Murder Most Unfortunate: A Rick Montoya Italian Mystery

Rick Montoya Italian Mystery #3

by David P. Wagner

Winding up an interpreter job in Bassano del Grappa at a conference on artist Jacopo da Bassano, a famous native son, Rick Montoya looks forward to exploring the town. And it would be fun to look into the history of two long-missing paintings by the master, a topic that caused the only dust-up among the normally staid group of international scholars attending the seminar. Bassano has much to offer to Rick the tourist, starting with its famous covered bridge, an ancient castle, and several picturesque walled towns within striking distance. He also plans to savor a local cuisine that combines the best of Venice with dishes from the Po Valley and the surrounding mountains. These plans come to a sudden halt when one of the seminar's professors turns up dead. Rick is once again drawn into a murder investigation, this time with a pair of local cops who personify the best and the worst of the Italian police force. At the same time he's willingly pulled into a relationship with Betta Innocenti, the daughter of a local gallery owner, who is equally intrigued by the lost paintings. They quickly realize that the very people who might know the story are also the main suspects in the murder—and that someone not above resorting to violence is watching their every move.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

170 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 3, 2015

About the author

David P. Wagner is a retired foreign service officer. Among his overseas assignments were nine years in Italy where he learned to love things Italian, many of which appear on the pages of his books.

After retirement he spent several years writing tourist materials for small Italian towns before deciding he wanted to add his own stories to those fascinating places. The result was the mystery series featuring dual-national translator Rick Montoya,

The eighth book in the series, out in August, takes Rick to Assisi and confirms his belief that you can't solve a mystery on an empty stomach.

David and his wife live in Pueblo, on Colorado's front range, with their cat Mitzi.

You can find out more about both David and Rick at the website above.

Reviews

[Abibliofob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder Most unfortunate by David P. Wagner is another murder mystery in another Italian town that our travelling interpreter Rick Montoya gets involved in. As always we get some local flavor when it comes to food and drink but also some history of the region. I like this way of writing a series as it feels fresh with a new town and new police officers in every book. I will most certainly continue reading this series but will take a break before reading the next.

[Sarka B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in Rick Montoya Italian Mysteries. We get to know here another part of Italy and that is Bassano. The book revolves around art and missing paintings. And also murder to be investigated. It is well written and engaging. I will continue to read this serie.

[Susan (aka Just My Op) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 stars. This mystery is an easy and fairly short read, an bit old-fashioned and quite entertaining. There is a seminar about a local artist in a little town in Italy, and oops – someone manages to get himself murdered. Well, no one really liked him anyway. In fact, he was pretty much universally disliked, so there are lots of suspects.

The protagonist, Rick, is a male translator, hired for the event. But there is a strong, likable female, too. Usually the toughest of the bunch. The violence is minimal, well, considering that there is murder. But nothing too gruesome.

The descriptions of some of the meals, and there were lots, made my hungry. They added to the atmosphere. There were some discrepancies that should have been caught. For instance, at one point, Rick had an unobstructed view over Betta's helmet when he was riding behind her, but later, he had to tilt to one side to see around her helmet. This isn't a big deal, but things like this remind me I'm reading someone's fiction and take me out of the story.

Despite that, this is an enjoyable, cozy story that .many readers should enjoy.

I was given an advance reader's copy of this book for review.

[Michael Dunn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some spoilers.
After improving in the second installment of the series, the author regresses.
After the initial murder, not much happens. The story meanders around and plods along, going nowhere. Both the main character and the police are stumped, they make no progress and have no idea. There are several side stories which add nothing to the mystery.
The mystery is only solved with the banker decides to trap Rick because he thinks Rick knows what is going on. If he does nothing, he gets away with it. The story of the two missing paintings slightly ties into the murder, but mostly is a waste of writing. Erica is brought back for no reason other than filler.
Author admitted to be stuck several times and it shows.
The policeman that accompanies Rick is a wise guy with no depth. Not really a character and not developed in any way, un like the second book. Seems the only good development is Betta, Rick finally gets to meet an non-loser girl.

