David P. Wagner Books In Order

Publication Order of Rick Montoya Italian Mystery Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

David P. Wagner is a mystery fiction novelist who once worked in the Foreign Service before he retired to become a professional author. But before all that, he went to Michigan State University, where he got a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. After graduating from college, he served in Chile in the Peace Corps, where he got a deep understanding of different cultures and languages. When he returned to the United States, he taught English in high school before he got into the diplomatic service. While working for the American diplomatic service, he spent time in various countries, spending much time in Italy. His posting in the European country would become a major influence in his later writings, as he spent nearly a decade in Italy. Working in Rome and Milan, he developed a strong appreciation for Italian cuisine, history, and culture. Other places where he worked included Uruguay, Ecuador, and Brazil. Upon his retirement, he moved to New Mexico with his wife and started Italia Roadrunner, a tourism service that offers self-guided day trips for Umbria and Tuscany.

With retirement providing him with a lot of free time, David P. Wagner made use of his experiences working in Italy to become a writer. His first endeavor was a nonfiction work all about the origin of street names in the Italian capital Rome. Since his first work never sold much, he decided to give writing another go by writing about what he knew – mysteries. He took his cues from Camilleri, Leon, and Dibdin, three of the biggest Italy-based mystery authors who inspired him to write novels with an Italian setting. By this time, he had a load of tourist materials on Italy in his home office and he decided to add stories to the information he had on various towns in Italy. Intertwining his love for crime fiction and his love for Italian culture, he created the popular Rick Montoya Italian Mysteries. The lead in the series is an American translator named Rick Montoya who works on various mysteries across the country. Every novel is set in an Italian setting and offers various cultural insights and a rich tapestry. He debuted his series with the novel Cold Tuscan Stone in 2016 and has been publishing ever since.

At some point, Wagner and Mary his wife moved to Pueblo Colorado alongside Mitzi their cat. His professional background, personal experiences, and profound love for all things Italian continue to influence his writing. He continues to provide his readers with some of the most engaging storylines celebrating the richness of Italian culture. Their son who is also the designer of his website makes his home a few hours from them and sometimes drops in to pick up homemade pasta and see the cat, Mitzi.

David P. Wagner published Cold Tuscan Stone a brilliant mystery fiction work in 2013. The lead in the novel is Rick Montoya who moved to Rome from New Mexico and is now working as a translator. He has been settling in when a friend from school now employed at the Italian Art Squad asks if he would be interested in an undercover role. With an expense account, a list of suspects, and galleries, Rick arrives in Tuscany pretending to be a buyer for a gallery in Santa Fe, so that he can flush out some notorious traffickers of burial urns. On his first day in the town of Volterra, an employee of a gallery falls to his death from a high cliff. The local Commisario and his officers deem Rick a rank amateur and foreigner who has no business interfering in their affairs. But then they begin to suspect that he was involved in the murder of the gallery employee. While the Commisario conducts its investigations, Rick does his own as he interviews a sensuous heiress, with a clientele interested in private art, a museum director, a low-profile export/import businessman, and his hard-working color coordinate PA. When Erica his girlfriend arrives to visit, she reawakens a friendship with a possibly dangerous but alluring acquaintance. Has Rick’s role made him the target of both criminals and cops?

David P. Wagner’s Death in the Dolomites has Rick Montoya hoping to take a break from his job to go ski in the Alps with Flavio his old college buddy. However, given his success in helping the police with a murder in Tuscany, the cops in Campiglio believe he can help them too. An American banker has gone missing in Milan and his sister who is a spoiled but attractive divorcee is at a loss at what could have happened. Even the locals who last saw him skiing on the slopes are none the wiser. When a body is found, Inspector Albani and Rick team up to investigate. Campiglio the picturesque resort has a history of old rivalries, cut-throat political campaigns, and citizens on the make. But even as they are working on the investigation, they head to the Dolomites which are perfect for skiing at this time of the year. As for women, Rick is beginning to wonder if the divorced sister of the missing man is interested in him or if she is just interested in information. As things heat up, Rick is tested to his limits even as his uncle who is a police officer in Rome urges him to consider a career in policing. Just like in the debut, Death in the Dolomites immerses its readers in the tastes, smells, and sights of Italy but with a surprising negative side.

Murder Most Unfortunate by David P. Wagner is a fascinating mystery work once again following the life and times of Rick Montoya. He was working as an interpreter at a conference held by Jacopo da Bassano the artist and decided to explore the town. The place has much to offer Rick, beginning with several walled and picturesque towns, an ancient castle, and the famous covered bridge, all within walking distance. He is also planning to have a taste of local cuisine combining the best of Venice with Po Valley dishes and those of the surrounding mountains. But his plans are brought to a screeching halt when a professor at the seminar is found dead. Rick finds himself once again working in a murder investigation, working with police officers who personify the worst and best of Italian law enforcement.