The Safety Net by Andrea Camilleri

 

First Line: The alarm clock started ringing wildly.

 

When a Swedish television series begins filming in Vigàta, there is a frenzy of excitement. This new series is set in 1950, and the director asks locals to track down movies and vintage photos to faithfully recreate the town as it looked at that time. 

 

Ernesto Sabatello finds some movies shot by his father up in his attic. The films-- dated from 1958 to 1963-- were always shot on the same day and always had the same location, the outside wall of a country house. Montalbano is intrigued by the mystery of Sabatello's story and begins to check it out.

Meanwhile, a middle school is threatened by a group of armed men, and when Montalbano and his team begin looking into the situation, the inspector finds himself taking a closer look at the students themselves... and even into the world of social media.

~

By this time (book 25 of 28 in the series), I feel as though Salvo Montalbano is a beloved uncle, and The Safety Net brings this wily curmudgeon into the world of teenagers and social media. It also brings him into a situation all too familiar to Americans-- gun violence in schools. 

With his trademark humor, Andrea Camilleri sets us down in a town seething with excitement over the presence of a film crew in its midst. Some of the situations Montalbano and his team have to deal with are quite funny. But Camillleri can be quite serious, too.

The author shares his opinions about gun violence in schools as well as what he thinks about the internet and social media. ("How was it possible... that this vast new realm had only created a multitude of loners...?") And Montalbano shines when dealing with teenagers in this story. He starts out believing that he doesn't even come close to speaking the same language as the youngsters, but once he begins to apply himself to the task, he's better at it than he'd imagined. And-- wonder of wonders-- he even sits down with Catarella to do some work on the computer!

I've loved this series for a good long time. I love the setting, the food, the humor. The mystery of the home movies here in The Safety Net is a good one as well. But what I really love is Salvo Montalbano, a man so particular about his food that, if you invite him to dinner and he makes an excuse not to come, you know you're a bad cook. I hate to see my time with this series getting nearer to the end.

The Safety Net by Andrea Camilleri

Translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartorelli

eISBN:  9780525506621

Penguin Books © 2020

eBook, 269 pages

Police Procedural, #25 Inspector Montalbano

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

The Other End of the Line by Andrea Camilleri

 

First Line: They were sitting out on Livia's little balcony in Boccadasse in silence, enjoying the cool evening air.

 

Inspector Montalbano and his team along with countless volunteers have their hands full dealing with the waves of refugees arriving night after night on the Sicilian coast. What he doesn't need is Livia promising their presence at a friend's wedding. Not only that, but she insists he has a new-- tailored-- suit. Montalbano grudgingly agrees and meets Elena Biasini, the master seamstress. 

 

While on duty one night at the dock, the inspector is called to the tailor's shop where a woman has been found murdered. Now Montalbano not only has to manage the crowds dockside, but he also must enter the world of the garment industry to solve this murder.

 

~

 

I found Montalbano's twenty-fifth case, The Other End of the Line, to be one of his strongest. Yes, there's the element of humor, with the tech-leery Montalbano trying to deal with a GPS for the first time, and Catarella trying to take care of the victim's cat. Yes, there's the mouth-watering Sicilian food. Yes, there's Livia with her demands and arguments and Montalbano's intuition and dreams that always seem to lead him to the right path in his investigation. But there's more.

 

The Other End of the Line is firmly rooted in the crisis so many European countries have faced with thousands of refugees seeking asylum. Author Andrea Camilleri skillfully shows the logistics of dealing with frightened people almost every night and brings an even more human side to the situation with the plight of a young refugee girl. 

 

The mystery is a tough one to solve. Montalbano has to deal with a member of his team trying to fit up a rival with the murder of the woman in the tailor's shop, and the victim herself is so secretive that it makes the investigation even harder. 

 

This book's treatment of the refugee crisis makes it one of the strongest in this long-running series. We get to observe both Montalbano's heart and his considerable skills. I'm looking forward to his next case even though it means that I get closer to the end of one of my favorite series.

The Other End of the Line by Andrea Camilleri

Translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarelli

ISBN: 9780143133773

Penguin Books © 2019

Paperback, 304 pages

 

Police Procedural, #24 Inspector Montalbano mystery

Rating: A

Source: Paperback Swap

The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri

 

First Line: At half past five that morning-- give or take a few minutes-- a fly that had long been glued to the windowpane as though dead suddenly opened its wings, rubbed them together to clean them, then took flight and, a moment later, changed direction and landed on the bedside table.