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable mystery. This series is all set in that northeastern quadrant of Italy that is so lovely, the book would be a pleasant diversion as a travelogue. Here we are in Bassano del Grappa, and our hero explores the neighboring environs as well. Light, beach read material, worth a hawk for mystery fans.

[LadyTechie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am totally in love with this series. Rick Montoya, the mystery in each story, the detailed depiction of Italy have all captivated me and makes me a devoted fan of these books

[Maura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just found the characters very flat, and the plot wasn't exciting enough to make up for that. Mainly I enjoyed the descriptions of life in an Italian town.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series. The writing is professional and the plot is interesting.

Who killed the nasty expert on a local painter after a professional seminar on his works in his home town? We see it happen in an early chapter, but since the killer is not identified, we only know why he was killed.

Interpreter Rick Montoya is able to help the local police by assisting with their necessary interviews of the foreign (to Italy) potential witnesses and suspects. His natural curiosity compels him from there to independently investigate whether the killing was affected by two missing pieces of artwork which had been discussed acrimoniously at the seminar.

We get some very interesting descriptions of local nearby towns and the beauty of Italy. I remember staying with friends in this area and I have never been so cold in my life. We ended up wearing our whole suitcase of clothes to sleep in.

I would love to revisit this area in the summertime now with this book as a guidebook.

I borrowed a copy from the public library.

[Bruce Mendelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun addition to the Rick Montoya series. This is an interesting mystery revolving around 2 long missing masterpiece paintings and the murder of an art enthusiast. The descriptions of the town of Bassano del Grappa are great as is the Italian flavor. I read in this in preparation for a trip to Tuscany. This was an entertaining read that made me excited about my upcoming trip. The story line was good, but not great. That is why I gave it a 4 instead of a 5. If you would like a taste of Italy with an interesting story, this is for you.

[Carey Mundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy this mystery series that’s takes place in Italy - this was my third book in the series and finds ex-pat, Rick Montoya up in the Veneto region. He is working as a translator for an art conference when a murder occurs and he works with local detectives to solve the case, but not before another murder takes place.

[Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit underwhelming compared to the others in the Rick Montoya series. Somehow it missed a bit of the charm of the first and second books which captured the flavor of Italy so much better. It was still an ok read, and I’ll keep going with the next book, but this one didn’t grab my attention.

[Donna McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ricardo is always getting into trouble

Nicely paced. Good character development. I love the addition of history and real scenes from Italian historic towns. This is my 3rd Montoya mystery and will continue on

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it a lot, felt like i was actually in Italy. Good characters, very enjoyable.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick Montoya and Oscar are in Bassano for a simultaneous translation job at an art history conference. When one of the more obnoxious of the professors is murdered, Rick is simultaneously ordered to provide translation and not to get involved in the investigation. Instead, he turns his curiosity to two Jacopo Da Bassano paintings missing since the end of WWII. Bassano del Grappa was a very interesting setting, a city in the Veneto that is seldom featured in murder mysteries.

[Maryanne R. Marcellin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed reading about Rick's latest assignments and the area of Italy he's visiting. This story has a murder, of course, but there's art history too. Rick gets pulled into another investigation and the top cop is a bit of a jerk. But his second in command is someone you could like. Many possibilities for the murderer, but all interesting.

Grab a glass of wine, settle into your favorite chair, and let's take a trip to Italy and a mystery too.

[Italo Italophiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick Montoya, the protagonist of the Rick Montoya Italian (Art) Mystery series, is a cowboy boot-wearing, hyphenated Italian from New Mexico in the United States. His mother was from Rome, Italy, and she made sure her son grew up fluent in her native tongue. University degrees helped Rick's language skills further, and set him up well for his career as a translator and interpreter in Italy, which is possible because he holds dual citizenship.

The recurring cast of the series include a friend with the Italian art police, and an uncle who is a police Commissario, providing Rick, the amateur detective, with that necessary insider information to help the hero catch the bad guys by the end of the book.

