Quick Glimpses: A Peek into the Pages of Murder and Marinara

The world of the Italian Kitchen Mysteries is grounded in my childhood days at the Jersey shore; it’s also influenced by my love of rustic Italian food and my own experience of working in restaurants. In this peek at the setting, the main character, Victoria Rienzi, is coming back to her family-owned restaurant, the Casa Lido. She meets her brother Danny outside, who holds open the door for her:

“I ducked under his arm through the open door and took a step back into the past. Not just my past, but the past of this place, originating with World War II. As my eyes adjusted to the cool darkness, I saw the dark-paneled walls, the ornately carved bar, the tables with their classic, red-checked tablecloths. My great-grandparents had started with a wooden boardwalk stand that sold sandwiches and ended up building a business that’s been flourishing for seventy-five years. I inhaled the mingled smells of simmering sauce and fresh basil and the licorice scent of the anise flavoring of Nonna’s ricotta cookies. It was a Monday, the only day of the week we were closed, so I knew that sauce was meant for me. From the time I was old enough to set a table, the Casa Lido had been my second home.”

Photo by Kama Tulkibayeva on Unsplash