 

What with pesky flies and breaking up fistfights on the beach, Inspector Salvo Montalbano's day doesn't begin auspiciously. When he finally arrives at the police station, even stranger things await his attention.

 

A local woman was abducted, drugged, and then released unharmed a few hours later. The case gets much higher priority when the same thing happens a couple of days later. Both women are thirty years old and work in a bank. Montalbano also has to deal with an arson case in which the store owner has vanished. 

 

At first, this case of arson and a missing person seems trivial, but when a third woman is abducted (yet another young woman who works in a bank) and a body is found, the inspector finds himself with a whole new set of questions.

~

One of the reasons why I read Andrea Camilleri's series is because of its humor, but I have to admit that the humor has been lacking in the past few books. I am happy to say that the comedy is back in full force in The Overnight Kidnapper, and I enjoyed every second of it. The stories in the past few books seemed a bit lackluster to me as well, and that changed in this book, too. Perhaps it's due to something Camilleri says in the Afterward. Unlike the other recent books, The Overnight Kidnapper was not inspired by a newspaper article that the author read. It could be that giving himself a rest from the real world set him free to get back to the roots of this long-running series.

The story, with its arson case and the strange abductions of young women who worked in local banks, also kept me wondering what was going on, and-- as usual-- I enjoyed watching Montalbano figure it all out. Even if he can't find his way out of a hospital, Montalbano is a master (1) at knowing all the major crime figures on his patch, (2) how to work with his contacts in the local media, and (3) even more importantly, how to manipulate his aggravating superior.

If anything was lacking in this book, it was food. There were no real descriptions of the mouth-watering meals Montalbano usually enjoys. He went into his favorite restaurant, he ate, and then he walked along the jetty. Even his housekeeper didn't keep his refrigerator and oven filled with her usual feasts. Ah well. I suppose we all have to go on diets periodically.

With the death of Camilleri in 2019, there are no more new Montalbano mysteries, and I find myself wanting to read these last few even slower, to stretch out my enjoyment for as long as I can. This talented man created a cast of characters, an entire fictional world, that I have lived in happily for many years. It's always sad to have something like this end.

The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri

Translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarelli.

ISBN: 9780143131137

Penguin © 2019

Paperback, 272 pages

 

Police Procedural, #23 Inspector Montalbano mystery

Rating: A

Source: Paperback Swap

The Pyramid of Mud by Andrea Camilleri

 

First Line: The Thunderclap was so loud that not only did Montalbano suddenly wake up in terror, but he gave such a start that he nearly fell out of bed.

 

Vigàta has been hit by days of rain and flooding, so it's a slippery slog when Inspector Salvo Montalbano is called out to a murder scene at a construction site that's buried in mud.

 

The investigation gets off to a slow start, but once it gets going, the man's death seems to have ties to the worlds of construction, public contracts, and the Mafia. Who better to get to the bottom of this slimy mess than the wily Montalbano?

~

This workmanlike twenty-third book in Camilleri's marvelous series shows us that no one knows the inner workings of the police, the media, and the Mafia like Salvo Montalbano. In fact, he knows these areas so well that I don't even bother trying to solve the mystery myself; I just sit back and enjoy watching the inspector do all the work. 

Although The Pyramid of Mud does show us some of the ins and outs of Italian construction work, it's a stand-out for me in a different area: Livia. Normally, I don't care for the mysteries in which Livia takes part because all she and Montalbano ever seem to do is to pick fights with each other. Relationships based on fighting and making up are big yawns for me. But in this book, Livia is ill, and I found Montalbano's lack of focus on the murder investigation due to his concern for her to be touching. Could these two be mellowing in their advancing years? I hope so!

 

After reading this book, I'm one step closer to the series' end, something I'd rather not acknowledge. I'd always hoped that Montalbano would go on forever and ever and ever...

The Pyramid of Mud by Andrea Camilleri

Translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarelli

ISBN: 9780143128083

Penguin Books © 2018

Paperback, 272 pages

 

Police Procedural, #23 Inspector Montalbano mystery

Rating: B

Source: Paperback Swap

A Nest of Vipers by Andrea Camilleri

 

First Line: He found himself in a dense forest with Livia, having no idea how they got there.

