Spotlight & Giveaway: The Chianti Case by H L Marsay

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author H L Marsay to HJ!

Hi H L Marsay and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, The Chianti Case!

To start off, can you please tell us a little bit about this book?:

Emma King is half English, half French and one hundred percent disorganised. As the
head wine buyer for her family’s business, she has a keen palate, generous heart and a
fiercely loyal nature. Still getting used to her new company role, she joins her old friends
Paddy, Kiara and Nico, who are also in Italy to buy the famous Chianti Classico.
When Kiara’s ex-stepmother is poisoned after buying a glass of wine from one of
Florence’s famous wine windows, in a bar owned by Kiara’s Italian boyfriend, Kiara
becomes the prime suspect. Emma is determined to show the police they have the wrong
woman. There are many suspects with strong motives, and she enlists her friends’ help.
But the flirty inspector seems more interested in quoting Shakespeare and quickly closing
the case than investigating.
 

Please share your favorite lines or quote(s) from this book:

The detective investigating the murder is quite a flirt and I loved Nico and Paddy teasing
Emma about him.
Nico tutted quietly and shook his head. “Over lunch, rather than at the police
station? That doesn’t sound very professional. Only an Italian could find time to flirt
when he’s supposed to be investigating a murder.”
“He wasn’t flirting, and it wasn’t lunch. I only had water.”
“And what’s with all the Shakespeare quotations?” asked Paddy.
“He’s a fan. He used to want to be an actor,” she explained.
“Well, it looks like Romeo has found his Juliet,” said Nico.
“No, Nico. Emma is his English rose,” replied Paddy with a grin.

What inspired this book?

This book was inspired by my trips to Florence. Like Emma and her friends, I visited the
famous wine windows. I was fascinated by their history and I loved sampling the local
wine. However, as I noticed that the customer and server only ever see each other’s
hands, I realised I had found the perfect location for my next murder mystery.

How did you ‘get to know’ your main characters? Did they ever surprise you?

Emma King is my main character. She’s loyal, hardworking and has a kind heart. She’s
also very disorganized and a little clumsy, so she was a lot of fun to write. She is joined in Florence by her friends: Paddy, Nico and Kiara. The Chianti Case is the second book in The Vineyard Mysteries, so writing about them all again was like holding a reunion.

What was your favorite scene to write?

The detective investigating the murder is Inspector Russo. He is just as disorganised and
clumsy as Emma, so he was also lots of fun to write.

At that moment, Inspector Russo entered the foyer. Unfortunately, he was so busy
looking at his phone, he didn’t notice a trolley full of luggage and walked straight into it.
He knocked two suitcases to the floor and bashed his leg against the metal pole while
swearing loudly.
“Scusi, scusi,” he apologised to the bellboy before briefly speaking to the
receptionist, who pointed him to the terrace. Then he limped over towards Emma and her
friends.
“Buongiorno,” he said, nodding to them all as Bettina introduced him to Paddy
and Nico. “Ah, yes. Signor Lambert and Signor Brompton. You are on the list of people I
need to speak to. But first, Signorina Gentile, do you have the photo?”
“I do,” replied Bettina as she handed him the folder. The inspector looked inside
briefly.
“Thank you, signorina. I will give you a receipt for this,” he said and started
patting the pockets of his jacket and trousers. “When I find my notebook and pen.”
Kiara leaned towards Emma.
“He’s nearly as disorganised as you,” she whispered before raising her voice.
“Inspector, if some of Tanya’s jewellery has been stolen, then surely that must be the
motive for her murder. Shouldn’t you be at the palazzo, not here bothering Gino and us?”
“I am sorry if I am bothering you, Signorina Patel, but we believe the poison was
put in the glass of wine Signorina Sharma was drinking before she fell ill and returned to
the Palazzo Puccini,” he explained patiently. “However, you are quite right. The reason I
am here is because of an item of jewellery. I asked the Palazzo Puccini to report if any of
Signorina Sharma’s belongings were missing. Her manager, Signor—” he paused and
frowned.
“Signor Gupta, Inspector,” supplied Bettina.
The inspector smiled and nodded his thanks.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

The scenes when Emma is doing her real job of buying wine are quite difficult to write. I
want to include plenty of details but not make it sound like a textbook. For example, this
scene when Emma visits a vineyard near San Gimignano.

