DCI Joe Mottram hopes a summer in Capri will bring him closer to his teenage daughter—until a fatal accident starts to look like it may be murder...
For murder detective Joe Mottram, a summer visit to his in-laws' idyllic beachside restaurant on the beautiful Italian island of Capri is meant to offer refuge. After the death of his wife Sofia in a hit-and-run in London, Joe has taken a sabbatical, hoping to heal and reconnect with his teenage daughter, Angelica.
But then a British businesswoman is found dead at the foot of a notorious cliff, and his in-laws' plans to teach Joe how to cook and get him and Angelica talking again have to be abandoned. A reluctant Joe is forced to swap his recipe books for a detective's notebook once more, as he's drawn deeper into the case.
Joe must form a partnership with a young local police inspector, Lara Sarrancino, who is desperate to prove herself and resents his involvement. As the two detectives butt heads, the investigation flounders, until a second body turns up, and they realize the killer is still at large on the tiny island. Unfortunately for Joe, the evidence trail appears to lead back uncomfortably close to home…
Praise for A Taste For Murder: “Baker delivers a nearly perfect beach read on his first try.” —Publishers Weekly
“Steadily absorbing . . . Death by selfie or murder most foul? It’s worth the trip to find out.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A Taste for Murder is rich in plot, but it is even richer in detail. As the story slowly unfurls, so too does the grief, beauty, and menace.” —First Clue
Matt Baker is a television screenwriter best known for creating the ITV series Hotel Portofino. He cowrote and adapted the series Professor T, Suspect, and Before We Die and is the lead writer on Channel 4 series Patience, which aired in January 2025 and attracted an average audience of more than four million viewers across its run.
DCI Joe Mottram hopes a summer in Capri will bring him closer to his teenage daughter—until a fatal accident starts to look like it may be murder...
For murder detective Joe Mottram, a summer visit to his in-laws' idyllic beachside restaurant on the beautiful Italian island of Capri is meant to offer refuge. After the death of his wife Sofia in a hit-and-run in London, Joe has taken a sabbatical, hoping to heal and reconnect with his teenage daughter, Angelica.
But then a British businesswoman is found dead at the foot of a notorious cliff, and his in-laws' plans to teach Joe how to cook and get him and Angelica talking again have to be abandoned. A reluctant Joe is forced to swap his recipe books for a detective's notebook once more, as he's drawn deeper into the case.
Joe must form a partnership with a young local police inspector, Lara Sarrancino, who is desperate to prove herself and resents his involvement. As the two detectives butt heads, the investigation flounders, until a second body turns up, and they realize the killer is still at large on the tiny island. Unfortunately for Joe, the evidence trail appears to lead back uncomfortably close to home…
Reviews
Praise for A Taste For Murder: “Baker delivers a nearly perfect beach read on his first try.” —Publishers Weekly
“Steadily absorbing . . . Death by selfie or murder most foul? It’s worth the trip to find out.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A Taste for Murder is rich in plot, but it is even richer in detail. As the story slowly unfurls, so too does the grief, beauty, and menace.” —First Clue
Author
Matt Baker is a television screenwriter best known for creating the ITV series Hotel Portofino. He cowrote and adapted the series Professor T, Suspect, and Before We Die and is the lead writer on Channel 4 series Patience, which aired in January 2025 and attracted an average audience of more than four million viewers across its run.