 

When wealthy widower Cosimo Barletta is found dead with a gunshot wound to the neck, his past is opened to scrutiny as Inspector Montalbano and his team work to find the man's killer. And what a past it is. Barletta has spent a lifetime cruelly extorting beautiful young women to become his mistresses, and if that weren't enough, it becomes obvious that his wealth was based upon greed and corruption. It might take Montalbano extra time to sort through all the people Barletta has done wrong in order to find the killer. But if anyone can do it, the wily inspector can.

~

In a series that has run as long as Andrea Camilleri's has, not every installment is going to be a barnburner. That is the case with A Nest of Vipers. In his Author's Note, Camilleri admits that the plot of this book is very similar to that of The Paper Moon, the difference being that he became stronger in writing about a certain topic in A Nest of Vipers. I could tell you what that topic is, but it would give away too much of the story. Personally, I think it's one that doesn't need multiple covers due in part to the fact that it can be too easily deduced.

Speaking of deduction, Salvo Montalbano is never at his best when confronted with beautiful young women. One after another, he is brought face to face with drop-dead gorgeous young things as he tries to work his way through all the dead man's mistresses. They are prime suspects after all. Also, in previous reviews I've made it very clear that I don't like Montalbano's longtime girlfriend, Livia. She can't cook. She's vindictive. She hates Montalbano's housekeeper. And--worst of all in my book-- she lives to pick fights with the inspector. But... if you are one of the many who believe fighting adds spice to any romance, this relationship will be right in your wheelhouse.

For me, the saving grace of A Nest of Vipers is its humor. From the gold standard dialogue of Catarella to the coroner whose aspiration in life is to perform Montalbano's autopsy to the inspector's finding a new home for his mountains of paperwork, there are plenty of smiles, chuckles, and outright laughs to be found.

If only there hadn't been an overload of estrogen. Poor Montalbano has so much trouble dealing with it.

A Nest of Vipers by Andrea Camilleri

Translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarelli

ISBN: 9780143126652

Penguin Books © 2017

Paperback, 272 pages

 

Police Procedural, #22 Inspector Montalbano mystery

Rating: C+

Source: Paperback Swap

A Voice in the Night by Andrea Camilleri

 

First Line: He woke up at exactly six-thirty a.m., rested, fresh, and perfectly lucid.

 

A robbery at a local supermarket is a standard case for the police... or is it? When the manager is later found hanging in his office, Inspector Montalbano and his team have their doubts. 

They soon have a second case on their hands when the body of a brutally murdered young woman is found in the apartment of a rich young man who has a flawless alibi and whose father is the president of the province.

 

As they begin to investigate, the supermarket robbery leads to a large local company, and as the pieces come together, Montalbano is going to need every ounce of knowledge and skill he possesses because justice will be coming face to face with the insatiable machinery of politics and the mafia.

 

~

 

When I need a little break from the normal ebb and flow of crime fiction, I know I can always turn to the irascible Inspector Salvo Montalbano and his team. Not only do I get to enjoy a mental vacation in Sicily with its memorable landscape and mouth-watering food, but I also learn about the area's political machinations. That I also get to laugh is mere icing on the cake.

 

I love watching Montalbano put the pieces of a puzzle together. In some ways, he reminds me of Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police because he knows the local people he serves so well. It also doesn't hurt that Montalbano's knowledge of the mafia and local politics is encyclopedic.

 

In each book, the grumpy crime-solving maestro usually has something to say about the world at large with which I find myself in total agreement. In A Voice in the Night, it's an observation about intolerance: "Why so much mutual intolerance? Why was it that nobody could any longer stand his neighbor, his coworker, or even his schoolmate?" It certainly does seem to be that way, doesn't it?

 

Two more things that I love about this book and the entire series are Stephen Sartarelli's wonderful translations and Camilleri's sense of humor. Montalbano may be grumpy and have a short fuse, but Camilleri knows how to make us laugh about it. This time around, Montalbano starts having trouble remembering names which makes him worry that he's turning into Catarella. Long-time fans of the series love Catarella, who's usually the butt of jokes. But  Camilleri has waved his magic wand over this character and made him someone who's not just the source of laughs but also someone who does have special talents and can even make us cry from time to time. A Montalbano book without Catarella is a book without its zest.

 

If you love learning about other countries, their landscapes, their culture, their food, and how things work, by all means, make your acquaintance with Salvo Montalbano and his team. You'll find yourself laughing and learning through the entire series. I'm looking forward to the next time I visit the inspector.    

 

A Voice in the Night by Andrea Camilleri

Translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarelli.