“Both these wines are from our first harvest. This one has been produced in the
traditional way, but the second has been aged in oak barrels to give it a more complex
flavour.”
Emma tasted the first glass. As she had expected, it was crisp and dry with a
slightly metallic finish. The second was creamier and had more depth, with hints of
vanilla. Despite Vernaccia being one of the old wines produced in Italy, it was what she
classed as a good everyday white, and both these wines would actually complement the
Chianti Riserva produced by Gino’s uncle very well. Perhaps they could promote the two
wines together to their customers. Package them together as a Tuscan Trio. As she was
scribbling her notes down in her tasting book, she realised Carlotta was watching and
nervously awaiting her verdict. She put down her pen and smiled.
“Congratulations! You have produced two delicious wines,” she said.

Would you say this book showcases your writing style or is it a departure for you?

Although I have written other mysteries, this series felt like quite a departure for me. This
is the first time my main character hasn’t been a police officer and writing an ‘amateur
sleuth’ was quite a challenge. I needed to think of ways Emma could find clues and
evidence without going through the official channels.

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

Firstly, I hope they enjoy trying to solve the mystery along with Emma. Also, I’d like to
think they have learnt a little more about Florence and Chianti wines. Maybe it will even
inspire some to visit Tuscany!

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

I am currently writing The Sherry Case, book three in The Vineyard Mysteries series, but my next release is A Summer Shadow. This will be the ninth book in my Chief Inspector Shadow series.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: An ebook copy of The Chianti Case + one additional Tule ebook of the winner’s choice

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: This mystery is set in a city and the previous book, The Bordeaux Case, was set in the French countryside. Which setting do you prefer for a murder mystery? Rural or urban?

Excerpt from The Chianti Case:

Chapter One

Emma King took a sip from her glass of perfectly chilled prosecco and gazed up in awe at the Duomo. It didn’t matter how many times she saw Florence’s famous cathedral, she was always amazed at how Brunelleschi could have created such a huge, yet perfect, domed roof. It was even more incredible when one considered he was working hundreds of years ago without any of today’s modern technology or equipment.

It was late in the morning in early September. The sun was shining brightly, and the piazza before her was teeming with people, as it probably had every afternoon over the centuries. However, now the medieval merchants and Renaissance artists, who would once have bustled about the place, had been replaced by backpacking students and foreign tour parties, all holding their phones aloft as they obediently trotted after guides brandishing each country’s flag on a pole above their heads. So far, Emma had spotted two Chinese, one German, and one American tour party. She worried that one of the Chinese tourists would get confused, follow the flag that didn’t belong to their group, and then end up on the wrong bus or in the wrong hotel. That’s exactly the sort of thing that would happen to her, but miraculously, so far, her journey had gone without a hitch.

She took another sip and settled back in her chair at one of the outside tables she’d managed to nab at the café directly opposite the exit of the Duomo. The piazza was lined with similar establishments. All had awnings and umbrellas providing some welcome shade for their customers, while smartly dressed Florentine waiters glided between the tables with trays of prosecco, Aperol spritz, and slices of pizza. They appeared unaffected by either the heat or the magnificent view in front of them. Sometimes, Emma had to pinch herself. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was that her work meant she travelled to such beautiful places.

Earlier in the year, she had taken on the role of head buyer for her family’s business. King’s Wines had been founded by her parents, Edward and Yvette, when Emma was just a baby. It was now one of the largest online wine retailers in the UK. Unfortunately, following a serious car accident earlier in the year, her father had lost his sense of taste and smell, and the task of choosing the wines had now fallen to Emma. It was a huge responsibility, and if she stopped to ponder this turn of events for too long, her heart would begin to race, and a feeling of panic would threaten to send her into headless chicken mode. Since her parents’ accident, she’d barely had a decent night’s sleep and often woke up in a cold sweat. Although her trip to Italy was work-related, she hoped getting away from the office would give her the chance to relax a little too.

