Monday, July 20, 2015

The Potter's Field by Andrea Camilleri


First Line: He was awakened by a loud, insistent knocking at the door.

Once again, Inspector Montalbano has his hands full. An unidentified corpse has been found in soil rich with potter's clay. A woman reports her husband missing. It's not until Montalbano thinks of the Biblical story of the potter's field that he begins to piece everything together to solve the crimes.

It has become the norm to have a Montalbano mystery begin with one of the inspector's dreams. The Potter's Field is no exception, and Montalbano's dream is a lulu. The older he gets, the more wily he becomes, and it's a joy to watch him piece together all the clues he's gathered. 

The emphasis in any Montalbano mystery by Andrea Camilleri isn't exactly on the mystery. It's more of a triumvirate: the characters and their relationships to each other, a wonderful sense of humor, and a puzzle finally tracked to its source. The mystery isn't always baffling. Sometimes Camilleri allows us to solve it first so that we may sit back and watch Montalbano conduct his investigation. 

The Potter's Field is another enjoyable outing with one of my favorite policemen. Montalbano not only deals with multiple investigations, he also must face a betrayal from within, and his realization of Catarella's importance in his life brought a smile to my face. Camilleri has created a setting that's filled with beauty and ugliness, with friends, with laughter, and with mouthwatering food. I look forward to each and every one of my visits there.
 

The Potter's Field by Andrea Camilleri
Translated by Stephen Sartarelli
ISBN: 9780143120131
Penguin © 2011
Paperback, 277 pages

Police Procedural, #13 Inspector Montalbano mystery
Rating: B+
Source: Paperback Swap 


2 comments:

  1. I liked this one, too, Cathy. This series always has such a great blend, I think, of characters, plot and setting. And there's the food.... :-)

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