ISBN: 9780143126447

Penguin © 2016

Paperback, 288 pages

 

Policed Procedural, #20 Inspector Montalbano mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Paperback Swap

A Beam of Light by Andrea Camilleri

First Line: Since the first light of dawn, the morning had shown itself to be erratic and whimsical.

The weather is causing the irascible Inspector Salvo Montalbano to have strange dreams, and his mood is further hampered by the appearance of a beguiling art gallery owner. In fact, he's so bewitched that his relationship with the fiery Livia may be in danger. Personal life aside, Montalbano has to deal with the assault and robbery of a merchant's young wife and a search for arms traffickers. It's no rest for the weary.

~

A Beam of Light is vintage Camilleri. From the inimitable Catarella's knowledge of Latin to Montalbano's "friendship" with a crab down at the end of the jetty, Camilleri knows how to make readers laugh. Food also plays a mouthwatering part in the proceedings. One of Montalbano's most important indulgences is food. The man breaks into a cold sweat when someone else chooses the restaurant. It's true!

But before you think everything is played for laughs, think again. The meaning of the book's title is so poignant that it may make a tear come to your eye. There are three cases that Montalbano and his team must solve, and-- as always-- it is so enjoyable to watch the inspector's mind work as he investigates and begins to put everything together.

I've been slowly savoring each book in this series, knowing that it would inevitably come to an end. If you haven't read a Montalbano mystery, grab one. The purist in me suggests that you start at the beginning with The Shape of Water, especially if you're in the market for a long-running, high-quality series that will keep you laughing, keep you guessing, and keep your mouth watering. Worried about books in translation? Don't be. Stephen Sartarelli is a master of his craft. You're in good hands with Camilleri and Sartarelli. Come on... take a trip to Sicily!

A Beam of Light by Andrea Camilleri

Translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarelli.

ISBN: 9780143126430

Penguin © 2015

Paperback, 288 pages

 

Police Procedural, #19 Inspector Montalbano mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Paperback Swap

Game of Mirrors by Andrea Camilleri

First Line: He'd already been sitting for at least two hours, naked as the day God created him, in a chair that looked dangerously like an electric chair, wrists and ankles bound in iron bands to which were attached a great many wires that led into a metal cabinet all decorated on the outside with quadrants, pressure gauges, ampere meters, barometers, and little green, red, and blue lights blinking on and off without end.

When bombs explode outside two empty warehouses, Inspector Salvo Montalbano and his colleagues are stumped. What kind of message is the bomber trying to send? Since one of the warehouses is connected to a drug dealer, maybe that's the connection.

In the meantime, Montalbano's very sexy, very alluring, next-door neighbor Liliana Lombardo is trying her best to seduce the inspector-- and her best is enough to incinerate most men's restraint. Between bombs, drug dealers, sexy neighbors, and pesky reporters, Montalbano begins to feel that he is being manipulated, and it's a feeling he does not like-- especially when he becomes the prime suspect in a brutal murder.

After reading nineteen Montalbano mysteries, it's almost impossible to write a review without repeating myself. Another reviewer said, "You either love Andrea Camilleri or you haven't read him yet," and I'd like to think that's pretty much true. (Although I'm realistic enough to know that it's not.) For me, Andrea Camilleri's blend of intriguing mysteries, humor, and characterizations are wonderful, and from the second I pick up a Montalbano mystery, I know I'm going to enjoy it. Furthermore, Stephen Sartarelli cannot be praised highly enough for his brilliant translations of the books.

In Game of Mirrors, it's a pleasure to watch Montalbano's mind work because the mystery is a game of mirrors, filled with twists, turns, and almost everything seeming to be something it's not. Through it all, Camilleri makes me laugh. If I had to name one favorite humorous character in all the series that I read, Catarella would be my choice. You could almost be forgiven for believing that this man is a total buffoon... almost... except that it would mean that you haven't been paying close attention to the stories. Camilleri lets readers know that Catarella has his strong points, too. Besides, the irascible Montalbano wouldn't keep a complete moron on his staff.

If you haven't read an Inspector Montalbano mystery, you really should do something about that. Yes, the series is a long one, but it's written in such a way that you can jump in anywhere. Give one a try. You can thank me later.

Game of Mirrors by Andrea Camilleri

ISBN:  9780143123774

Penguin Books © 2015

Paperback, 288 pages

Police Procedural, #18 Inspector Montalbano mystery

Rating: A-

Source: Paperback Swap


 

Two Reviews for the Price of One: Crichton and Camilleri

First Line: Starting in the early dawn light, he had driven up into the mountains, leaving the flat sprawl of Kingston behind him.