Early that morning, she and her old friend Paddy Brompton, who was a buyer for one of London’s oldest wine merchants, had flown from London to Florence for the annual Chianti Classico Expo. Wine buyers gathered from all over the world to meet with the producers of Tuscany’s most famous wine and taste that year’s vintage before placing their orders. They had dropped their bags at the hotel, and Paddy had insisted they visit the Duomo, as he’d never climbed to the top. Emma had agreed, but she didn’t have much of a head for heights. After one look at the narrow, steep steps, she’d decided to leave him to be a tourist while she waited outside.

Closing her eyes, she tilted her face towards the warmth of the sun, then quickly remembered she should really apply some sunscreen. Unlike her French mother, Yvette, and her younger sister, Maddie, who both turned a gorgeous golden brown after just a couple of days in the sun, Emma only needed to step outside for a few minutes in the summer months, and her face turned as red as the tomatoes being served with slices of mozzarella at the next table.

She retrieved her large black leather handbag from the chair next to her and began rummaging through it, but no sunscreen was to be found. With a sigh, she resigned herself to the fact that she must have forgotten to bring it with her. But, looking on the positive side, she always forgot to pack something, and sunscreen could at least be picked up from a pharmacy. It could have been much worse. She could have left behind something important, like her passport or the folder containing the budget Maddie had carefully worked out for her. Her sister was in charge of the company accounts, and she was under just as much pressure as Emma.

A few months before their parents’ car crash, the company had taken out a large loan to finance a move into new, larger, and more modern premises. The strength of their father’s reputation as one of the most respected wine buyers in the country had been a huge part of the bank agreeing to the loan. Following the accident, they had to be informed that Edward King was no longer able to taste or smell anything, and there had been several tense meetings between the Kings, their accountants, and the bank. Fortunately, the two sisters had managed to persuade the bank that the business would be safe in their hands, and they had agreed not to call in the loan or increase the payments. At least for now.

The wines Emma had chosen earlier in the year during her trip to the vineyards of Bordeaux had been well received, but Maddie was still predicting that revenue could be down for the year. Their mother, who often hosted wine tasting events, was busy caring for their father, and despite the two sisters working seven days a week, they couldn’t cover all the tasks their parents usually took care of. To make matters worse, her father was currently confined to a wheelchair. The last operation to mend his broken hip had not been a success, and he would need more surgery.

Emma gave her head a brisk shake and blinked back the tears that were starting to well up. Thinking about her father being in pain or what the bank calling in the loan might mean for the business was likely to send her spiralling back into panic mode. There was no wonder she couldn’t sleep. She pushed all thoughts of accounts and banks and hospitals to one side and lowered the sunglasses that had been perched on top of her head, holding back her blonde hair. They were so large they covered most of her face and would have to protect her skin until she found a pharmacy.

As the bells in Giotto’s famous tower next to the cathedral began to strike noon, a shadow fell across her face. She raised her glasses and squinted. She was expecting to see Paddy, but instead, she found Nico Lambert looking down at her. Nico had been at college in Lausanne with her, and now he was the wine buyer for his family business too.

“Emma? I thought it was you hiding behind those huge sunglasses. The last time I saw you, you were chasing around Bordeaux, looking for a murderer. How are you?”

He bent down and kissed her on both cheeks. Emma could feel herself blush. Back in college she’d had a huge crush on him, and he was even more tall, dark, handsome, and charismatic than he’d been back then. Being reminded of her visit to France earlier that year didn’t help either. The important business of choosing the expensive Grand Crus had been further complicated when the owner of one of the châteaux had been killed.

“Hi, Nico. Nice to see you. I’m good, thanks, and hoping that this buying trip is less eventful than the last one. How about you?” She removed her bag from the chair next to her so he could sit down.

“I’m fine, just a little jetlagged,” he said, taking his seat. “I flew in from Argentina last night.”

Emma frowned. “Were you there to buy wine?” Her father usually visited South America in April, which was their autumn.

“No,” replied Nico. “My father is out there. He’s decided that Buenos Aires is the best location to open his first hotel outside of Europe.” He paused. “There was also some other family business I needed to discuss with him.”

He didn’t sound his usual confident self, and he looked a little pale beneath his tan. Although, like Emma, he worked for his family’s business, the Lambert chain of luxury hotels was in a different league to King’s Wines. She doubted Nico ever had to plead with and cajole bank managers, like she and Maddie did, but it did seem that something was bothering him.

“I was expecting you to be at the hotel,” he continued. “I saw Kiara there. She said you were booked in too.”

