2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
More like 4 1/2 stars...., Aug 14 2007
By Deborah Wiley - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Da Vinci Cook: An Angie Amalfi Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)
Trouble seems to follow Angie Amalfi no matter where she goes. When her strict-laced sister, Caterina Swenson, calls her and says she is pursuing a witness to a murder, Angie rushes to help her. What follows is a madcap chase through Rome for Angie and Cat while Homicide Inspector Paavo Smith, Angie's fiancé, is back in America trying to sort out the murder scene and deal with the Amalfi family. Angie and Cat are determined to find the missing witness (who is also Cat's client), Marcello Piccoletti, locate a missing relic, and clear Cat's name.
What a delicious story! Ms. Pence writes such a delightful tale with very vividly drawn characters that it is hard not to immediately get wrapped up in the craziness surrounding the Amalfi family. The Amalfi family lives by the adage that family sticks together so once it becomes apparent that Cat and Angie are in trouble, the whole family swoops in to help. Sometimes, this leads to quite interesting and hysterical scenes. Perhaps Frannie's ordeal with bureaucracy is the best scene but there are numerous laugh-out-loud moments in this fantastic story.
It has been awhile since I have read one of the Angie Amalfi mysteries from Joanne Pence, and after reading this one I'm wondering why. Perhaps what made this tale much more enjoyable for me is that Angie's angst over her career and her continued mishaps weren't as apparent. Instead, we are treated with seeing the entire Amalfi family in action. Joanne Pence has created such a loving, richly diverse family in the Amalfis and I relished every moment spent with them in this book. There is never a dull moment as the action flows smoothly along. THE DA VINCI COOK is simply divine!
COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Cooking up a good story, Jun 4 2007
By Armchair Interviews - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Da Vinci Cook: An Angie Amalfi Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)
Not having read any of the other twelve Angie Amalfi mysteries, I may be at a distinct disadvantage to critique this one. That being said, I love Italy, I love food and I love a good mystery. So The Da Vinci Cook is three for three on my "what I love" top-ten list.
The authors' descriptions of Rome, though not poetically descriptive, located all the sights so accurately and with such detail, it felt like a walking tour of the city from the Forum to the Spanish Steps, from the Termini Station to the Vatican.
And the description of their first dinner in Rome, "an antipasto of caprese--tomatoes with mozzarella, basil, and spices--a primo of porcini mushroom risotto...and linguine with pancetta...veal scaloppine with green olives and for dessert...sliced melon and walnuts with...espresso." C'est magnifique!
However, I do have a couple small complaints. Even though Angie is the central figure in the series, I had some trouble keeping that straight because in this book Angie's sister Cat seems to command more attention. I assume that's simply because there are twelve other books in the series and the author assumes the reader are well acquainted with the characters and have no trouble following along.
My other issue may sound pathetically trivial but it really bugged me. The title of the book is The Da Vinci Cook. The front cover of the book shows Mona Lisa holding a wooden spoon covered in sauce. Loving all things conspiratorial (i.e., The Da Vinci Code), I expected some connection. Except for the tangential fact that Angie and her sister work a couple shifts in a restaurant called Da Vinci's, there is no connection. I felt duped.
Did I recover from my snit and enjoy the book, yes! Will it stop me from reading the others, no!
Armchair Interviews says: Italy, historical buildings and wonderful food--what more could you want.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Da Vinci Cook, May 6 2007
By Leanne C. McHugh "Mystery lover" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Da Vinci Cook: An Angie Amalfi Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)
Another fun instalment in the Angie Amalfi series. Joanne Pence gives us a contemporary story that suits the history of the Angie Amalfi italian heritage and the inclusion of all her endearingly loopy family. It's an easy read for fans of this series and I look forward to the next instalment in the lives of Angie an Pavo.