A Taste for Murder

A tremendously well-balanced, traditional novel—in the best sense of the word—that is sure to appeal to a wide range of crime-fiction readers. Joe Mottram is on leave from the London police and forced into a sabbatical on the island of Capri. Delightful, no? No. Matt is accompanied by his teen daughter, Angelica (for whom everything is just too much of a bother, except for boys). A fatal accident killed his wife a year ago, and father and daughter have a rocky relationship. And while they are staying at an idyllic resort, they could be staying at a Motel 6 for all the attention they pay each other. Until there is a murder, of course, and Joe jumps in to help young police inspector Lorra Lorrancio discover the killer. A Taste for Murder is rich in plot, but it is even richer in detail. As the story slowly unfurls, so too does the grief, beauty, and menace. Matt Baker is a British television screenwriter known for creating the ITV drama Hotel Portofin. Here’s hoping this novel is the start of a series.—Brian Kenney