Italian Rules: a gripping crime thriller set in the heart of Italy (Daniel Leicester Book 4)

I've enjoyed the previous Daniel Leicester books but liked this less. The characters, chiefly Daniel and the rest of the Faidate family, are excellent, as is the setting. But I found there were too many characters connected to the film side of the narrative and began to feel somewhat confused by them all. Perhaps it's me but I found some characters were almost duplicates and merely distracted. I look forward to further books in the series but hope for less distractions.

I’ve read and loved all of Tom, Benjamin’s books, so far, and I think this is the best one yet!

Italian Rules is the fourth adventure for Daniel Leicester, a British expat private investigator living in Bologna. The strengths of the previous volumes - strong characterisation, slick plotting and above all an utterly convincing sense of place - are all on prime display here.The plot centres on an American remake of a cult 1980s Italian pulp thriller and the theft of some mysterious negatives with a secret lost ending. Both the Hollywood elements of the new film and the distinctive 'giallo' style of the original are vividly presented and will grip even readers who aren't cinephiles. And as ever, the tangled political history of recent Italian generations adds an extra layer of complexity to the present-day mystery.This is a really accomplished addition to an already excellent series, which deserves to be much better known.

Private detective Daniel Leicester should be used to his adopted country by now. But Italy never fails to surprise. The original reel of a film set for a remake is missing. And, of course, this being Italy, the question isn’t really ‘where is the film’, but rather ‘who gains from this film being missing?’. In Italy, there is always a reason for actions being taken and there are always winners and losers. The best that Daniel can do is keep on the right side of the right people and live to tell the tale. The politics, the traditions, the ‘done things’, Leicester has a feel for what is happening around him.Maybe I am somewhat bias as I adore Italy but, for me, this was another solid entry in a series that showcases Italy. If the Machiavellian manoeuvres don’t draw you in, there is always the cuisine.

I loved the first three books in the series, and recommend them, but I struggled with this one. Perhaps it's because I am not interested in cinema but I found the story convoluted and relationships between the secondary characters confusing. Perhaps it's me? I shall be interested to read other reviews. If they are good I may re-read the book!

‘..he looked at me gravely: ‘Italian Rules.’‘Of course.,’ I said. “What else.’When a film goes missing from Bologna’s renowned film archives, Daniel Leicester -‘The English Detective’ - is called in to investigate. After a series of deaths and attempts on Daniel’s life, it is clear that this is about so much more than the missing film. Hollywood film crews have assembled in the city to remake the film and Daniel and his daughter Rose get sucked into the glamour whilst Daniel’s investigations take him into a dark world of fascist memorabilia and sinister networks..There are two things which bring me back to this series. Firstly I love the character of Daniel. He is a widower with a teenage daughter, Rose. He lives with his Father in Law and his family. Each novel in the series adds just a little more to our picture of Daniel. Secondly, it’s undoubtedly the setting. The city of Bologna is conjured up with knowing and loving intimacy. The setting adds such an incredible context and backdrop to the series with its architecture, culture, cuisine and a deep and sometimes chaotic and darker history. This a society with guns, a number of different police forces and some volatile politics and the writer uses these to dramatic effect.This story built quite slowly, giving me time to absorb the city again, enjoy the pasta and the gorgeous architecture. We were only investigating an old film after all..and then very quickly as the body count rose and Daniel was attacked this got decidedly chillier. Personally, I am happy with the Bologna ‘cast’ and didn’t need the movie moguls and the references to Megan and Paul McCartney. I was happier visiting Venice and glimpsing more and more of Daniel’s personality and past. The writing is always smooth and assured, weaving in Italian phrases, and evoking such a wonderful sense of Bologna.I look forward to catching up with Daniel again