Banker's Death (Temptation in Florence Series) by Beate Boeker

Banker's Death is the third book in this fun cozy mystery series set in Florence, Italy, Temptation in Florence.  There is plenty of romance between Carlina Mantoni, a lingerie shop owner, and Stefano Garini, a homicide detective.  As per the genre, we have humor, situational humor more than wise-cracks, that keeps the mood light.  I actually enjoyed this book more than the previous two books in the series, and I enjoyed them, too!

We left Carlina at Christmas at the end of the previous book, Charmer's Death (reviewed on this site).  We pick up with her story in the spring, when she and Stefano have finally become a couple for all the world to see, including for Carlina's numerous and odd family members to see, the widespread Mantoni family, the bane of Stefano Garini's existence, since they too often seem to be linked to deaths in Florence.

Here is the book trailer for the Temptation in Florence series, a cute and quick 1 minute intro:

The author knows how to construct a clever puzzle for the mystery part of the story, but it is really the romance side of the story that excels.  We get to see the characters' emotions with sweet, subtle touches.

Carlina's heart did a somersault.  How could I think he had an immobile face?

His eyes softened.  He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

Carlina felt as if sudden sunshine had filled the kitchen in spite of the low hanging clouds on this cool spring Sunday.

Carlina's lingerie shop is on Via Tornabuoni

The reader quickly learns about Carlina's past, her late American father, her moving to Italy with her Italian mother at the age of thirteen.  We also learn that Carlina's relationship with Stefano is still at a very early, fragile stage, and we are kept guessing about their level of intimacy in this clean romance.

He kept a straight face but Carlina could see the smile lurking deep in his eyes.  A tingle of happiness ran down her spine, as always, when she saw that he shared her sense of the ridiculous.  Maybe he would not run away after all, even if exposed to all her family's idiosyncrasies.

It is indeed the Mantoni family who are the biggest danger to the lovers.  The banker in the title is of the Mantoni clan, and he sets his sights on breaking up Carlina and Stefano in a funny ploy that goes terribly wrong.  The family's reaction to the man's death is even funnier, in a macabre way.

Carlina's family home is near Santa Croce

The story builds to a point in which Carlina, once again, has to choose between her loyalty to her family and her loyalty to Stefano.  This time Carlina wants to run away from her family and hide from their lax morals and entitled airs.  Carlina is much closer to choosing Stefano over the Mantonis, which we understand will be the only way she will be able to keep the strictly moral detective's love.

There is an unexpected ending, with a clever and satisfying conclusion to the mystery, and to Carlina and Stefano's latest test of their love.  This Indie series is handsomely presented, well-written, true to the genre, and well-edited.  The author is on her way to creating a lasting and entertaining series that will please many Italophiles!

Florence, Italy, the setting for the cozy series

From the book's description:

When Carlina's attractive cousin Valentino returns from Dubai to Florence, he quickly becomes the most unpopular member of the wide-spread Mantoni family.  Plenty of people have reason to hate him, and when he turns up stabbed a short time later, Commissario Garini, now officially Carlina's boyfriend, only wants to turn and run. However, he's forced to take on the case and soon realizes that even Carlina doesn't tell him the full truth.  This puts their relationship under immense strain.

At the same time, Carlina's mother develops an extreme health food passion that revolts the whole family.  Then another, seemingly unrelated, murder of a circus clown drops into their laps and Garini has to hurry to connect all the clues before things spiral out of control.

Carlina has cat-like eyes, just like Sophia Loren, and they are Stefano's favorite feature!

The books in the Temptation in Florence Series are:

1. Delayed Death
2. Charmer's Death
3. Banker's Death
4. Expected Death

From the description of Book 1, Delayed Death (reviewed on this site):

What do you do when you find your grandfather dead half an hour before your cousin's wedding?  You hide him in his bed and tell everyone he didn't feel like coming.

Delayed Death is a mystery set in Florence, Italy.  When Carlina finds her grandfather dead on the day of her cousin's wedding, she decides to hide the corpse until after the ceremony.  However, her grandfather was poisoned, and she becomes the attractive Inspector's prime suspect.

On top of that, she has to manage her boisterous family and her luxurious lingerie store called Temptation, a juggling act that creates many hilarious situations.

From the description of Book 2, Charmer's Death (reviewed on this site):

What do you do when your best customer seduces your beautiful cousin? You try to save the situation, but it becomes a little harder than planned when he's found strangled with a pair of brand new pantyhose that come straight from your own store Temptation - the most luxurious lingerie store in Florence, Italy.

Next, a disturbing diary crops up that lists the former lovers of the dead man, creating chaos in more than one home. Carlina has her hands full with managing her store at its peak season, preparing the Christmas fair, and dodging her mother, who has discovered fortune telling as the next big thing. Her feelings for the attractive Inspector Garini don't help at all as she desperately tries to find the murderer before it's too late.

From the description of Book 3, Banker's Death:

When Carlina's attractive cousin Valentino returns from Dubai to Florence, he quickly becomes the most unpopular member of the wide-spread Mantoni family.  Plenty of people have reason to hate him, and when he turns up stabbed a short time later, Commissario Garini, now officially Carlina's boyfriend, only wants to turn and run.  However, he's forced to take on the case and soon realizes that even Carlina doesn't tell him the full truth. This puts their relationship under immense strain.

At the same time, Carlina's mother develops an extreme health food passion that revolts the whole family.  Then another, seemingly unrelated, murder of a circus clown drops into their laps and Garini has to hurry to connect all the clues before things spiral out of control.

From the description of Book 4, Expected Death:

When Uncle Teo falls in love on his eightieth birthday, his family is in an uproar because his new girlfriend has an astonishing talent for making enemies.  Before long, murder is in the air, and when she is indeed found dead at the foot of the historical San Niccolò Tower, the Mantoni family has to answer some uncomfortable questions.

Commissario Stefano Garini is forced to investigate the murder against his will, hoping that his relationship with Carlina will withstand the strain of another murder investigation in her family.

Here are links to the four books at Amazon.com:

 

Here are some links to the author's other books at Amazon.com:

 

Please visit the author's website and Facebook page.

Please visit the author's website and Facebook page.

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.