James McGregor is hired to dive down to the wreck of the Grave Descend, a yacht sunk off the coast of Jamaica in an area infested by sharks. McGregor knows from the beginning that something isn't right about the entire setup, so he dives in with his eyes wide open.

Grave Descend by John Lange writing as Michael Crichton

eISBN: 9781480400610

Open Road Integrated Media © 2013

Originally published in 1970.

eBook, 203 pages

Thriller, Standalone

Rating: B

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

A collection of nine short stories from the inimitable Andrea Camilleri which covers some of the early cases of beloved Inspector Salvo Montalbano. 

Death at Sea: Montalbano's Early Cases
 by Andrea Camilleri

Translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarelli.

eISBN: 9781101992111

Penguin Books © 2018

eBook, 288 pages

Short Story Collection, Inspector Montalbano

Rating: B

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

Why did I combine these two book reviews? (1) Because I'm trying to get ready to go on holiday, and I'm running out of time, and (2) because I had the same reaction to each. Simple, eh?

Both books are by marvelous writers who really know how to tell a tale. Grave Descend was written under a pseudonym while Crichton was in medical school. (He must not have needed any sleep.) Both books are fast-paced and pull the reader in, but... (You knew there was a but) ...there really wasn't much substance to either. However, that did not bother me. Both books are very pleasant ways to spend an afternoon in settings and with characters you enjoy. I consider both to be time well spent.

 

Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri

First Line: He awoke with a start and sat up in bed, eyes already open.

A rash of burglaries has Inspector Salvo Montalbano stumped, and it just adds insult to injury when he begins receiving menacing letters from the mastermind behind the thefts.

One of those who've been burgled is beautiful young Angelica Cosulich, who soon has Montalbano mentally reciting passages from Ariosto's Orlando Furioso. Completely captivated by the young woman, Montalbano doesn't begin to snap out of his romantic fog until one of the burglars turns up dead. Now he knows that it's time to stop with the poetry and get back to work.

I needed a little pick-me-up when I began reading Angelica's Smile, and Camilleri had me laughing within the first twenty-five pages. The comedy team of Montalbano and Catarella is pure magic.

But this seventeenth book in the series isn't all slapstick comedy played for laughs. Unfortunately, Montalbano's lover Livia makes an appearance, and since she's the type of woman who lives to play the diva and to fight and argue I always pout when she shows up. I am thrilled to report that I didn't pout for very long.

While I'm immersing myself in the wonderful food and the brilliant characters of Camilleri's series, I'm also learning things-- like why prosecutors in Italy are against tapping telephones. Then there are the ingenious burglaries to be enjoyed, and they weren't resolved in the manner that I thought they would be, so that was icing on the literary cake.

It's always a pleasure to spend time with this aging inspector. Readers are guaranteed mouth-watering meals, plenty of laughs, mind-boggling crimes to solve, and Montalbano himself-- the all-too-human man of dreams whose head can be turned by a pretty face. This character is so real that, if I ever found myself in Sicily, I'd have to resist the temptation to look him up to ask for restaurant recommendations. Long live Camilleri! Long live Montalbano!

Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri

ISBN: 9780143123767

Penguin Books © 2014

Paperback, 304 pages

Police Procedural, #17 Inspector Montalbano mystery

Rating: A

Source: Paperback Swap


 

Treasure Hunt by Andrea Camilleri

First Line: That Gregorio Palmisano and his sister Caterina had been churchy people since childhood was known all over town.

Inspector Montalbano makes headlines when he's caught on film scaling a ladder to capture two elderly snipers who have opened fire on the people in the plaza below. The inside of the apartment is a nightmarish mix of religious objects... and a well-worn inflatable sex doll. Hailed as a hero, peace and quiet descends upon Montalbano's patch once more until he begins receiving cryptic notes  challenging him to go on a "treasure hunt." At first treated like amusing riddles, these messages begin to take a sinister turn, and Montalbano is no longer in withdrawal.

Not every book in a long-running series such as this can be a winner, and Camilleri's Treasure Hunt is not one of his best. I found it jarring. After the incident in the elderly snipers' apartment, Montalbano has to deal with "homicide withdrawal," and this is when the book takes a turn toward slapstick comedy (which is often hilarious). My favorite switchboard operator, Catarella himself, also has several scenes. Then in the last hundred pages, the tone becomes dark as the plot concentrates on the author of the treasure hunt.

