It seems that wherever Francesca Zanardelli goes, someone dies. Whether at her dull office, her country house, the parish, or her son’s school… For someone as ordinary as Francesca, whose life is full of problems both banal and complicated, homicides have become part of her routine. And all she wants is to be left alone. A comedy beloved by audiences… That kills with laughter!
This tetralogy is led by anti-heroine Francesca Zanardelli, an ordinary woman working in a Milan office, who, through no fault of her own, finds herself involved in various murders.
The poor woman already has enough on her plate dealing with her family, her partner, and her terrible boss. Does she really have to deal with a dead body too? Or rather, multiple dead bodies—one in each book and each area of her life.
In Book 1, Murders in Lunch Break (Omicidi in pausa pranzo), during one of her tedious workdays, Francesca stumbles upon a corpse in the office restroom. The victim? Marinella Sereni, her hated desk mate, found hanged inside a stall. The time of death? Lunch break.
Francesca becomes the key witness in a police investigation that hits a dead end—the murderer has wiped out every trace of evidence. The killer could be anyone, from the janitor to her detested boss, a sentiment that seems mutual.
Just when Francesca’s professional life is in shambles, so is her personal life—her fiancé dumps her just before the wedding, leaving her with 223 gifts to return. To top it all off, her hysterical parents are begging her to quit before she ends up six feet under too. But Francesca knows how hard it is to find a stable job these days—she won’t leave that easily, even if her life depends on it. So, she makes herself a promise: she will solve this mystery. But she must hurry—before the killer strikes again.
In Book 2, Murders in the Apartment Complex (Omicidi in condominio), Francesca has moved to Ponterozzo with her husband and son. The name of their building couldn’t be more ironic— “The Dream Residence.” Because, in reality, you have to pray to avoid conflicts—every homeowners’ meeting turns into a shouting match that almost ends in fistfights. Then one day, a neighbor’s dog is poisoned. And shortly after, the neighbor herself is murdered.
When the police arrive, they once again find poor Francesca in the middle of the mess. And as impossible as it seems, her problems are just beginning.
In Book 3, Murders in the Parish (Omicidi in oratorio), the people of Ponterozzo are still reeling from the emotional aftermath of the apartment complex murders. They need hope… Maybe even a spiritual leader?
At least, that’s what the parish vicar at Maria Santissima Assunta believes, as he positions himself as the right man for the job. He starts organizing community lunches, flea markets, bus trips, and even spiritual retreats to bring people together. But not even holy places are immune to crime. A new serial killer emerges, this time targeting priests.
Once again, Francesca is accidentally chosen to help catch the murderer—working alongside the Milan police, dealing with stubborn clergy who would rather die than abandon their sacred space.
In Book 4, Murders at School (Omicidi a scuola), this time, Francesca’s son, Gabriele, comes face-to-face with murder. He has just started high school in Ponterozzo and has the misfortune of being assigned Ezia Bisunti as his Italian teacher—a woman with an awful temperament.
The teacher calls Francesca to inform her that her son is going to fail unless she transfers him to another school because, quite simply, “he doesn’t measure up.” Determined to defend her son, Francesca goes back to the school to confront Ezia, only to find out that… Ezia has been murdered! Once again, the police show up and find Francesca—a now-familiar face—right in the middle of the crime scene. At this point, she seems to have developed a talent as an accidental detective. But the real questions are: Will Francesca catch the killer? Or, more importantly, will she manage to protect her son from his even worse (yes, it’s possible) substitute teacher?
KEY DETAILS: The Murder series is a set of mystery novels infused with humor, making you laugh out loud while keeping you glued to the pages. It also features an endearing protagonist, Francesca, a woman anyone can relate to.
This cozy crime series packed with dark humor brings to mind Only Murders in the Building, Murderville, and The Afterparty.
Author Viola Veloce draws from her own life experience to enrich her novels—she works in an office, has dyslexia, and has admitted that many of her characters are inspired by real people in her life.
The first book, Omicidi in pausa pranzo, has been translated into Spanish and French. Viola Veloce is a bestselling author on Amazon.
What critics and reviews say:
“Surely, we can all recognize the type of absurd characters that surround poor Francesca in our own workplaces. It reminded me a bit of Camera Café, but with a suspenseful twist.” – Amazon
“An original, well-written mystery that will appeal to fans of the genre and beyond.” – Alessandria Today
“The murders are just an excuse to expose many small and large inconsistencies in our society—our harmless (and not-so-harmless) flaws—ultimately making tragedy a bit lighter to bear.” – Goodreads
SCREEN ADAPTATION POTENTIAL: TV Series, Miniseries, Feature Film, TV Movie.
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES: Italian (all four books), Spanish and French (first book).
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