Four suspects. One map. Five clues. One solution — plus 59 more cases from Liguria to Sicily.
A cinematic taste of the book's tone — Italian noir, Mediterranean warmth, pencil ready.
Try the first case below. No account. No card. Just logic.
Vernazza · easy
At the trattoria «Il Gozzo» on Vernazza's harbour, feared food critic Ottavio Rebora arrived. He tasted the trofie al pesto, set down his fork and whispered: «This basil is not Ligurian.» Half an hour later he lay on the kitchen floor, struck with the heavy marble mortar. No one left the restaurant: the culprit is still there.
BBruna Capellini — the owner, fiercely proud of her pestoDDavide Lagomarsino — the cook, quick hands and little patienceLLucia Ferrando — the waitress who knows everyone's secretsTTeo Rossignoli — food blogger, the critic's rivalRule: one person per row and column. The culprit is the only person in the same zone as the weapon. Chairs are free to sit on; tables and barrels block squares.
Did you know? Genovese Basil has been a PDO product since 2005: small, tender, intensely fragrant leaves. It is the key ingredient of pesto alla genovese, traditionally pounded in a marble mortar.
The weapon was in the kitchen (B3). The only person in the kitchen was Davide: the culprit is Davide Lagomarsino.
Motive: Davide had been buying ordinary basil and passing it off as Genovese — Rebora's review would have exposed him.
2-page A4 PDF · printable
Sixty logic mysteries. Rising difficulty. Fully explained solutions.
From Vernazza to Sicily: villages, villas, trattorias.
4×4 easy, 5×5 medium, 6×6 hard.
Rules + a fully guided case.
No ambiguity: one answer per case.
For every setting, after you solve.
Adults & teens 12+. Perfect gift.
«For lovers of puzzles and Italy — cozy, with a brain.»— If you like logic grids & mysteries
«Write in pencil. Use an eraser. Trust no one.»— From the book
«Italy, one pencil stroke at a time.»— Official tagline
Author of puzzles and stories set in Italy. She writes for people who love solving, travelling, and staying on the sofa with a pencil.
No — stories are short and clues are clear. What matters is the map logic.
Yes — designed for pencil and eraser. Large 8×10 inch format.
The paperback is In review on KDP. We'll unlock the Buy button as soon as it's Live.
Yes. Printable PDF + interactive preview on this page. No card, no spam.