The Da Vinci Cook: An Angie Amalfi Mystery (Angie Amalfi Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Joanne Pence (Author)
Key Phrases: pasta machine, Father Daniel, San Francisco, Marcello Piccoletti (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Angie Amalfi is close to one of the biggest breaks of her rocky culinary career––a chance to co–write a cookbook with a famous chef. But as she scrambles to prepare for the impending interview, her realtor sister Cat is suddenly accused of a murder in a rich client's home. A priceless relic––an iron chain that was used to bind St. Peter while in a Roman prison––is missing from her wealthy client Marcello Piccoletti's home, and a murder was committed on the heels of the disappearance. The only person who can clear Cat's name is the client himself, and he's in Rome, tending to his restaurant, Da Vinci's.

Heedless to Angie's stern warning, the always unpredictable Cat insists on traveling to Rome to confront Picoletti, and Angie must drop everything to accompany her sister. The Roman restaurateur has the chain with him in Rome, and exonerates Cat of the murder as well. Unfortunately, the police in the states still suspect Cat and now Picoletti, the only witness, has disappeared. Angie takes a job as a cook at Da Vinci's, hoping to get to the bottom of this complex mess. And when bodies start piling up like balls of fresh mozzarella at an Amalfi family picnic, it looks like Angie and Cat's trip to their homeland may spell arrivederci Amalfis.

About the Author

Joanne Pence was born and raised in San Francisco. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley with a master's degree in journalism, Joanne has taught school in Japan, written for magazines, and worked for the federal government. She now lives in Idaho with her family, which includes a multitude of pets.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Avon (February 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060758066
• ISBN-13: 978-0060758066
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #351,334 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #9 in

  Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Authors, A-Z > ( P ) > Pence, Joanne

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cooking up a good story, June 5, 2007

By	armchairinterviews.com (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

Not having read any of the other twelve Angie Amalfi mysteries, I may be at a distinct disadvantage to critique this one. That being said, I love Italy, I love food and I love a good mystery. So The Da Vinci Cook is three for three on my "what I love" top-ten list.

The authors' descriptions of Rome, though not poetically descriptive, located all the sights so accurately and with such detail, it felt like a walking tour of the city from the Forum to the Spanish Steps, from the Termini Station to the Vatican.

And the description of their first dinner in Rome, "an antipasto of caprese--tomatoes with mozzarella, basil, and spices--a primo of porcini mushroom risotto...and linguine with pancetta...veal scaloppine with green olives and for dessert...sliced melon and walnuts with...espresso." C'est magnifique!

However, I do have a couple small complaints. Even though Angie is the central figure in the series, I had some trouble keeping that straight because in this book Angie's sister Cat seems to command more attention. I assume that's simply because there are twelve other books in the series and the author assumes the reader are well acquainted with the characters and have no trouble following along.

My other issue may sound pathetically trivial but it really bugged me. The title of the book is The Da Vinci Cook. The front cover of the book shows Mona Lisa holding a wooden spoon covered in sauce. Loving all things conspiratorial (i.e., The Da Vinci Code), I expected some connection. Except for the tangential fact that Angie and her sister work a couple shifts in a restaurant called Da Vinci's, there is no connection. I felt duped.

Did I recover from my snit and enjoy the book, yes! Will it stop me from reading the others, no!

Armchair Interviews says: Italy, historical buildings and wonderful food--what more could you want.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Dysfunctional Families are a Bore!!!!!, September 10, 2007

By	P. Mcmillen "avid reader" (Horn Lake, MS USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If this is a sample of this series, I will not be reading any more. Angie's family is without redemption, she is totally inept, and I wouldn't allow her to fry balogna. I am tired of books that can only supply tension by allowing overbearing, rude, contemptible family members to browbeat each other.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More like 4 1/2 stars...., August 14, 2007

By	Deborah Wiley (Winter Haven, FL) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Trouble seems to follow Angie Amalfi no matter where she goes. When her strict-laced sister, Caterina Swenson, calls her and says she is pursuing a witness to a murder, Angie rushes to help her. What follows is a madcap chase through Rome for Angie and Cat while Homicide Inspector Paavo Smith, Angie's fiancé, is back in America trying to sort out the murder scene and deal with the Amalfi family. Angie and Cat are determined to find the missing witness (who is also Cat's client), Marcello Piccoletti, locate a missing relic, and clear Cat's name.

What a delicious story! Ms. Pence writes such a delightful tale with very vividly drawn characters that it is hard not to immediately get wrapped up in the craziness surrounding the Amalfi family. The Amalfi family lives by the adage that family sticks together so once it becomes apparent that Cat and Angie are in trouble, the whole family swoops in to help. Sometimes, this leads to quite interesting and hysterical scenes. Perhaps Frannie's ordeal with bureaucracy is the best scene but there are numerous laugh-out-loud moments in this fantastic story.

It has been awhile since I have read one of the Angie Amalfi mysteries from Joanne Pence, and after reading this one I'm wondering why. Perhaps what made this tale much more enjoyable for me is that Angie's angst over her career and her continued mishaps weren't as apparent. Instead, we are treated with seeing the entire Amalfi family in action. Joanne Pence has created such a loving, richly diverse family in the Amalfis and I relished every moment spent with them in this book. There is never a dull moment as the action flows smoothly along. THE DA VINCI COOK is simply divine!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES