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Andrea Camilleri's novels starring Inspector Montalbano have become an international sensation in eight different languages. This funny and fast-paced Sicilian page-turner will be a delicious discovery for mystery afficionados and fiction lovers alike. Andrea Camilleri's novels starring Inspector Montalbano have become an international sensation in eight different languages. This funny and fast-paced Sicilian page-turner will be a delicious discovery for mystery afficionados and fiction lovers alike.
User reviews
LibraryThing member richardderus
Television made me do it.
No. Really. There's an Inspector Montalbano mystery series made in Italy, filmed in Sicily, and all in Italian with subtitles. Since there are no Italian people in New York City and environs, our local PBS stations AND the city's wholly owned TV station neither one carry
It was left to a not-very-cultured bud of mine in **DAYTONA, FLORIDA** of all the lowbrow, low-rent places, to gush and rave and generally make a to-do over scrumptious Sicily and handsome Montalbano blah blah blah. Wench. And oh the insufferable coos of "Really? Truly? You haven't even *read* the books? No! Get out!"
THEN, to add insult to injury, who but our very own cyborg-siren second class Caroline should pop up with more rapturous flutings about Camilleri and Montalbano and well, you see?? See?! How on earth is one two-eyed human supposed to resist a nine-eyed cyborg's enticements? Okay, she's not up there with Stasia yet, but just a few more eye grafts and it's Katie bar the door! (This exempts Suzanne, who has read 365 books as of today, apparently by means of aetheric osmosis, since she's also busy writing articles of six to ten thousand words, per minute mind you, and giving speeches in multiple locations...someone tell Hermione her time-twister's missing.)
So fine fine, I give, five lights, I'll go get the blasted thing. I did, at 2:10pm yesterday. I finished the second read at 4pm today. It's short, obviously, but it's just completely fabulously delicious. It's wry, it's witty, and it's got my favorite quality: Good people do the right thing, even if it's illegal, and bad people don't get away with dick.
Montalbano's got a lover in Genoa, a hot chick who happens to be his friend's daughter all worked up for him, and a murder suspect who is an Italian man's wet dream: tall, blonde, Swedish, racing car driveress. Does he cheat on the lover? No. Does he seem to want to? Not so much, he really can't be bothered about silly stuff like that when the local party big-wig is found half-naked and dead in the local errr, mmm, uuuh "playground" shall we say. The man's widow, completely unfazed by this, helps Montalbano see the details that are wrong, the little discrepancies that shouldn't be noticeable, but when added up make the whole picture...askew.
The resolution to this case is one I wish some publisher would allow an American author to get away with. I just can't say enough about the rightness of it all. Sicily needs me, I must fly there immediately! Well, via Camilleri's books. And over Boston, where I plan to *bomb* a Certain Party's residence.
No. Really. There's an Inspector Montalbano mystery series made in Italy, filmed in Sicily, and all in Italian with subtitles. Since there are no Italian people in New York City and environs, our local PBS stations AND the city's wholly owned TV station neither one carry
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it. {/sarcasm}It was left to a not-very-cultured bud of mine in **DAYTONA, FLORIDA** of all the lowbrow, low-rent places, to gush and rave and generally make a to-do over scrumptious Sicily and handsome Montalbano blah blah blah. Wench. And oh the insufferable coos of "Really? Truly? You haven't even *read* the books? No! Get out!"
THEN, to add insult to injury, who but our very own cyborg-siren second class Caroline should pop up with more rapturous flutings about Camilleri and Montalbano and well, you see?? See?! How on earth is one two-eyed human supposed to resist a nine-eyed cyborg's enticements? Okay, she's not up there with Stasia yet, but just a few more eye grafts and it's Katie bar the door! (This exempts Suzanne, who has read 365 books as of today, apparently by means of aetheric osmosis, since she's also busy writing articles of six to ten thousand words, per minute mind you, and giving speeches in multiple locations...someone tell Hermione her time-twister's missing.)
So fine fine, I give, five lights, I'll go get the blasted thing. I did, at 2:10pm yesterday. I finished the second read at 4pm today. It's short, obviously, but it's just completely fabulously delicious. It's wry, it's witty, and it's got my favorite quality: Good people do the right thing, even if it's illegal, and bad people don't get away with dick.
