Malice in Amalfi

Malice in Amalfi 

Malice in Amalfi is the latest short story to be checked off my to be read list. I discovered author Langley Gray about a month ago, and I have been enjoying her short stories ever since. 

I’ve also been making it more of a point to utilize my Kindle Unlimited subscription, so I’m very excited that she is active there, and makes her stories easily accessible for me and other readers. If you enjoy a good cozy mystery and haven’t heard of Langley Gray, then you are missing out. 

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This is the third story in a series called Victims on Vacation, where Leigha and Calvin find themselves solving a murder mystery with each vacation they take. 

This would be the fourth short story from Langley Gray that I’ve read, and I have to admit that none have disappointed me yet. They are really fun and interesting. 

Have you read Malice in Amalfi? Come on in and let me tell you about it! 

About Malice in Amalfi 

Gelato with a side of murder.

Leigha Plunkett and her journalist boyfriend Calvin are in Italy for love, leisure, and limoncello—not lethal cliffside “accidents.”

But when a fellow tourist plunges to his death during a hike on the famous Path of the Gods, Leigha’s legal instincts kick in. The story doesn’t add up, and a trail of suspicious clues—from shoe prints to a threatening note—suggests there’s more than scenic views on the line.

Between charming jewelers, shady tour guides, and matching-shoe couples who might not be what they seem, Leigha finds herself tangled in another sun-drenched whodunit. And this time, the stakes are as steep as the cliffs of Amalfi.

Vacation vibes meet amateur sleuthing in this witty, twisty follow-up to Calamity in Costa Rica. Perfect for fans of breezy mysteries with a bite. 

Thoughts on Malice in Amalfi 

I’ve been reading this series in order, which I do recommend for you as well. Because we get to see Leigha and Calvin’s relationship progress through the three stories. It isn’t an absolute requirement, but it just makes more sense that way. I would love to see another one in the future where they get married. Let’s see if Langley Gray gives me my wish in the future. 

I was a bit concerned that this one would become predictable. But Leigha’s mother didn’t plan this vacation out for the couple, so they are left to figure things out and create their own itinerary of what to do and sights to see along the way. It had a more laid back vibe to it than the first two where everything was planned out. 

Leigha and Calvin are always in the right place at the right time to find a dead body while on vacation. If this were me, I would start to think I was cursed, and stop going on vacation. But Leigha and Calvin embrace the mystery and challenge of solving it wholeheartedly. I love that about them, how they just embrace and run with what the rest of us would deem insanity. 

I love that the chapters are all short, so I can reach a chapter in between everything else in my day. I take my Kindle everywhere with me, and I’ll pull it out to read for a few minutes when I’m standing in line for coffee. Or just pull it out instead of my phone and replace mindless doom scrolling social media for a chapter in one of Gray’s short stories. 

The short chapters are one of the things that make Langley Gray’s stories so perfect. This is especially true if you’re in a reading slump. Which even I experience from time to time. The short chapters and even the short story overall make me feel accomplished when I’ve finished it, and that can help to take me out of the reading slump if I get stuck in it. 

Final Thoughts on Malice in Amalfi 

I’m calling Malice in Amalfi a five star read. I really enjoyed it, and it kept me guessing the entire way through it. 

Looking at the entire three part series and ranking them, Curtains in Cabo was my absolute favorite, Malice in Amalfi is second, and Calamity in Costa Rica is third. I still maintain that Murder at Mosswood Lake, which isn’t part of this series, is my all-time favorite from Langley Gray to date. 

It’s funny how when you have a favorite story or book, how you compare others by that same author to that one. Does anybody else do that? Because I struggle not to. 

If you need a good cozy short story mystery to occupy your mind for a bit, Langley Gray is an excellent author to help you with that. Her stories are perfect to read while enjoying a cup of coffee, during a short airplane ride, on the couch with tea when it is raining. Anywhere you have even a few minutes, as the chapters are short. 

Discussion 

Have you read Malice in Amalfi or any other writing from author Langley Gray? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

About the Author 

Langley Gray was squarely the main character of her life as she traveled the world working in fashion, film, and finance until she was lucky enough to share the page with her own male protagonist. Three kids and a house in the suburbs later, she decided to add some adventure back into #thatminivanlife by pursuing her dream of writing fiction.

She draws on her degree in psychology to shape (read: torture) her characters and is a ghostwriter for cozy mysteries and children’s books on the side.

In her spare time, she is intensely interested in all paddle sports and thinks if she drinks just one more cup of coffee, she can solve all of life’s mysteries.  

Purchasing Malice in Amalfi 

• If you are interested in buying the Kindle version of Malice in Amalfi, click here.
• Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

More from Langley Gray 

Did you enjoy my review of Malice in Amalfi? Need another great story from Langley Gray? Here are my favorites! 

• Murder at Mosswood Lake
• Curtains in Cabo 
• Calamity in Costa Rica 
• Malice in Amalfi 
• Knocked Scentsless 
• Scent Packing 
• Not So Innoscent 
• Eau De Death 
• Fragrant Violation 
• Falling Under Love 
• The Flyaway Bride 
• The Peak of Love 
• Say Everything  
• The Santa Conviction 
• Love Under the Northern Lights 

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