Marsala Maroon: A Private Investigator Comedy Mystery (Franki Amato Mysteries, Book 6)

By: Traci Andrighetti

Narrated by: Madeline Mrozek

Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

An ax murder leaves Franki less than jazzed....

Jazz Fest is in full swing in The Big Easy, but PI Franki Amato is singing the blues. The owner of an historic Italian grocery and deli is murdered in a manner eerily reminiscent of the Axeman of New Orleans, a notorious serial killer who hasn’t struck in more than a century, and someone Franki knows has been arrested for the crime. Adding to her distress, Franki, her mom, and her meddling Sicilian nonna finally meet her fiancé’s family, but the tone of their encounter is decidedly downbeat. And just as her personal life strikes a sour note, the killer jazzes up his techniques. The pressure is on Franki to decipher an odd assortment of clues - an old gramophone record, a stolen trumpet, and a bottle of marsala wine. If she doesn’t, she could be the next one to get the ax.

Marsala Maroon is book six in the Franki Amato Mysteries, but it can be listened to as a stand-alone. If you like zany characters and laugh-out-loud humor with a splash of suspense, then you’ll drink up this fun series by USA Today best-selling author Traci Andrighetti. Cheers!

Franki Amato Mysteries:

• Limoncello Yellow (book 1)
• Prugnolino Purple (spring short story 1.5)
• Prosecco Pink (book 2)
• Rosolio Red (holiday short story 2.5)
• Amaretto Amber (book 3)
• Fragolino Fuchsia (Rome short story 3.5)
• Campari Crimson (book 4)
• Cannellino Caramel (holiday short story 4.5)
• Galliano Gold (book 5)
• Cremoncello Cream (Sicily short story 5.5)
• Marsala Maroon (book 6)
• Mirto Magenta (Sardinia short story 6.5)
• Valpolicella Violet (book 7, coming in the fall of 2021!)

©2020 Traci Andrighetti (P)2021 Traci Andrighetti

Critic reviews

“Traci Andrighetti’s Franki Amato Mysteries have me tickled pink! Her smart, sassy heroine, wacky cast of characters, and vividly original settings had me glued to the page. I can’t wait to read more from this author!” (Gemma Halliday, New York Times best-selling author)

“Traci’s writing is sharp and funny; the world she paints leaps off the page and makes the reader laugh out loud.... A thoroughly enjoyable voice in fiction!” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times best-selling author)

Very entertaining

I found this book very entertaining and laugh out loud funny. Very well written mystery novel and I absolutely love the narrator. She was perfect for the part. Definitely want to listen to more from this author/narrator combo.

A New Orleans Story

A terrific novel that I listened to at every opportunity. The narrator was extremely professional but you could HEAR her having fun while reading Marsala Maroon. Excellent performance .

The Bloopers at the end!

I always get the new Frankie Amato books. They are funny and the cast of characters memorable. The narrator is awesome. This is the first audiobook that I have heard with bloopers at the end. Loved that.

Scranton accent.

I grew up an hour from Scranton (still in coal country). The accent isn’t even CLOSE to the “hobuttski/Deutch/coal region dialect. They got the accents closer on The Office and they didn’t even try to do the accent. Anyways, everything else was great I just found that funny. Try to do a specific accent, find out what it sounds like first.

Enjoyed this so much!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review and I am so glad I did! I can’t imagine how I have not started this series previously, but I will be going back and listening to those I’ve missed. The mystery was interesting, the characters developed, and the writing was often LOL funny. Returning characters were introduced in such a way that I didn’t feel like I was missing something as someone new to the series, but there wasn’t so much time spent on the reintroduction that I would have been annoyed if had already known them - a balance that many series’ authors miss. I loved the narrator, and can’t imagine anyone better at giving voice to these quirky characters. I rated 4, instead of 5, only because of a few brief slips of accent, but they were so small that that they had no impact on my enjoyment of the book and listening to the bloopers included at the end just made my smile last longer. Now, time to start listening to the earlier books…

Frankie's at it again!

Loved it! Great characters, story, and narration. Outtakes at the end are very funny

Great Narration elevates fun story

I just finished Marsala Maroon. I learned so much about New Orleans HISTORY! Truly, not what i thought i would say about a funny romp thru cemeteries and Italian grocers. As always, for Frankie, family and friends come first. Trying to NOT to plan her wedding, while she waits for her best friend to first set a date and finalize wedding plans, Frankie is deluged by family interference. The twists, turns and snacks make the story a HOOT! Nutella anyone?? Madeline Mrozek does a fabulous job, energetic and distinct voices make the book a pleasure to listen.

The narration...wow! What a performance!!

Marsala Maroon by Traci Andrighetti, narrated by Madeline Mrozek is Book 6 in the series Franki Amato Mysteries. It can be listened to as a standalone, however, these books are so well-written and narrated, you will want to start with Book 1!! They are all fantastic! Andrighetti is a true master of writing quick-witted, realistic dialogue; it's so impressive! I literally laughed from beginning to end...what more could I ask for? Mystery, suspense, humor, and an unpredictable storyline that keeps pushing forward...this book (and series) has it all!!

As awesome as this series is, what really makes this audiobook shine brighter than others of this genre is the outstanding performance by narrator Madeline Mrozek! Wow! Best narrator ever! Each time I listen to one of her audiobooks, I am shocked that she is the only one narrating. Saying "she does a phenomenal job" doesn't do her justice; it's so much more...it's truly something audiobook fans must hear and experience on their own to know what I'm talking about. She breaths life into the characters, giving each of them their own distinct personality and special charm. My favorite part of listening to Marsala Maroon, hands down, is the hilarious banter between Franki, her mother, and her nonna. Soooo funny! I could listen to the three of them all day long...well, if Mrozek is playing them, of course!! Bravo! Job well done!

Marsala Maroon: Franki Amato Mysteries, Book 6 by Traci Andrighetti, narrated by Madeline Mrozek is well-deserving of 5/5 stars across the board! The writing is fantastic, the narration is out of the park, and storyline is entertaining and engaging. I recommend this book and series to listeners who enjoy mysteries with light suspense and unpredictable "whodunits" with family drama that keeps you laughing the whole way through. This audiobook has it all, and I'm confident you'll enjoy listening to it as much as I did!

Thank you for reading my review. I hope it was helpful. Happy listening! :-)

P.S. One more thing!!! Make sure to stick around for Mrozek's blooper reel at the end!! You'll love it!! 😂

A great read(listen)!

I have been a fan since the first book in this series. I love the “crazy” characters and all of the craziness that ensues. I hope this series goes on for a long time! It’s definitely sunshine at a time when we need it!!

Wedding Plans and Musical Mysteries

Frankie investigates the murder of a prominent Italian grocery store owner while negotiating wedding plans with the "help" of her Italian mother and grandmother and her grooms posh, Boston high society future mother and grandmother-in-law and it's a toss-up (with a bad penny) which will be more dangerous in this laugh out loud, mile a minute mystery by Traci Andrighetti.
If you're looking for some light entertainment that will keep you guessing - and laughing, this one's perfect.