Montalbano's got a lover in Genoa, a hot chick who happens to be his friend's daughter all worked up for him, and a murder suspect who is an Italian man's wet dream: tall, blonde, Swedish, racing car driveress. Does he cheat on the lover? No. Does he seem to want to? Not so much, he really can't be bothered about silly stuff like that when the local party big-wig is found half-naked and dead in the local errr, mmm, uuuh "playground" shall we say. The man's widow, completely unfazed by this, helps Montalbano see the details that are wrong, the little discrepancies that shouldn't be noticeable, but when added up make the whole picture...askew.
The resolution to this case is one I wish some publisher would allow an American author to get away with. I just can't say enough about the rightness of it all. Sicily needs me, I must fly there immediately! Well, via Camilleri's books. And over Boston, where I plan to *bomb* a Certain Party's residence.
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LibraryThing member Crazymamie
I am told that these books only get better, and if that is true, how could you possibly resist a trip through Inspector Montalbano's world? These police procedurals that are set in Italy are full of deliciously raunchy dialogue, colorful characters, and a subtle humor that makes the whole thing a
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very fun read. On top of that we get Inspector Salvo Montalbano himself - suave, confident, and intelligent enough to understand that the best way to deal with a corrupt system is to play by his own rules. Honest but determined to do the right thing despite political pressures, Montalbano manipulates the weaknesses in the system to serve his own purposes. When justice is not available, perhaps fairness will do. Show Less
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
A dead politician is discovered in his car in a place he shouldn't be. Did he die of natural causes, or was he murdered? There are enough questions about the circumstances of the death that Inspector Montalbano keeps the investigation open, despite pressure to close it quickly.
Montalbano seems to
I listened to this one on audio, and it took me a while to warm up to it. The last two audio books I listened to had exceptional readers, and this one was just average. I might have liked the book a little more if I had read it rather than listened to it.
Montalbano seems to
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maintain an ethical standard in an environment with an international reputation for corruption. More than once Montalbano is in a situation where others might give in to temptation and he resists it. Since I just finished reading one of Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen books, I couldn't help comparing Montalbano to Zen. Montalbano is more self-assured and positive than is Zen. If I were a crime victim, I'd prefer to have Montalbano working the case.I listened to this one on audio, and it took me a while to warm up to it. The last two audio books I listened to had exceptional readers, and this one was just average. I might have liked the book a little more if I had read it rather than listened to it.
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LibraryThing member bell7
Two garbage collectors find a dead politician in a car parked on the notorious Pasture, the local place where people go to find a prostitute. Signor Lubarello died of a heart attack, but the situation surrounding his death suggests to Inspector Montalbano that all is not as it appears. He convinces
I never would have heard of this Italian police procedural if it hadn't been for Richardderus's recommendation based on my enjoyment of the Three Pines series. I don't read a lot of mysteries; I like them cozy, and I'm picky about it. Well, the Inspector Montalbano series is rougher around the edges than a cozy without going quite so far as the characters in The Maltese Falcon (I despised them, with no exceptions). Montalbano's informants are seedy people but trustworthy in their own fashion. Montalbano himself is not a saint, though he lives by his own code of ethics. Politics are dirty, allegiances are complicated, and it can be a little difficult to follow when you're as completely unfamiliar with Italian police and politics as I am. Even so, I was surprised that the seediness of some people and places didn't bother me more. Interactions between characters are believable and often humorous. The plot is fast-paced, keeping me reading late into the night to get just that much closer to the end, and intrigued me enough to want to continue the series.
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the judge to let him continue his investigation, even though the death is apparently natural and all Montalbano has to go on is a hunch.I never would have heard of this Italian police procedural if it hadn't been for Richardderus's recommendation based on my enjoyment of the Three Pines series. I don't read a lot of mysteries; I like them cozy, and I'm picky about it. Well, the Inspector Montalbano series is rougher around the edges than a cozy without going quite so far as the characters in The Maltese Falcon (I despised them, with no exceptions). Montalbano's informants are seedy people but trustworthy in their own fashion. Montalbano himself is not a saint, though he lives by his own code of ethics. Politics are dirty, allegiances are complicated, and it can be a little difficult to follow when you're as completely unfamiliar with Italian police and politics as I am. Even so, I was surprised that the seediness of some people and places didn't bother me more. Interactions between characters are believable and often humorous. The plot is fast-paced, keeping me reading late into the night to get just that much closer to the end, and intrigued me enough to want to continue the series.