These are the books in the series to date:
Cold Tuscan Stone
Death in the Dolomites
Murder Most Unfortunate

I've only read book three in the series, Murder Most Unfortunate, which is set in Northern Italy's Bassano del Grappa on the Brenta River, in the Veneto region. The murder mystery begins with the murder and we know the motive, making it structured like a police procedural, but we follow an amateur detective, not the police on their search for the killer.

Cozy mysteries establish the setting and possible suspects and victims long before the murder takes place, then set the amateur detective loose, but we get those suspects and learn about the victim after the murder in Murder Most Unfortunate.

So I'd have to put this book/series as a cross between the two genres, with elements of the traditional male protagonist adventure story, like the hot female character who falls for our tough-smart hero and joins him on his adventure, and some action sequences. Rick, or Riccardo as he is often called by Italians, has an eye for the ladies, and his handsome looks and cowboy boot, New Mexican uniqueness draws the ladies to him.

The author includes descriptions of the Italian setting, but spends a bit more time describing the local food specialties, which should please the vicarious gourmand readers. There are also some Italian words sprinkled through the story to add flavor. The dialog is a bit stilted, but that could be because it is used to move the story forward, presenting much of the information through interviews with the suspects.

Part of the male adventure story aspect of the story is a hot, green-eyed waif in tight clothes who falls for Rick Montoya and helps him with his investigation. They get to enjoy some action scenes with racing cars and motorcycles. The author keeps the story clean, however, and there is only a small bit of in scene violence.

All in all it was a light, entertaining read, but probably more suited to the male reader. Don't expect literature or psychological drama or deep conspiracies. This is a light mystery novel set in Italy, with a hunky male protagonist, some local color, and much local food.

Please visit my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews. I received a review-copy of this book. This is my honest review.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

David P. Wagner in his new book, “Murder Most Unfortunate” Book Three in the A Rick Montoya Italian Mystery series published by Poisoned Pen Press gives us another adventure with Rick Montoya.

From the back cover: Winding up an interpreter job in Bassano del Grappa at a conference on artist Jacopo da Bassano, a famous native son, Rick Montoya looks forward to exploring the town. And it would be fun to look into the history of two long-missing paintings by the master, a topic that caused the only dust-up among the normally staid group of international scholars attending the seminar.

Bassano has much to offer to Rick the tourist, starting with its famous covered bridge, an ancient castle, and several picturesque walled towns within striking distance. He also plans to savor a local cuisine that combines the best of Venice with dishes from the Po Valley and the surrounding mountains.

These plans come to a sudden halt when one of the seminar’s professors turns up dead. Rick is once again drawn into a murder investigation, this time with a pair of local cops who personify the best and the worst of the Italian police force.

At the same time he’s willingly pulled into a relationship with Betta Innocenti, the daughter of a local gallery owner, who is equally intrigued by the lost paintings. They quickly realize that the very people who might know the story are also the main suspects in the murder―and that someone not above resorting to violence is watching their every move.

If it were not for Mr. Wagner I would know from nothing about Northern Italy’s Bassano del Grappa on the Brenta River, in the Veneto region. I do not know about these small villages and I am very grateful to Mr. Wagner to showcase them and to highlight their famous native sons. That is the beauty of this book not only are we out to solve a murder, which I am pretty sure you won’t be able to do, but we are on a tourist holiday in this stunningly beautiful town. It just so happens that a seminar professor is murdered and Rick Montoya happens to be in town though that does not make the murderer very happy. Danger, mayhem, thrills and murder all figure into this highly complicated plot. There are fascinating characters that seem very real and a killer that seems impossible to discover. “Murder Most Unfortunate” is loaded with twists and turns and red herrings that will leave you guessing all the while you are flipping pages to find out what happens next. Mr. Wagner has provided us with a fairly exciting book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Poisoned Pen Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Anne Slater · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I wrote to my brother
I just finished reading Murder Most Unfortunate-- It was a good read, and made me remember our (you, me, Jo) travel through Bassano and Marostica before Greg was born. I am going to give it a great review on GoodReads (I just finished giving a bad review to a mystery by a well-known Brit mystery writer--XXXXXXXXX-- she screwed up the story, added too much irrelevant stuff. I scanned rather than read the last quarter but don't know why I bothered.)