“When we arrived, it was too early to check in, so we dumped our bags and came straight here to see the Duomo.”

“We?”

“I came here with Paddy,” she explained, and right on cue, her travelling companion arrived at their table, dabbing his rather red face with his large white handkerchief.

“Ah, there you are, Emma. Excellent, you managed to get a table. Good to see you again, Nico,” he said, shaking the other man’s hand.

“You too,” replied Nico, although Emma thought he didn’t look particularly happy about it. Despite Nico’s many attributes, he did have a tendency to be a little grumpy. “Can I get you a drink?” he offered.

“A Peroni, thanks. I’m absolutely gasping,” said Paddy, shoving his hanky back in the breast pocket of his jacket.

“Tweed in this heat?” enquired Nico, looking Paddy up and down and taking in the English man’s suit with one of the brightly checked waistcoats he always wore beneath it.

“Well, it was rather cool and damp when we left London,” replied Paddy, whose only concession to the rise in temperature had been to loosen his bowtie.

“London. Cold and damp. How unusual,” murmured Nico before ordering drinks from the passing waiter: two beers for himself and Paddy and another glass of prosecco for Emma. She decided to pretend she hadn’t heard his dig about the weather back home. Nico’s father was French, and his mother was from London, but he seemed to conveniently forget he was half-English, too, when it suited him.

“Did you make it to the top of the dome?” she asked, turning to Paddy. He was a total history buff who loved art and architecture. He was possibly even happier than Emma to be in Florence.

“I did,” he replied, “and I got some amazing photos. I’ve already sent them to Maddie. Oh, that reminds me, I thought I’d send her a postcard too. I know it’s old-fashioned, but I think she’d appreciate it.”

He quickly turned and hurried back across the piazza.

“Maddie? Your sister, Maddie?” asked Nico as they watched him trot over to a small stall selling souvenirs.

“Yes,” replied Emma. “They’ve been seeing rather a lot of each other. Paddy was a huge help over the summer. Dad’s still out of action. He needs another operation on his hip, and Maddie and I were snowed under, so Paddy came down and hosted some of the wine tasting events for us. Now, Paddy’s completely besotted, and Maddie keeps wandering around the office with a silly grin on her face.”

Nico looked at her, then raised an eyebrow. “You don’t sound entirely happy. Don’t you approve?”

“Of course I approve. Paddy is absolutely lovely,” replied Emma quickly before taking another sip of her drink. In truth, she was happy for the two of them, but it had felt rather odd seeing her little sister embark on a new romance. She’d been so busy with work, she hadn’t been on a date in ages. The last time someone had asked her out had been a disaster. A local journalist who had written an article on King’s Wines had asked her out for a drink, but she’d got confused with the name of the pub and had gone to the White Swan instead of the Black Swan. By the time she’d realised her mistake and arrived at the right place, he’d left in a huff and had refused to respond to any of her apologetic calls or texts. Not that she was about to admit any of this to Nico. There was no way he would understand. He’d always had glamorous girls falling at his feet.

“Well, I’m not so sure it’s a good idea,” he said now, shaking his head as he took a sip of his beer.

“What do you mean?” she asked in surprise. Nico had only met her sister once, and while he and Paddy often saw each other through work, they certainly weren’t close enough to give each other relationship advice.

“Paddy and Maddie? They sound like a pair of characters in a children’s cartoon. No, it won’t work.” Then, seeing her cross expression, he gave a lazy smile. “I’m joking, Emma.”

“Well, it wasn’t very funny!”

“I apologise. Perhaps I need to tap into my British side to improve my sense of humour.” He raised his glass in a toast. “To Maddie and Paddy. I hope they will be very happy.”

Feeling slightly mollified, Emma clinked her glass against his.

“To Maddie and Paddy. Sorry if I was grumpy. I was up early, so I’m a bit knackered. Where is Kiara, anyway?” she asked, deciding to change the subject. “I sent her a text as soon as I landed. She was supposed to be meeting me.”

Kiara Patel was Emma’s best friend. They had also met at college in Lausanne. The two of them had been roommates, and despite Kiara being based in India, they were still close. However, they only seemed to get together at wine-buying events. Officially, Kiara attended to choose wine for her father’s chain of supermarkets, but she spent far more time and energy on The Kolkata Corkscrew, her podcast about all things wine.