Treasure Hunt is definitely a marriage of total opposites, and like many marriages, it's not completely successful. However, it is to be enjoyed for its wonderful sense of humor and for the chance to watch Montalbano's mind at work. His intuition is phenomenal. (In addition, it has added to my store of colloquialisms: "having a few cats to comb" -- a Sicilian expression which means to have tedious, difficult, and useless chores to attend to. Love it!)

Treasure Hunt by Andrea Camilleri

Translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarelli.

ISBN:  9780143122623

Penguin Books © 2013

Paperback, 288 pages

Police Procedural, #16 Inspector Montalbano mystery

Rating: C+

Source: Paperback Swap


 

The House of Eyes by Kate Ellis

First Line: The infant reclines in his large new pram, shiny and black as a royal Rolls Royce and sturdy as a tank cutting through a battlefield.

When Leanne Hatman goes missing, no one seems concerned except for her father. After all, Leanne is an aspiring model and can't wait to leave the boring backwater of Devon for the bright lights of London. But when Leanne's father claims that a photographer has been stalking her, DI Wesley Peterson decides to look for the girl.

Leanne worked at Eyecliffe Castle, once home to the wealthy D'Arles family and now converted to a luxury hotel. When her father is found murdered on the castle grounds, police fear that Leanne has met the same fate-- but where is her body?

Meanwhile, archaeologist Neil Watson recently returned from an excavation on Sicily, has made a disturbing discovery near Eyecliffe Castle and tells Wesley that he met Leanne's alleged stalker on Sicily. Now that Eyecliffe Castle has become the center of many of the threads in his investigation, Wesley suspects yet another connection between these recent crimes and the disappearance of two girls back in the 1950s. This is a time of great stress for the detective inspector because not only is he immersed in one of the most challenging cases of his career, he is also experiencing a very personal nightmare.

I have been a fan of Kate Ellis's Wesley Peterson mysteries since the very first book, The Merchant's House. The series now spans twenty-two books, and as long as she writes them, I'll be reading them and urging you to do the same. Ellis is superb at blending present-day and historical mysteries as well as creating a cast of characters that become your friends as you read through the investigations. 

Speaking of those characters, Wesley wonders about DC Rob Carter's ambition-- how far will it get him, and at what cost? We also experience more of Rachel's world's longest lead-in to a wedding (and longtime fans will know the reason why she's in no great hurry to get married). Wesley and Pam also have a scare that is beautifully handled, and Wesley's boss may be his old irascible self, but shouldn't he really start thinking about retirement? A wonderful cast of characters and we get first-rate mysteries to solve, too!

Wesley's friend, archaeologist Neil Watson, tends to get short shrift in the series, so I was happy to see that he not only had a larger role in the proceedings, he actually got to go to Sicily for a dig at the Temple of the Gods. (It was nice to see him out of the Devon mud.) Watson uncovers information about the creepy House of Eyes on Sicily as well as background on the D'Arles family and the Grand Tour that the son and heir went on in the 1780s. If you are a mystery lover who also loves a bit of history, this Grand Tour element should be right down your alley. It is also the perfect conduit for the chill factor that pervades the book all the way to the ending.

The House of Eyes is another strong mystery with excellent misdirection. This has always been a superb series, but somewhere along...say...book eighteen (The Shroud Maker), Kate Ellis seems to have raised her game into an even higher gear. I always try to stay a book or two behind in this series-- a safety margin of sorts so that I know I will always have something good to read-- but the way Ellis is writing now, this is harder and harder for me to do. Should all my reading dilemmas be so pleasant!

The House of Eyes by Kate Ellis

eISBN: 9780349403106

Piatkus Books © 2016

eBook, 384 pages

Police Procedural, #20 Wesley Peterson mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

The Dance of the Seagull by Andrea Camilleri

First Line: At about five-thirty in the morning, he could no longer stand lying in bed with his eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling.

Inspector Salvo Montalbano is just about to leave on vacation with Livia when he comes to a halt, transfixed by something he sees on the beach. A seagull is doing an odd dance on the sand...and then it falls over dead. Puzzled by what he's seen, Montalbano stops by the police station to check on things before leaving. He discovers that Fazio is nowhere to be found and was last seen on the docks, secretly working on a case. Montalbano's first priority now becomes finding Fazio, little knowing that he will soon uncover a hidden world of sadism, extortion, and murder.

