Murder on Lake Garda

By Tom Hindle

What it’s about?

From Goodreads:

One happy couple.
Two divided families.
A wedding party to die for.

On the private island of Castello Fiore – surrounded by the glittering waters of Lake Garda – the illustrious Heywood family gathers for their son Laurence’s wedding to Italian influencer Eva Bianchi.

But as the ceremony begins, a blood-curdling scream brings the proceedings to a devastating halt.

With the wedding guests trapped as they await the police, old secrets come to light and family rivalries threaten to bubble over.

Everyone is desperate to know . . .

Who is the killer?

And can they be found before they strike again?

What I think:

This is the second Tom Hindle book I have read this year – I read A Fatal Crossing for the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

This definitely gives golden age of crime vibes. There’s a cast of characters where none of them are particularly likeable, and even the most likeable can’t quite be trusted. Everyone is keeping secrets from each other, and everyone has a motive.

Laurence Heywood is spoiled and privileged. His best friends are his posh boarding school buddies who are all as obnoxious as he is. He is marrying beautiful but spoiled model/influencer Eva, who treats everyone, especially her assistant, badly.

Having derailed her career, she is desperate for success and has sold the rights to her wedding to glamorous magazine. The whole weekend is being photographed, and the gorgeous blue of Lake Garda is the perfect back drop.

But behind the smiles, tensions are simmering:

Laurence’s brother Toby is facing pressure to join the family firm. His girlfriend Robyn, is uncomfortable and can’t wait to leave.

Best man Stephen and his pregnant wife are arguing.

Eva’s sister is sulking and resentful.

And Eva’s father is definitely hiding secrets of his own.

No spoilers from me! But once they are all on the island and one of them is found dead, it is clear that the killer is still on the island.

This definitely kept me guessing. There were lots of potential suspects and motives for murder. Robyn was definitely my favourite character, but I wasn’t always sure if she was who she seemed which adds to the tension.

This was fast-paced and intriguing and overall a great read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my advanced digital copy of Murder on Lake Garda.