by Kayte Nunn
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers Australia, 2025
Review
by Robyn Pryor
I just read The Palazzo, a clever story of murder, relationships, and betrayal, my favourite themes. If you like reading your crime fiction while totally immersed in an exotic setting, this book is for you.
Vivi, a grieving widow, has invited her closest family and friends to join her for an uplifting week at the Palazzo. However, some of Vivi’s guests have issues with her, and also hold grudges against each other. Most of the characters have secrets worth killing for, a wonderful basis for an intriguing murder mystery. Even though I followed the clues diligently, the identities of both killer and victim baffled me until the end, when they were revealed with a fabulous twist.
The Palazzo is an ideal place for the ultimate holiday. The magnificent cover attracted me and the setting didn’t disappoint. As I read, I wanted to drop everything and race to Italy. The Palazzo tantalises the senses. Incredible dishes are served by Marco, a former Michelin starred chef. Rich descriptions like the smell of peppery basil, and the buttery taste of pastries, add to the sensuality of the read. I love the Italian words scattered throughout, another way to enhance the atmosphere.
Nunn used emotions that kept me turning the pages – love, lust, hate and jealousy – in this story of deep betrayal. I enjoyed the cruisy pace at the start and getting to know and like the characters, despite their foibles. Character depth, unique traits and flaws made it easy to imagine them, and their entangled interpersonal relationships had me hooked.
The pace revved up when I was ready for some serious action. The characters became even more three dimensional, my suspicions increased, and I raced through, relishing each page.
A thoroughly good read. Do yourself a favour. Buy The Palazzo or borrow it from the library.
Publisher’s blurb
They’re all killers, but only one will resort to murder.
Newly widowed beauty entrepreneur Vivi Savidge’s fortieth birthday is fast approaching, and she plans to celebrate it at the Palazzo Stellina, a historic former convent in the foothills of the Italian Alps run by disgraced chef Marco Bianchi and his elderly grandmother.
Vivi’s little sister, Alice, is flying from Brisbane with her sixteen-year-old twins in tow. Ex-colleague Pete and his new husband, Nick, are coming from Boston, and old friend Caroline is driving from Turin. Every one of them is hiding a shameful secret.
Vivi’s hopes for a relaxing holiday surrounded by those closest to her are soon overshadowed by an anonymous blackmail threat, and she begins to wonder if someone she thought she could trust might just as easily betray her.
Amid a suffocating heatwave, the holiday ignites an explosive cocktail of obsession, jealousy and greed. Before the week is over, secrets will be exposed and the gathering will turn deadly, leaving one victim, a handful of suspects, and a murderer in their midst.