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LibraryThing member pw0327
Dottore Montalbano is urbane, intelligent, smooth, guttoral, well dressed, well read, well spoken, sharp as a tack, and as cynical as they come without resorting to bitterness. He is a detective in the Sicilian town of Vigate, a town seemingly overruned with crime, crooked politicians (is there
The beauty of this book is not that the crimes are all that difficult to figure out. Plus the previous reviewers have delved into the intricacies of the plot. I will focus on the beauty of this book.
The beauty of this book is the tone of the conversations, the nature of the repartee and the give and take between friends and foes, the political, the literary, the profane and the profound. It is like a long drawn out lunch over a fine lunch al fresco, with an abundance of good wine and gossip. Food for the mind, body, and soul. It lets you into the conversations that Italian friends have with each other, all the laughs, conflicts, and resolutions. This book was an extended conversation with Camilleri and his views of everything Sicilian.
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another kind?), communists, fascists, over sexed and moneyed men and women. The beauty of this book is not that the crimes are all that difficult to figure out. Plus the previous reviewers have delved into the intricacies of the plot. I will focus on the beauty of this book.
The beauty of this book is the tone of the conversations, the nature of the repartee and the give and take between friends and foes, the political, the literary, the profane and the profound. It is like a long drawn out lunch over a fine lunch al fresco, with an abundance of good wine and gossip. Food for the mind, body, and soul. It lets you into the conversations that Italian friends have with each other, all the laughs, conflicts, and resolutions. This book was an extended conversation with Camilleri and his views of everything Sicilian.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
The first in his Inspector Montalbano series, The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri was a very enjoyable excursion to Sicily. As opposed to some of the darker European crime stories, Montalbano has both a warmth and lightness that makes the reader feel comfortable immediately. The food
The mystery itself was a lesson in political machinations with misplaced loyalties and ambitions. With a nice twist, Montalbano proves to himself exactly what happened to Silvio Luparello. He also proves to the reader that not only is he willing to bend the rules a little, he is also a very smart detective which bodes well for future books.
Although I mentioned lightness up above, this book was far from light-weight. Montalbano threads his way through a cauldron of corruption, and the darker side of Sicily is not disguised in any way. This was a story of contrasts with stark honesty, humor, warmth and vendettas mixed throughout. I am intrigued and will definitely be continuing on with this series.
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descriptions alone have me wishing a trip to Italy was in my near future.The mystery itself was a lesson in political machinations with misplaced loyalties and ambitions. With a nice twist, Montalbano proves to himself exactly what happened to Silvio Luparello. He also proves to the reader that not only is he willing to bend the rules a little, he is also a very smart detective which bodes well for future books.
Although I mentioned lightness up above, this book was far from light-weight. Montalbano threads his way through a cauldron of corruption, and the darker side of Sicily is not disguised in any way. This was a story of contrasts with stark honesty, humor, warmth and vendettas mixed throughout. I am intrigued and will definitely be continuing on with this series.
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LibraryThing member tututhefirst
This was a delightful story, with an intelligent hero, and entirely believable events. The cast of characters had me roaring with laughter at times--reminiscent of my italian uncles sitting around my Nona's kitchen table debating how many nits in a nat. A great short read with a good plot, and a
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little surprise twist at the end Show Less
LibraryThing member Limelite
Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano works at breakneck speed conducting an unofficial investigation into a natural death criminalized by political ambition and sordid personal relations. The stereotype of Italian officialdom is counter intuitive to Inspector Montalbano's character in this novel. In
Of all the characters, it is the Little Man whom Camilleri's most admires and with whom Montalbano sympathizes. The great and powerful are, in contrast, the selfish and corrupt. Through Camilleri's lens, law enforcement seems less serious business than comic opera at times, except in the person of Montalbano and his boss, the commissioner, a refined and rather elegant by friend who is up on his literary references and who enjoys occasional social evenings in Montalbano's company, when they discuss ongoing cases in terms philosophical and psychological rather than in terms of law and evidence.
Readers will enjoy submerging their imaginations into the Sicilian psyche, culture, and history. The mystery, as story, signals it's solution and resolution, which may disappoint fans of puzzlers typical of the Golden era of Mystereies. No doubt, Inspector Montalbano is easy to love, but his style of manipulating actors in the plot does seem more like a small god presiding over the story board, moving the scenic pieces around to make everything come out the way the inspector wants things to. In fact, his girlfriend tells him he may seem to himself to be a 4th rate god toward the end of the novel. For this volume, I agree with her astute evaluation.