When I began reading The Dance of the Seagull and learned that Montalbano was going on vacation with Livia, I groaned out loud. I'm not a fan of Livia; it seems that all she and the inspector can do when they're together is misunderstand each other and fight. I'd much rather deal with clues and dead bodies. But as soon as Montalbano steps foot inside the station and learns about Fazio, we are immediately immersed in an investigation.

Montalbano, the old grouch, seldom gets the sleep he needs, but now he seems to be getting flashes of "second sight" along with his insomnia. I love to watch this character put together completely disparate occurrences to form kernels of knowledge that tell him what's happened. All homicide detectives should be so lucky. He's also fortunate in the team he's brought together, and The Dance of the Seagull shows us exactly what each member is willing to do for the others. These men aren't simply co-workers who put their lives on the line; they are also friends, and-- most importantly-- family.

No Montalbano mystery is complete without a scene starring fan favorite Catarella and a few more showcasing the mouthwatering food of Sicily. This entire series is a gem, and one of the best pieces of translation I've come across in my reading. I've been with this series since the beginning (The Shape of Water), and the cast of characters, the setting, and the mysteries have me completely hooked. I'm not about to miss a single installment, and if you give the series a try, you'll probably find yourself feeling the same way.

The Dance of the Seagull by Andrea Camilleri
Translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarelli

ISBN: 9780143122616

Penguin Books © 2013

Paperback, 277 pages

Police Procedural, #15 Inspector Montalbano

Rating: B+

Source: Paperback Swap

Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano

First Line: On her sixtieth birthday, my Auntie Poldi moved to Sicily, intending to drink herself comfortably to death with a sea view.

As with all best-laid plans, Auntie Poldi's goes astray when she finds the dead body of a young man on the beach. For a short time, she's a suspect in the murder but soon she and the handsome Commissario Vito Montana have formed an investigative partnership that Poldi is hoping will turn into a romantic one.

Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions is told to Poldi's nephew who comes to visit each month from Germany. His aunt is a force of nature, and he is often appalled at some of her antics.

Already familiar with Sicily from Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano mysteries, I enjoyed reading a mystery set on the opposite side of the island where the shadow of the Etna volcano looms over all.

Giordano's setting is good, so is the mystery, and the food is mouthwatering. There are flashes of humor throughout the book, especially where they concern the mishaps Poldi has with her wig.

This first book in a series is good but for me, the story didn't really shine. I don't know if this is due to the translation or awkwardness because the nephew tells us the story secondhand.  What I do know is that I'll be reading the next book in the series to see what happens next.
  

Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano

Translated by John Brownjohn

ISBN: 9781908524690

Bitter Lemon Press © 2016

Paperback, 320 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #1 Auntie Poldi mystery

Rating: B

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen  


 

Kittling's Literary Tours: Montalbano's Sicily

I will be the first to admit that I'm an inveterate armchair traveler. I've never been able to afford to travel every place that I want to go, so it should be no surprise that I love books in which setting plays an important role. There are several mystery series where their settings could almost be called characters because they are so evocative. I can't help but picture the books' locations in my mind's eye as I read.

Sicily, right at the "toe" of Italy

Recently I finished reading The Age of Doubt, one of Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano mysteries set in southern Sicily. Camilleri does such a wonderful job of bringing his setting to life. I can envision Montalbano's home on the beach. I can smell the food he loves to eat. As he travels from one crime scene to the next, I can picture the countryside. Shortly after reading The Age of Doubt, I wondered about traveling to Sicily to follow in Montalbano's footsteps. I'd forgotten all about the television series based on the books that is filmed there, so I was momentarily surprised by the number of hits that came up in my search. 

Montalbano's "TV house"

What really made me smile was seeing the house they use as Montalbano's when filming the series. It looks exactly as I'd pictured it in all the books I've read! (For some odd reason, that really makes me want to watch this television series.) Of course the beach has to be right there so Montalbano can go for a swim whenever he likes, and there's plenty of places to sit outside to eat and to watch the sea.


Some of the tours Montalbano fans can sign up for are through Sicilian tour companies (Sicily Life Tours, Sicily Travel Net, Sicily Travel Tours, Sicily Day Tours), and some are through travel agencies in the UK (Expressions, Long Travel, The Thinking Traveller). Montalbano isn't a hit show in the United States, so the only American website I found tours mentioned on was Expedia.

Yum!

It is a lot of fun to browse through the websites to see what each tour consists of. Some tours are only a few hours. Some take an entire day, and you can also sign up for tours that last from three to four days.  

