Last Testament in Bologna by Tom Benjamin #BookReview #BlogTour

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Last Testament in Bologna is the fourth in Tom Benjamin’s critically-acclaimed Bologna-set series featuring British private detective Daniel Leicester. 

When an old man makes a bequest to investigate the mysterious death of his son, English detective Daniel Leicester follows a trail to one of Bologna's wealthiest families - makers of some of the world's most coveted supercars - and discovers that beneath the glamour of the Formula One circuit lurk sinister interests that may be prepared to kill to keep their secrets.

It's such a pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for Last Testament in Bologna by Tom Benjamin today. Many thanks to Little, Brown and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me and for my advance digital copy of the novel.

Last Testament in Bologna is the fifth book in Tom Benjamin's Daniel Leicester series about a British private investigator living and working in Bologna. This time, he and his father-in-law, the head of their family firm of investigators take on a case from beyond the grave but it's not the spirits which need concern them!
They are requested to attend the reading of Giorgio Chiesa's will, where they learn he has bequeathed them up to a third of his estate to cover their costs in investigating the death of his youngest son, Fabrizio. Fabrizio was killed in a car crash seven years ago but his father never believed the promising racing driver's death was an accident, despite it being ruled as such. Fabrizio was a test driver for 'Scuderia Molinari' which is owned by Massimiliano Molinari, once a friend and colleague of Chiesa's – until he stole the fuel injection system he had designed. The old man's grudge lasted a lifetime but he was never able to prove anything and his obsession extended to being convinced that Molinari was somehow responsible for the murder of his beloved son. It's immediately clear that this will not be a straightforward case; there was no evidence to suggest any crime took place, and not only was Fabrizio an exciting racing prospect being groomed for F1, he was also the best friend of Molinari's son, Niki 
What unfolds is a fascinatingly complex case which takes us beneath the glamour of Formula 1, exposing the ruthlessness of the sport as well as the resentments which fester within apparently successful families 
Families are at the centre of the book and it's not plain sailing in the widowed Daniel's personal life either. The apparently indomitable Comandante, head of the Faidate family is due to have an operation and suddenly seems more vulnerable. Meanwhile, Daniel also realises that his seventeen year old daughter, Rose is fast becoming a confident, headstrong young woman and is concerned that his colleague, Dolores is acting out of character. Despite his troubles, Daniel isn't the stereotypical tortured detective; the bonds he has with his extended Italian family are strong and tempered with love. The relationship he shares with Rose is particularly special and although a tragedy lies at the heart of the novel, the storyline is laced with humour throughout too. The contrast between the warmth shared by the extended Faidate family and the murky, dramatic story which emerges is striking.
Tom Benjamin's sense of place is as immersive as ever and he vibrantly evokes the essence of Bologna and the surrounding area. However, it's not just the palazzos and porticos or the valleys and winding country lanes which feature this time, and when Daniel attends an exciting race at Imola, the tense behind-the-scenes interactions, as well as the drama on the racetrack, are authentically brought to life.
The richly descriptive narrative complements the multilayered plot and there are some violent, intense scenes which kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm a huge fan of this series; Tom Benjamin unfailingly transports me to Emilia and the mystery which unfolds in Last Testament in Bologna is cleverly structured and utterly compulsive. An intelligent, engrossing read and one I very highly recommend. 

Last Testament in Bologna is published by Constable, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group. Purchasing links can be found here.

Follow the blog tour, details are below.

About the Author
Tom Benjamin grew up in the suburbs of north London and began his working life as a journalist before becoming a spokesman for Scotland Yard. He later moved into public health, where he led drugs awareness programme FRANK. He now lives in Bologna.

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