The Hague

I'm usually a historical fiction purist, but having worked in a law enforcement background most of my life, I couldn't resist reading this novel about EuroPol, an international police agency that somewhat reminded me of InterPol. I especially enjoyed the fact that the story is a cozy murder mystery, written realistically and believably, a psychological thriller without the need for graphic gore and violence.The story opens in The Hague with two romantically entwined protaganists Tony Sampaoli and Jennifer Eastman who are thrust together to investigate a rash of unusual murders. Author Candida Martinelli has a strong grip on her research, and presents diplomatic and national problems and red tape between the involved countries in a forthright, accurate manner. Yes, there are plenty of complications in the investigations the two protaganists are involved in, but Candida knows how to delve deep into their heads and reveal their motives and thoughts. Neither of these main characters are perfect. They come with plenty of baggage, but they come across as likeable. For me, this novel had it all, intrigue, mystery, and a strong romance that ran steadily through the background. I loved this story and have a great admiration for the level of knowledge and research the author demonstrated in her writing! Brilliant!Thank you to the author and publisher. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a mystery after my own heart! Set in the Dutch city of The Hague, this novel combines a string of mystery cases linked by the same set of cosmopolitan friends. There's also an overall arch of romance that deliciously develops throughout the book. The hero and the heroine are endearing, just like their international friends, battling with scars from the past, while the mystery cases deal with up-to-date European issues that touch the European police Europol, where the hero works. However, the focus isn't on the violence but rather on the underlying psychology of both the victims and the murderers . . . and the mysteries are only solved once you understand how people tick. This creates many unexpected turns, so that this book kept me up half the night, way beyond my usual sleeping time. I can definitely recommend it!I have received a free copy of this book for advance reading.

this book reminded me a lot of the show Criminal Minds and Tony Sampaoli could be the interesting profiler. Many cases are analyzed and solved, some more fascinating than other. There is some clean, fun romance, and lots of information regarding Italian and Dutch habits that could only come from the author's experience. This type of story is hard to explain. It must be read in order to savor each and every nuance. Great read.

Set in the bureaucratic capital of Europe, episodic, the story plods along. The characters are like that, too, and I have to admit I can't remember any of them clearly and I read it only last week. But if you are looking for a book that reflects its setting, giving you the feel and flavor of the place, and want a weekend visit to The Hague, this one's for you.

This mystery set in The Hague in The Netherlands was fascinating. The complications that would occur and the diplomacy required when dealing with crimes in Europe had never occurred to me. Many times the victims or criminals involved are from some country other than the one in which the crime occurred. Tony, an Italian who works with Europol, enlists the help of fellow crime experts: Reinder from Holland who investigates financial crimes; Achmed an Algerian who specializes in drug and organized crime; Max from the U.S. Embassy; and Jennifer, an American handwriting analyst with who Tony develops feelings. The team of experts with their unusual combinations of cultures, languages, and personalities investigates a string of mysteries that come their way. To complicate matters, Tony, who manages to sabotage every relationship that comes his way, cannot get Jennifer out of his head. I enjoyed the setting of the story in The Netherlands and learned quite a bit about the workings of criminal investigations in Europe. The characters were interesting and believable as were the cases. The romantic tension added to the twist. I received a free copy for review.

I'm usually a historical fiction purist, but having worked in a law enforcement background most of my life, I couldn't resist reading this novel about EuroPol, an international police agency that somewhat reminded me of InterPol. I especially enjoyed the fact that the story is a cozy murder mystery, written realistically and believably, a psychological thriller without the need for graphic gore and violence.The story opens in The Hague with two romantically entwined protaganists Tony Sampaoli and Jennifer Eastman who are thrust together to investigate a rash of unusual murders. Author Candida Martinelli has a strong grip on her research, and presents diplomatic and national problems and red tape between the involved countries in a forthright, accurate manner. Yes, there are plenty of complications in the investigations the two protaganists are involved in, but Candida knows how to delve deep into their heads and reveal their motives and thoughts. Neither of these main characters are perfect. They come with plenty of baggage, but they come across as likeable. For me, this novel had it all, intrigue, mystery, and a strong romance that ran steadily through the background. I loved this story and have a great admiration for the level of knowledge and research the author demonstrated in her writing! Brilliant!Thank you to the author and publisher. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Very intriguing story about how Europol works and handles mystery. Mystery lovers will love that it starts out with a body found by a bunch of dairy cows. What makes this story fascinating to me was all the different cultures and countries working together to solve mysteries. The story centers around an Italian Tony, who in addition to aiding in solving mysteries must learn to function in a world with brusque co-workers from the colder, more northern climates. The story also contains a romance. It contains no gore and is a true cozy.I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.