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fact, Camilleri's emphasizes his executive's honesty, goodness, morality, and fidelity in the face of temptation.Of all the characters, it is the Little Man whom Camilleri's most admires and with whom Montalbano sympathizes. The great and powerful are, in contrast, the selfish and corrupt. Through Camilleri's lens, law enforcement seems less serious business than comic opera at times, except in the person of Montalbano and his boss, the commissioner, a refined and rather elegant by friend who is up on his literary references and who enjoys occasional social evenings in Montalbano's company, when they discuss ongoing cases in terms philosophical and psychological rather than in terms of law and evidence.
Readers will enjoy submerging their imaginations into the Sicilian psyche, culture, and history. The mystery, as story, signals it's solution and resolution, which may disappoint fans of puzzlers typical of the Golden era of Mystereies. No doubt, Inspector Montalbano is easy to love, but his style of manipulating actors in the plot does seem more like a small god presiding over the story board, moving the scenic pieces around to make everything come out the way the inspector wants things to. In fact, his girlfriend tells him he may seem to himself to be a 4th rate god toward the end of the novel. For this volume, I agree with her astute evaluation.
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LibraryThing member electrascaife
So many folks here and elsewhere have had such good things to say about this series that I went into it 100% assuming I'd love it. I...didn't. In fact, I didn't like it at all. It was a little too...harsh? And I just couldn't feel interested in the setting or the plot, plus I didn't cotton to
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Montalbano at all. *shrug* Show Less
LibraryThing member kisigler
This book is set in Sicily and I picked it up because after reading the Girl With the Dragon Tatoo books in quick succession, I was looking for something warmer and lighter. While this didn’t turn out to be exactly what I was looking for, I enjoyed it all the same. The heat in the book was
I would recommend this to anyone who likes sparse writing, Italian food, and cares more about character than plot.
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oppressive, so instead of putting me in a vacation mindset, it heightened the feelings of claustrophobia felt by the people living in and around the small town of Vigata, where the story is set. When a prominent local politician is found dead in a car with his pants around his ankles, Inspector Salvo Montalbano unearths secrets, both public and private, while trying to discover the truth. The details of this mystery were not particularly compelling for me, but Montalbano was. He is both of and above Vigata- able to gain the trust of those he meets, and see the motivations behind their every move. He also eats fabulous meals. I would recommend this to anyone who likes sparse writing, Italian food, and cares more about character than plot.
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LibraryThing member labfs39
I know this is probably a very good mystery deserving far more than 3*, but I am just not a mystery fan. I try every now and then, especially when a book is supposed to be very good, but I never quite get it. I feel as though I have let some fellow readers down, but there we are.
Inspector
This mystery, the first in the series, involves a politician who is found dead in an outdoor brothel. Everyone wants to save face and close the case quickly. All except the inspector and the dead man's widow. After wild car rides, a half-naked woman in the inspector's bed, a fascinating pimp with whom he went to school, and a sick child, all is resolved, but little is said.
Inspector
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Montalbano is an honest, but not necessarily a strictly law-abiding detective. He is true to his love interest, but pursued by most of the women he meets. Intelligent and savvy, he makes connections that no one else sees. All set on a rugged island in Italy. This mystery, the first in the series, involves a politician who is found dead in an outdoor brothel. Everyone wants to save face and close the case quickly. All except the inspector and the dead man's widow. After wild car rides, a half-naked woman in the inspector's bed, a fascinating pimp with whom he went to school, and a sick child, all is resolved, but little is said.
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LibraryThing member Joycepa
First in the Inspector Montalbano series, set in contemporary Sicily.
Introducing Inspector Salvo Montalbano, precinct chief in the fictional town of Vigáta near the provincial capital of Monetlusa (modelled on Agrigento, near where Camilleri was born and raised).
Montalbano is in his 40s, a
The dialogue is sharp, the humor excellent and Montalbano is no perfect human being, by any means—making him one of the more interesting figures in the mystery genre today. He has a long-time ‘girlfriend’, Livia, and their relationship which, at times, borders on the insane, makes for some hilarious moments in the books. The descriptions of Sicilian food are enough to send anyone rushing out to the market to buy octopus.
