The Body in the Piazza

Faith and her husband, clergyman Tom,  after years of sermons for him, salads and sauces for her, and sporting events for their children, are finally able to get away by themselves for a relaxing and romantic second honeymoon in Italy.  Faith's former catering helper Francesca has opened an Italian cooking school in the hills of  Tuscany, and has asked Tom and Faith to be among her first guests.

Naturally, the Fairchilds become embroiled in a murder mystery before they even get out of Rome to head for the hills.  As all of you who have read the series know, Faith can't leave this one alone, but unlike previous stories, the mystery really takes a back seat to the food and Italian scenery.  The recipes while not over-whelming in show more number are, as always, mouth-watering.  The characters are a rather eclectic assortment of odd-balls who don't always meld as a group. Faith has always known when NOT to try to solve something on her own, but during this story, I often wondered if she had forgotten all about the poor dead Freddie. It took her awhile, but Page finally managed to wrap everything up like a big fat well sauced canneloni.

Overall, it's another delightful episode in the peripatetic career of Faith Fairchild, girl snoop.  The setting is one that makes the reader want to book a flight to Italy immediately.  If only Francesca's hostel were real and affordable.  In the meantime, we can drift away in a wonderful dream of what might be. show less

The 21st Faith Fairchild mystery, Faith and Tom are on an anniversary trip to Italy to see the sites, art and of course enjoy the food. After, a weekend in Rome, they are to travel to Tuscany, where Faith's former assistant Francesca has opened a cooking school. However, on their first night in Rome, the Fairchilds stumble upon a dying man in the Piazza Farnese—Freddy a travel writer they have just spent the evening with. When they leave Rome for the cooking school, the mystery follows them, many of the guests at the school are not who they seem, and somebody is intent on sabotaging Francesca's new business. As always, Faith will need to use her skills to determine the truth and find the culprit. I have always enjoyed this show more series—particularly our heroine Faith and the wonderful recipes at the end of the book. The descriptions of Italy and the food were enticing—making me wanting to take a trip to Italy by the end! However the “mystery” was a little wanting and felt convoluted and rushed at the end. A 3 out of 5 stars. show less

Tom and Faith ditch the kids and go off to Italy for an anniversary celebration. A new acquaintance is murdered shortly after they meet him, and Faith noses around to see what she can find out while they attending a culinary school. The book is really more about food than crime, but fans of Faith will enjoy spending some time with her. Newcomers to the series will probably not find this entry particularly scintillating, however.

Synopsis: Faith and Tom are in Italy, sans children, to go to a cooking school and enjoy some 'alone time'. They meet a charming man who is a travel writer who directs them to some lovely sites that many tourists don't see. Unfortunately, they also witness his murder. The participants in the cooking school aren't what they expect either; all of the students seem to have secrets that may or may not have anything to do with their friend's murder.
Review: Long on food and short on mystery, this story is interesting, but not a page-turner. The descriptions of the foods did cause me to make a few notes, but without these descriptions the mystery was a short-story.

Amateurish and simplistic, but set in lovely Rome and Tuscany with tons of food descriptions.

Loved, loved, loved the travelogue and the food descriptions

Cute. Too cozy for my liking, but Mom suggested this one as it was set in familiar countryside.
Beautiful.