I read Requiem in La Rossa during the recent heatwave but I'd have been transported to the searing heat of a Bologna summer even if it had been the middle of winter. This is the third book in Tom Benjamin's Daniel Leicester series but the first I have read. It can very easily be enjoyed as a stand alone but I'm going to go back and read the previous books because I loved this one and already know I've found a new favourite series.
The immersive sense of place is evident right from the start of the novel as Daniel and his dog, Rufus walk in the woods early in the morning. The evocative descriptions here are so inviting but even as he enjoys the ancient hillside fragrances of rosemary, mint and sage, Daniel notes that his Italy is not up amongst the summer herbs but down in the smouldering city. It's very clear that Tom Benjamin knows Bologna intimately; Requiem in La Rossa never feels like a tourist brochure and he reflects upon the city's quirks and less savoury aspects as well as its long history and undoubted architectural charms. The headline that screams, 'ONLY IN BOLOGNA' is indicative of the contrasts within the ancient city walls and although the newspaper's report of the death of a respected university professor is typically choleric, the juxtaposition between the wealthy theatre-goers and desperate drug addicts is stark. While this intermingling of rich and poor isn't unique to Bologna, of course, I thought the description of the 'peculiar brazenness and squalor' around Piazza Verdi, decorated with its radical banners and murals gave a clear idea of how the city is viewed by its inhabitants.
Daniel is asked to investigate the apparently straightforward case of the professor's death but it seems as though the facts are irrefutable. He isn't sure that he will discover anything that changes the outcome but agrees to see if he can uncover any mitigating circumstances that could be used in the accused young man's defence. As I mentioned above, this is the first book I've read in this series and so it was my introduction to the close-knit team that he works with. There are obviously some events from the past referred to here but my ignorance of what came before never caused me to become confused and I appreciated being brought up so speed so unobtrusively.
The references to the city's rich historical and cultural heritage provide a fascinating backdrop to proceedings and are a highlight of Requiem in La Rossa but the superb characterisation is equally as impressive. Daniel is clearly no stranger to tragedy, being a widower with a teenage daughter but is surrounded by the affectionate support of his family and friends. His relationship with his father-in-law, still known by almost everybody by his honorific title, the Commandante is particularly interesting; their mutual respect as they discuss the case allows them to disagree and admit when they have been mistaken. Likewise, Daniel and his daughter, Rose have a warm, loving relationship and he encourages her to follow her artistic passions. While he still misses his wife, he isn't alone and as much as I enjoy a troubled detective, it was gratifying for a change to read about a likeable man who hasn't become weighed down by his demons. He's no angel, however, and his resolute pursuit of the truth means he is prepared to bend the rules when necessary.
Art and music play a vital role in the storyline and not just because the dead man was a professor of Musicology. As the body count starts to rise and the deaths appear to be linked to the city's classical music society, Daniel is drawn into a world where talent isn't always enough and this becomes a rather sobering observation of the inherent advantages that come with money and influence. The serpentine plot proves to be as labyrinthine as the streets and passageways of Bologna with a murder that might actually be due to natural causes and a suicide that may be murder just the beginning of a perplexing and shocking investigation.
Nothing feels rushed and the simmering pace of the novel enables the tension to build steadily, becoming particularly nerve-racking towards its sinister, surprising conclusion. Requiem in La Rossa is a beautifully written book; atmospheric, intelligent and utterly compelling, I very highly recommend it.

Tom Benjamin is on superb form with Requiem in La Rossa, the third gripping installment of his fantastic crime series set in the city of Bologna featuring English detective Daniel Leicester.

Shockwaves are rippling throughout the Italian city of Bologna when a music professor is apparently murdered while leaving the opera. With the police having apprehended the culprit already, this seems to be an open-and-shut case. However, when Daniel Leicester begins to look into this case, it quickly transpires that maybe the police shouldn’t crack open the champagne just yet. There is something about this particular investigation that is sounding alarm bells for Daniel and with his curiosity aroused, he begins to do some investigating of his own…

Daniel’s sleuthing takes him deep into the heart of the close-knit classical music community of Bologna and he quickly uncovers a hotbed of deceit, betrayal and resentment. But which one of them is behind the professor’s murder? What had driven them to kill him? And will Daniel manage to get to the bottom of this case when he seems to be coming up with more questions than answers? The more Daniel digs, the more he is convinced that there is a serial killer at large biding their time and waiting for the opportune moment to strike again. Can Daniel unmask the murderer? Or will the recent earthquake that had reverberated all around the city’s streets end up burying the killer’s identity and their dastardly secrets?

Tom Benjamin’s Daniel Leicester series continues to get better with every new installment and Requiem in La Rossa is the best one yet. Full of atmosphere, tension and foreboding and with a sprinkling of wry wit and delicious humour, Requiem in La Rossa is a fantastic crime thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats eagerly turning the pages desperate to figure out whodunnit.

Daniel Leicester is a brilliant detective readers will enjoy spending time with. He is smart, clever, forensic, methodical and somebody I hope will have further adventures in the brilliantly evoked city of Bologna.

A first-rate crime thriller, Tom Benjamin’s Requiem in La Rossa is not be missed.

I really looked forward to reading this book as I love Italy where it is set. The main character is a British private detective who is also a widower who has made his life there. He's investigating the death of a Professor of classical music at the conservatoire. It's the first time I have read anything by this author and part of a series. It started well but overall, I became a little bored. There are long descriptive passages which became rather tedious and I felt I had to search for the story amongst the long descriptive prose. I was quite disappointed to be honest but am grateful to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I love this mystery series as it's realistic and the descriptions of Bologna are always fascinating and out off the beaten track.
I don't always agree with the remarks but I like the humour and the characters.
The mystery is solid and it kept me guessing.
I hope to read another story soon.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I loved it,all of it,the main characters,the minor characters, the setting, the story.
I was instantly transported to Bologna with its buildings,it's cosmopolitan mix of students and locals.
A fast paced story with tidbits about Italian life. Sad and funny.
A modern P.I.story set in a ancient city.