Most concentrate on the shooting locations for the television series, and since the production company did such a fantastic job in choosing Montalbano's home, it wouldn't bother me one little bit to see the rest of them. However, one company did specify a Montalbano literary tour for those of us who have only read the books. And did I mention that these tours aren't going to let us skip sampling the food? That would be a must for me; I've just read too many scenes of Montalbano enjoying his meals!



Regardless of what you may think of these tours, the money they can funnel into the local economy can be put to great use. For example, the popularity of both Downton Abbey and Outlander have given Highclere Castle and Doune Castle badly needed funds for essential restorations (like a new roof or two). 

Chances are that I will never take one of these tours, but I certainly did enjoy reading about them and looking through all the photos. I hope all you fellow armchair travelers (and Camilleri fans) will, too!

The Age of Doubt by Andrea Camilleri

First Line: He had just fallen asleep after a night worse than almost any other in his life, when a thunderclap as loud as a cannon blast fired two inches from his ear startled him awake.

That thunderclap heralded a ferocious storm. Unfortunately Montalbano didn't know the road to work had collapsed before he left his house the next morning. Stuck in terrible traffic jam, he manages to save a plain young woman who was trying to meet someone arriving on a yacht that day. Not long after she leaves, Montalbano discovers that the very same yacht has just reported finding a disfigured corpse. Also at the dock is a luxury vessel with a questionable crew. Everyone's going to have to stay put until Montalbano's investigation is over, but never fear: this veteran police officer is a magician at putting strange clues together in such a way that they lead straight to the bad guys.

The Age of Doubt is one of Andrea Camilleri's most enjoyable mysteries featuring the irascible Inspector Salvo Montalbano. Someone successfully cons him which simultaneously alarms and amuses him. He has a tough time identifying the dead man brought in on the yacht. And a good mind for geography is needed to piece together what those two vessels are doing in the harbor at Vigáta. It's all enough to make Montalbano doubt his abilities-- especially when he starts speaking in clichés.

The book also has Camilleri's trademark humor that can easily have me laughing out loud, as in scenes when Montalbano is desperately trying to get something done and no one cooperates. One can never say enough about Stephen Sartarelli's superb translations of these books, and the food? When's the next plane to Sicily-- I'm starving! There was only one small blighted spot in The Age of Doubt concerning something that is expected of Montalbano's married detective, but it's not about to spoil my enjoyment of wonderful series. Long live Salvo Montabano!
      

The Age of Doubt by Andrea Camilleri

Translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarelli.

ISBN: 9780143120926

Penguin Books © 2012

Paperback, 274 pages

Police Procedural, #14 Inspector Montalbano mystery 

Rating: B+

Source: Paperback Swap

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 

The Fourth Secret by Andrea Camilleri

First Line: Why did he find himself, at about three in the morning, hiding in a doorway, following Catarella's movements?

Inspector Salvo Montalbano's sleep is being disturbed by dreams, but his waking hours are soon filled with a murder investigation. Someone in the area has a blatant disregard for safety regulations, and six people have died in the past month as a result of workplace "accidents." Montalbano's highly developed nose for trouble tells him that these deaths are not accidents, and he's determined to find out what's really going on.

Once again, Andrea Camilleri has written a brilliant short story that's a perfect addition to his Montalbano canon. This little investigation is sure to please his fans as well as entice new readers with its deft plotting and wonderful characterizations. What is certain to thrill long-time fans the most is the fact that Montalbano works a case with the inimitable Catarella. Mimi is busy investigating a series of break-ins, and since Montalbano insists on working a case that's not in his jurisdiction, Fazio doesn't want a thing to do with it. So Montalbano is left with Catarella which means there's even more humor in this story than usual, and some of it is hilarious slapstick.

I only have one small complaint about "The Fourth Secret"-- it isn't translated by the superb Stephen Sartarelli. This translation by Rizzo and Siracusa works well, but it's a bit like stepping down to a Ford Focus when your normal ride is a Ferrari. Those readers who are used to Sartarelli's work on Camilleri's novels will notice the difference.

But it's a small quibble, and I would not have missed a chance to watch Montalbano and Catarella working together for the world!
  

The Fourth Secret by Andrea Camilleri

Translated from the Italian by Gianluca Rizzo and Dominic Siracusa

eISBN: 9781497686465

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore © 2014

eBook, 77 pages

Short Story, Inspector Salvo Montalbano mystery

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley