Death in the Dolomites: A Rick Montoya Italian Mystery

When Cameron Taylor, an American banker, disappears from Campiglio, a popular Italian ski resort, in Wagner’s serviceable second Rick Montoya mystery (after 2013’s Cold Tuscan Stone), Rick interrupts his vacation to assist Insp. Luca Albani search for him. Rick treats the investigation as a welcome addition to his skiing adventures, but others in Campiglio clearly see him as a threat. Rick is chased down the mountain by a masked man in a snowmobile, and a person who resembles Rick is stabbed outside his hotel. Rick, however, doesn’t let these events hinder his enjoyment of alpine delicacies. The author’s passion for Italian cuisine jumps off the page, though readers hoping for a juicy mystery may be frustrated by the amount of space devoted to detailed descriptions of Rick’s every meal, snack, and degustation. Indeed, the attention reserved for the food brings into sharp focus the comparative lack of attention paid to the actual mystery. (Sept.)