Jan 12

Jan 12 Tartufo

About the book

Author: Kira Jane Buxton
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

More info:
The StoryGraph | Goodreads
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the review.

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Bookshop.org (print or ebook) | Libro.fm (audio)

My Review

I absolutely loved Kira Jane Buxton’s Hollow Kingdom and Feral Creatures — they are still my go-to rec when someone asks me for a book that will make them laugh — so I was beyond excited when I heard that she had a new novel coming out. And of course I loved this one too.

Tartufo takes place in a struggling little village in Italy. All the children move away to big cities, and all the tourism dollars go to the next town over. But just when all hope seems lost, one of the villagers and his excellent doggo discover the world’s largest known truffle, kicking off a 24-hour mad dash to auction and the village’s potential salvation.

Buxton has such a knack for writing stories that are both funny and deeply heartwarming. It’s a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously — there’s a pregnant cat named Al Pacino and the voice Buxton uses is flowery and musical and fun, perfectly matched to a romp of a comedy set in Tuscany. And yet it will squeeze your heart and refuse to let go, sometimes when you least expect it.

This was the perfect way to kick off my 2025 reading in a year that will surely bring a great need for laughter, levity, and love. You will find all three in these pages.