthday present given to her the previous evening by her father. The jewelry mysteriously appears in Jordan’s handbag. It’s clear to Jordan that Bella is very jealous of her relationship with Paul. Sophie also shows up at the villa and has a fight with Bianca, one of Angelica’s daughters-in-law. All of this perplexes Jordan. The dynamic becomes even more disturbing when Sophie falls—or is pushed to her death from the window in her convent room. Bianca ends up missing. There are many suspects. Also there is a locked room mystery to solve. Jordan uses her architectural skills to solve that and the murder. However, she is nearly killed herself in a hit and run of suspicious nature. All in all, this is a very engrossing mystery novel with interesting characters in a charming setting. Having never had the opportunity to visit Florence myself, the author’s vivid descriptions made me feel as if I were there. This is an excellent read that I can strongly recommend.

Treachery in Tuscany has Phyllis Gobbell’s intrepid architect, Jordan Mayfair, traveling again with her uncle, travel writer Alexander Carlyle. The two of them land in a convent in Oltrarno, the older, quieter part of Florence, the very essence of peace and quiet. But quiet never lasts long when Jordan Mayfair is involved. The plot is a lively one, weaving an encounter with the dazzling Paul Bouchard, an involvement with a Tuscan family well known to her uncle, and the sudden, violent death of a young woman Jordan and Alex have befriended. Her reunion with Paul Bouchard is marred by the presence of Bella, the daughter whose existence he had only recently discovered. Jordan is ready to make friends with Bella. Bella, however, has something else in mind. The encounters she manuvers with Jordan range from the exasperating to the near-fatal. Gobbell weaves all these elements together in her usual tight fashion, leaving no clue undiscovered. Her eye for details of the places where her heroine finds herself is acute: we travel with her to see the famous Michelangelo statue of David, to elegant ristorantes and small trattorias, and, this being Italy, to beautiful churches, all of this seamlessly knit with the action of the mystery. Fans of Ms. Gobbell’s previous two books, Pursuit in Provence and Secrets and Shamrocks will not be disappointed by Treachery in Tuscany.

What a joy reading this book was! American architect and amateur sleuth Jordan (early fifties?) and her elderly uncle Alex travel to Florence so he can do research for his new travelguide and she is looking forward to do some cooking classes and enjoy sightseeing the monuments and museums. They check in at an old convent in the middle of town and set about seeing the sights. The town is described so vividly that the book reads like a travelogue. You can picture the churches and I even looked up the famous David statue as I had never realised he was so big (no not that part). When Jordan takes a Masterclass in Italian cuisine at a villa in the hills the book turns into cookbook. We learn how to make tiramisu with strawberries and that ravioli should be cooked in a broth. But then someone drops dead in front of Jordan and the book turns detective. Oh wait there is also a French love interest with a daughter from hell. The writer did such a good job that it feels like you have gone to Florence yourself and had slept in an old convent meeting all the different types of people you do while on holiday. Maybe because I could identify with Jordan. The characters never become unrealistic. A very enjoyable book that I can certainly recommend. 5 stars out of 5

I love the Jordan Mayfair Cozies. They are filled with true to life characters, riveting problems (murders) and culture. Reading Phyllis Gobbell’s books is better than travel because you can stay home. Get cozy with a cozy.

4 stars I read the Kindle edition. Jordan Mayfair is an architect and on a trip to Florence with her uncle, Alex. Alexander Carlyle is a travel writer. Jordan has traveled to many places with the uncle. As they arrive at the Convento di Santa Francesca Firenze, they meet a young woman named Sophia “Sophie” Costa. She is another guest at the B & B. Her parents believe that she is still at university. The Convento is a 15th Century building where nuns still live. In order to bring in much needed revenue, they have turned part of their convent into a B & B. When Sophie later falls out of a window, the police say it is suicide. But Jordan believes it was not. Jordan who, as readers are aware, seems to have a nose for trouble. Jordan also has a visit from Paul Broussard, who appears in an earlier novel. This is an interesting and informative novel. It describes the wonders of Florence; the architecture, and Florence’s people and culture. It is very well done. The reader almost believes that they are there. The book is both well written and plotted. It is an easy read and very entertaining. I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this nice book to read and enjoy.

Jordan Mayfair is on the move again; this time she’s in Tuscany. More specifically, she’s checked into a convent in Florence with her Uncle Alex. As in the previous two books in the series, our heroine finds herself enmeshed in a web of intrigue: the young girl Jordan has befriended falls to her death from a convent window. The police think it’s a suicide, but Jordan has reason to believe otherwise. Alex is reunited with an old love, and Jordan’s relationship with Paul Broussard is challenged when Paul’s daughter appears. There’s enough to keep you reading late into the night, until you turn the last page and breathe a sigh of relief that the crime has been solved, all is right in Jordan’s world, she can fly back to Savannah knowing that justice has been done.

If you’re ready to be swept up in a stimulating mystery while enjoying the delights of modern Italy, I recommend Treachery in Tuscany. This is Phyllis Gobbell’s third Jordan Mayfair novel, and it’s a charmer. This award-winning writer kept me savoring the delicious meals, museums and historic architecture while also puzzling over the tantalizing clues right to the very end. Gobbell has a gift for vivid and original characters, and I love how she spins a tapestry of ambiguous events, uneasy suspicions and surprising twists. There’s a bit of romance, too, and it’s all set in the enchanting environs of Florence. So whether you’re a mystery fan, a travel buff, or just someone who loves a good read, I say this book delivers. Gobbell has already carved out her place in the travel-mystery world with her first two novels, Pursuit in Provence and Secrets and Shamrocks, set in France and Ireland respectively. Now with this third novel, I think she takes the crown. You don’t have to read the books in order. Just start with Treachery in Tuscany, and I’m willing to bet you’ll come back for more.

I really enjoyed this book, the third in the Jordan Mayfair series. This time Jordan and her uncle Alex are in Florence. That was fun since I recognized some of the places mentioned. However, it’s not necessary to be a world traveler to enjoy the book. I had not been to the locations of the other Jordan books and enjoyed them.