“Break out the prosecco! There’s a new detective in town” ( People Magazine ). Now available in paperback, the delightfully sexy and bighearted novel starring Auntie Poldi, Sicily’s newest amateur sleuth

“To the ranks of amateur sleuths, from Miss Marple to Jessica Fletcher, welcome Auntie Poldi.” — Newsday

On her sixtieth birthday, Auntie Poldi retires to Sicily, intending to while away the rest of her days with good wine, a view of the sea, and few visitors. But Sicily isn’t quite the tranquil island she thought it would be. When her handsome young handyman goes missing—and is discovered murdered—she can’t help but ask questions. Soon there’s an investigation, a smoldering police inspector, a romantic entanglement, one false lead after another, a rooftop showdown, and finally, of course, Poldi herself, slightly tousled but still perfectly poised. This “masterly treat” ( Times Literary Supplement ) will transport you to the rocky shores of Torre Archirafi, to a Sicily full of quirky characters, scorching days, and velvety nights, alongside a protagonist who’s as fiery as the Sicilian sun.

“Delightful.” — NPR, The Weekly Reader

“Delizioso!” — Adriana Trigiani, best-selling author of Kiss Carlo **

Amazon.com Review

An Amazon Best Book of March 2018: Auntie Poldi is a stout, bewigged German widow who retires to a Sicilian fishing village so she can drink herself to death with a sea view. And death does arrive, not to Poldi but to the handsome Valentino, a young local she hired to do some odd jobs around her new house. Poldi puts the drinking on hold (sort of) to concentrate on fulfilling the promise she made to Valentino’s dead body that she would find his killer. The thing is, discreet inquiries are not Poldi’s strong suit; she’s Miss Marple by way of Auntie Mame, with a dollop of the Golden Girls. As she tells our narrator, her nephew, who records her madcap adventures during his dutiful monthly visits, “when the chips are down, show plenty of cleavage.” Hilarious, reckless, and endearingly melancholy at times, Poldi makes friends, enemies, sage comments, and even a little whoopee as the case winds to its satisfying and unexpected conclusion. --Vannessa Cronin

Review

The most enchanting novel I've read in ages! Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions is a lush, sexy, and slightly madcap romp, much like Auntie Poldi herself. She's the aunt your mother warned you about - the one who never turns down a drink or a date with a dashing stranger, never mind the consequences . . . Mario Giordano has a gift for eccentric storytelling, snappy dialogue, and sly wit, making this a tart and delectable treat that you'll press on all your friends. I can't wait for the next installment! * Amy Stewart * The whole book is alive with a tang of lemons to set the senses zinging. Refreshing * The Spectator * Wonderfully evocative . . . a joyful light read * Crime Review * Giordano is a novelist of high skill and originality with an eye for eccentric comedy, idiosyncratic characters and vivid scenes. John Brownjohn's translation is stylish and this book is a masterly treat * Times Literary Supplement * Mario Giordano - a Bavarian of Sicilian parentage who writes in German - has created a delightful detective and a lively, humorous portrait of Sicilian society and gastronomy * The Times, Book of the Month *