This is the third in the series set in Bologna and the key characters are now becoming familiar. This is a tale of academic jealousy and revenge. A tight plot with plenty of historical and Italian social perspective added in to the plot. Private detective Daniel Leicester is once again called upon to investigate the death of a lecturer and with the support of Dolores and other colleagues , they encounter a range of life threatening situations. Suspend belief and enjoy this detective story full of Italian charm.

A complex murder mystery set in Bologna with an English private detective as its main character. It quickly becomes apparent that this is an episode in a series but once you realise that all the participants are from previous stories it’s possible to read as a stand-alone tale. Seemingly poisoned victims but no poison found confound the hero of the piece but eventually with the aid of ancient documents found after an earth tremor, all frequent events, and a chance encounter with the statue of a long dead bishop things start to clarify themselves. Beautifully described throughout this intriguing story is well worth reading and is an excellent inducement to find the previous stories.

4/5 Very Good

The 3rd book in this excellent series from Tom Benjamin is possibly the best so far and certainly my favourite.

As usual there is an elegant way to both the writing and stories, held up by the beautiful setting. But as beautiful as the stories and setting, Benjamin tells us the true Italy, the gritty side and the darker side.

This story is as artfully told as much of the subject in the book that focuses on the death of a prominent professor.

With all of the team returning, this well crafted , perfectly paced thriller has some light humour to go with the murder and it’s another joy to read from Tom Benjamin.

This was an enjoyable read.

I especially enjoyed the fact that Bologna made for an interesting setting for the story.

The descriptions of the venues, the heat, etc made for a very atmospheric read.

I loved Daniel Leicester as a character and since I haven't read the previous two books in the series I will definitely go back and read them.

The plot itself was very tense and gripping and as I said, I really enjoyed it!

I definitely recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Publishers for the chance to read this book.

Brooding Atmospherics…
The third in the Daniel Leicester mystery series and an apparently straightforward case becomes an enigma. A professor of music seemingly murdered when leaving the opera. Nothing is as it seems and when Daniel Leicester becomes involved things become ripped at the seams. In between a delightful homage to Bologna, and Italy itself, sits a cleverly constructed mystery with superb characterisation and brooding atmospherics. Compelling and enjoyable and, perhaps, the best to date.

Requiem in La Rossa is a well written crime novel with an interesting plot and engaging characters which together with a gorgeous setting combine to make this a really enjoyable read.
This is the third book in this series featuring private investigator Daniel Leicester but it works perfectly well as a stand alone. I’m surprised that I haven’t come across this series before as a long time lover of Donna Leon and novels set in Italy generally.
Daniel is engaged by an old friend to try and prove the innocence of a young man who has been charged with murder. As he investigates, he begins to suspect that there has been more than one murder and that there is something very wrong inside the University.
The story is told by Daniel which immediately draws the reader into the mystery. He is a likeable protagonist whose family details are interesting and woven well into the story as a whole. All of the main characters are well developed and I particularly liked Dolores and the interactions between Daniel and the Commissario Rita Miranda. The plot is cleverly worked out and there are a couple of sub plots too.
The series is set in Bologna and the city is definitely one of the main characters in the book. The setting is a key part of the plot and the descriptions really bring it to life.
This was a great read and I will certainly seek out the previous two books in this series.
Thank you to Net Galley and Little Brown publishers for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third book in a series featuring private investigator Daniel Leicester. Based in Bologna, La Rossa, the red city of the title, Dan is employed to investigated the death of a musicology professor against the background of a festival celebrating 500 years of Resistance. I really enjoyed this setting, and the way that the story was entwined around the Italian culture, academia, art and music both ancient and modern. The investigation was involved and required a bit of concentration but I liked the complexity. I was a bit disappointed that the team of investigators relied quite heavily on picking locks and other slightly dodgy methods to obtain information, where are the little grey cells when you need them? and at times the narrative became a bit educational describing the history and background of Bologna. But there were some great characters, distinctive and individual, and the plot was interesting and unusual. I have added the two earlier Tom Benjamin Books to my wish list and look forward to more cases for Faidate investigations

I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a review copy of Requiem in La Rossa, the third novel to feature Bologna based PI Daniel Leicester.

A professor is murdered as he leaves the opera and a young drug addict is arrested. Daniel Leicester is engaged to exonerate the accused and even at the start of his investigation he realises there is more to it than the police are admitting to.

I thoroughly enjoyed Requiem in La Rossa, which has an interesting mystery and an obvious love for Bologna. It is told entirely from Daniel’s point of view so the reader can settle in and get absorbed in the investigation.

The plot held my attention from start to finish with its mysterious cause of death, a well concealed perpetrator and little hint of a motive. These, naturally, make the novel all about the investigation and it’s well done with some unexpected twists, a touch of lawlessness, more bodies and a certain amount of logic. In between all this investigating there are a couple of minor subplots for distraction and a great sense of uneasiness when Daniel feels he might be being targeted.

The city of Bologna is as much a character in the novel as Daniel. The descriptions of the buildings, the history and especially the food are warm and loving, giving the reader a desire to visit, but he doesn’t miss the downsides either, homelessness, heat, drug abuse and cronyism, all of which are treated with a shrug of the shoulders.

Requiem in La Rossa is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

This was an enjoyable read that was well written, with a good setting, engaging storyline and well developed characters. It was gripping and unpredictable and I look forward to reading more by this author.