Wagner ties everything up believably and tidily without wandering off into the bushes to do it.
**********************************************
What I wrote to the author:

Thank you so much for creating an atmosphere that sets up the story; for giving the reader believable characters and situations. Northeastern Italy (to say nothing of the rest!) offers so many opportunities for inclusion and use of facts and culture.
March 2025: re-read with gusto.

[Jean Kolinofsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Once again Wagner gives the reader the sights and tastes of Italy, this time in Bassano del Grappa. At a seminar on the paintings of Jacopo da Bassano, Rick Montoya has been hired as an interpreter. When one of the participants is murdered shortly after the closing dinner, he is brought into the investigation to interpret at the police interviews. Two missing paintings by Jacopo were rather forcefully discussed at the seminar and Montoya believes they may be tied to the murder. He is aided in. His quest for the paintings by Betta Innocenti, darter of a local art dealer. Their search explores the paintings' disappearance during WWII and puts Montoya into the sights of the killer. With several twists and an additional murder, Wagner keeps the story moving and holds the reader to the final surprise.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3 in a very good series. Wagner says in his Author's Note that he sets the Rick Montoya series in towns that deserve visiting but that mostly are missed by tourists. I know that I keep adding these settings to my to-visit list!

I've been borrowing these from our library and no one in the consortium has Book 2 so (after ordering book 2 from the bookstore) I jumped to the third installment. This one is set in Bassano del Grappa where Rick is translating for a seminar on painter Jacopo da Bassano. When one of the scholars is killed, Rick cannot help getting involved.

Intriguing mystery, enticing descriptions of places and food and the introduction of a new character made this a charming and entertaining read.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third book in The Rick Montoya series of (Art) detective story's. I really like the detailed descriptions the author gives of the places where the story's take place. He also seems to know Italy and the Italian language quite well, unlike some other authors I've read Italian mysteries of.

Reading this book wants to make me visit Bassano del Grappa and the Veneto region. Again loved the descriptions of the food, wine and art.

The Montoya books are not highflying mysteries but very entertaining and nice to read. Actually 3,5 stars, not quite 4 but I'm willing to give the half star for discovering new culinary 's and towns in Italy.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book while traveling in Italy and although it was a perfectly diverting vacation read it lacked the vibrant local color that I look for when reading a series mystery set in another country. I wanted the setting to come alive as Venice does in Donna Leon's books, or France in Simenon's stories.

I love mysteries set in the art world and this book filled that niche. It was a pleasant diversion, but never a compelling read.. Netgalley provided me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Translator Rick Montoya is working at an art seminar in Bassano del Grappo. Just as the seminar is winding up, an obnoxious participant is found murdered. Rick was planning on staying on for a few days of tourism, but some of the others balk at staying on. He suspects that the murder has to do with two valuable paintings, missing since World War II. He meets a charming woman whose father runs a local art gallery, but is disturbed when his old girlfriend comes to town, engaged to one of the other seminar participants.

[LInda L · Rating 4 out of 5]

This got kind of convoluted at times, but it was interesting to read about the art world and the story was nice -- there was a little love/like bit in there, and it all wove together in less than 200 pages.

[Brace1737 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A better book than the first one in the series that I read earlier this year.David Wagner is coming along nicely in his development as a mystery writer. His chief character, Rick Montoya, is quite polished and enjoyable. A fine read for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

[Alaska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Italy through the eye of a mystery

Another interesting mystery set in Italy. The Italian is lovingly painted by Mr. Wagoner. The descriptions of the sights in the villages is enough to get you on the next flight to Italy! Oh yes the mystery is pretty good also.

[loretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this series. Mr. Wagner write a travelogue and mystery all in one. Rick Montoya is a refreshing main character and As one who loves all things Italian and an art history lover, these novels fill many slots and I enjoy them all.

[Jean]

Good mystery, but it dragged in places.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the landscape and story theme. A good light read.

[Liz Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable, easy read.