“I expect she’s occupied elsewhere,” he replied cryptically.

“What do you mean?”

“She arrived here a few days ago to do some research for her podcast and apparently bumped into an old flame,” he explained.

“Oh? Who?” asked Emma, suddenly interested. Her own love life might be stuck in the doldrums, but Kiara was far more successful when it came to romance. Although Emma did sometimes find it difficult to keep track of who she was currently dating.

Nico shrugged. “I don’t know. Some Italian.”

“It’s strange she hasn’t mentioned anything.”

“Well, I hear love makes you lose all sense of reason and responsibility,” he replied, looking serious once more.

At that moment, Paddy returned, proudly brandishing his haul of postcards.

“I thought I’d send some to the parents and grandparents. They like that sort of thing,” he said as he took the seat opposite Emma and raised his glass of beer in a toast. “To Florence and to a successful trip.” The three of them touched glasses. “I have to say, it’s good to be back,” Paddy continued. “Did you know the Ancient Greeks used to call what we now know as Italy ‘The Land of Wine’? The place was covered in vines, even then.”

“Then not much has changed,” replied Emma. “I think there are more grape varieties here than in any other European country. Even France, Nico.”

She couldn’t resist teasing him. Nico refused to believe France could be beaten in any way.

Now he merely shrugged again. “Perhaps, but as with many things in life, Emma, quantity is not better than quality,” he said. “Shall we order lunch?”

Despite the heat, Emma was ravenous. She hadn’t eaten anything except a rather dry and disappointing croissant at the airport, and just reading the menu made her tummy rumble. Everything sounded wonderful, but she finally decided on the spaghetti alla carbonara while Nico and Paddy both chose the tagliatelle casereccia con ragù toscano.

Not long later, the three of them were enjoying the delicious food, catching up on each other’s news and sharing wine gossip. It was unusual for them to be in Florence for the tasting. The expo was normally held in Greve, a small town which lay halfway between Florence and Siena. However, as the usual venue was being renovated, the organisers had chosen Florence to showcase this year’s Chianti Classico. Not that anyone was complaining. Paddy and Emma were both thrilled to be back in the city that held happy memories for each of them. As a student, Paddy had spent a term there, and Emma was just a little girl when she’d first fallen in love with the place. When her parents were just starting their wine business, Emma and her sister would always go with them on buying trips, and she could vividly recall skipping down the cobbled streets with her father holding one hand while she grasped a chocolate gelato in the other. Even Nico had to admit that Florence was one of his favourite cities, even if it wasn’t in France.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Tuscany’s vineyards promised fine wine—until Emma uncorked a murder.

Emma King is half English, half French and one hundred percent disorganised. As the head wine buyer for her family’s business, she has a keen palate, generous heart and a fiercely loyal nature. Still getting used to her new company role, she joins her old friends Paddy, Kiara and Nico, who are also in Italy to buy the famous Chianti Classico.

When Kiara’s ex-stepmother is poisoned after buying a glass of wine from one of Florence’s famous wine windows, in a bar owned by Kiara’s Italian boyfriend, Kiara becomes the prime suspect. Emma is determined to show the police they have the wrong woman. There are many suspects with strong motives, and she enlists her friends’ help. But the flirty inspector seems more interested in quoting Shakespeare and quickly closing the case than investigating.

More frustrating, the deeper Emma digs, the murkier the facts become. Can she clarify this case before she and her friends end up corked?

Sharp, suspenseful, and impossible to put down, this second installment delivers murder, intrigue, and a relentless search for justice.

Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Google |
 
 

Meet the Author:

H L Marsay grew up binge-reading detective stories and promised herself that some day, she would write one too. A Long Shadow was the first book in her Chief Inspector Shadow series set in York. Luckily, living in a city so full of history, dark corners and hidden snickelways, she is never short of inspiration. She has also written The Secrets of Hartwell Trilogy and The Lady in Blue Mysteries. The Chief Inspector Shadow Mysteries have recently been optioned for television.

When she isn’t coming up with new ways to bump people off, she enjoys drinking red wine, eating dark chocolate and reading Agatha Christie – preferably at the same time!
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | GoodReads |