The Bar Lume Mysteries Series
By Marco Malvaldi and Howard Curtis
3.5/5
()
About this series
At Bar Lume, in a small resort village on the Tuscan coast, between shots of espresso and hands of cards, four old-timers and Massimo the barman wile away the time chatting, arguing, and theorizing about the murder of a young woman in their town.
The girl’s body was found in a dumpster bin on the edge of town. The gossip circulating about the victim’s lifestyle suggests her murder was connected to the seedy world of drug trafficking and dangerous sex. The prime suspects in the case are two of the girl’s nightlife associates. But for want of something to do, the group of pensioners at Bar Lume begin to pull the case to pieces, forcing the barman Massimo into the role of amateur sleuth.
The four old-timers analyze the crime and the suspects, putting a comic spin on their often narrow-minded neighbors. From this “investigation,” in Marco Malvaldi’s lively and colorful prose, emerges a fascinating picture of life in a small Italian town.
Titles in the series (2)
- Three-Card Monte
When a Japanese scientist dies in a Tuscan resort town, four old card players and their favorite bartender investigate in this comic Italian mystery. In the Italian resort town of Pineta, along the Tuscan coast, one might find the sleepy Bar Lume inhabited by its owner Massimo and its elderly regulars engaged in a game of cards. But this is merely a cover for the true activities of this senile squad. In truth, they are at work analyzing, postulating, gossiping, and chronicling every event that occurs in their small Tuscan town, using the most colorful language and Tuscan slang possible. When a chemistry conference at a local hotel is interrupted by the suspicious death of a Japanese scientist, Massimo is obliged to investigate on behalf of his all-too-curious clientele. The old-timers provide running commentary, demonstrating a cunning for sniffing out lies that can only be honed through decades of playing three-card monte. The second book in Marco Malvaldi’s beloved Bar Lume series, Three-Card Monte is a comedy, a beguiling mystery, and a vivacious portrayal of small-town Italy.
- Game for Five
“In this enjoyable series debut,” four colorful old timers meet regularly a small-town bar in Tuscany, where they gossip, play cards, and solve murders (Publishers Weekly). At Bar Lume, in a small resort village on the Tuscan coast, between shots of espresso and hands of cards, four old-timers and Massimo the barman wile away the time chatting, arguing, and theorizing about the murder of a young woman in their town. The girl’s body was found in a dumpster bin on the edge of town. The gossip circulating about the victim’s lifestyle suggests her murder was connected to the seedy world of drug trafficking and dangerous sex. The prime suspects in the case are two of the girl’s nightlife associates. But for want of something to do, the group of pensioners at Bar Lume begin to pull the case to pieces, forcing the barman Massimo into the role of amateur sleuth. The four old-timers analyze the crime and the suspects, putting a comic spin on their often narrow-minded neighbors. From this “investigation,” in Marco Malvaldi’s lively and colorful prose, emerges a fascinating picture of life in a small Italian town.
Marco Malvaldi
Marco Malvaldi was born and lives in Pisa, where he obtained a PhD in Chemistry from the “Normale” University. His previous books include the Bar Lume series. He is the winner of both the Isola d’Elba Award and the Castiglioncello Prize for his crime novels.
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