The Shape of Water introduces the cast in a murder that involves a very high-profile resident of Vigáta who is found dead with his pants down around his ankles in a notorious area known as The Pasture, the site of an open-air brothel. Since this is Sicily, nothing is what it looks like, and the mystery deepens as Montalbano and his crew try to find out exactly what happened. The resolution is typically Sicilian and perfect for the story.
Highly recommended.
Introducing Inspector Salvo Montalbano, precinct chief in the fictional town of Vigáta near the provincial capital of Monetlusa (modelled on Agrigento, near where Camilleri was born and raised).
Montalbano is in his 40s, a
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quintessential Sicilian—moody, sarcastic, quick-tempered—and a lover of good food. His character is brilliantly and affectionately drawn. And that’s why you read the series—not for the plots, which certainly are interesting, since the context of the plots could only be Siciliy—but because of the characters. Camilleri has created a stable of recurring characters who are sharply drawn and well-developed, even down to the humblest of the force, one Catarella, the station buffoon.The dialogue is sharp, the humor excellent and Montalbano is no perfect human being, by any means—making him one of the more interesting figures in the mystery genre today. He has a long-time ‘girlfriend’, Livia, and their relationship which, at times, borders on the insane, makes for some hilarious moments in the books. The descriptions of Sicilian food are enough to send anyone rushing out to the market to buy octopus.
The Shape of Water introduces the cast in a murder that involves a very high-profile resident of Vigáta who is found dead with his pants down around his ankles in a notorious area known as The Pasture, the site of an open-air brothel. Since this is Sicily, nothing is what it looks like, and the mystery deepens as Montalbano and his crew try to find out exactly what happened. The resolution is typically Sicilian and perfect for the story.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member everfresh1
This police mystery has likable character, good, sometimes very funny writing - which seems was preserved by excellent translation - and interesting backdrop (Sicily). I found the plot somewhat convoluted for my taste. Otherwise, interesting start for what became popular series. Not sure if I will
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continue with it though. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookbuyer
I love this series. The atmosphere, the outspokeness of the characters, the food, the scenery, and so on. Try to catch the Italian television series made from these books starring Luca Zingaretti.
LibraryThing member Fluffyblue
This was my first introduction to Inspector Montalbano, and I have to say I loved this book. Camilleri's writing style is very warm and his characters are very much alive (or dead as the case may be!) because of his descriptive prose. It was an intelligent and funny novel and the ending provided a
I will certainly be looking out for more of these books in the future.
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bit of a surprise to me - although looking back, all the clues pointed to the perpetrator. I will certainly be looking out for more of these books in the future.
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LibraryThing member TadAD
I picked this up because a fair number of other LibraryThing members have enjoyed it but, I have to say, it didn't work for me.
The locale (Sicily) was exotic and interesting but that's about it for positive aspects.
I found the story awkward and choppy—it simply didn't flow along, one scene
Finally, I found the translation a bit clumsy. The people did not come across like they were speaking colloquially...yet, this isn't the type of book where that "foreign" feel was desirable.
I doubt I'll pick up another in this series. For mysteries set in Italy, I much prefer Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti stories.
The locale (Sicily) was exotic and interesting but that's about it for positive aspects.
I found the story awkward and choppy—it simply didn't flow along, one scene
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leading to another. Everything, from the events of the story to the thoughts of the characters, seemed to strike out of the blue. Nor did I find the characters enjoyable. They were emotionally flat and somewhat lifeless.Finally, I found the translation a bit clumsy. The people did not come across like they were speaking colloquially...yet, this isn't the type of book where that "foreign" feel was desirable.
I doubt I'll pick up another in this series. For mysteries set in Italy, I much prefer Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti stories.
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LibraryThing member Fernandame
Audiobook - Very good series - i read the second one and decided to start series from beginning.
LibraryThing member Smiler69
In the first of the Montalbano series, we find our Sicilian detective trying to solve a case involving the suspicious death of a local politician. The man has been found dead in his car, apparently of natural causes, his pants down, in a neighbourhood notorious for being frequented by prostitutes
This series takes place in Sicily, and part of it's great success in Italy is due to the fact that Camilleri wrote these novels in the regional italian dialects he learned as a child. It was suggested to me to read the French translation to stay nearer to the original text, though of course much is lost in translation, in the same way for example that French readers would miss out on the accents and local expressions of the protagonists in [The Grapes of Wrath]. This takes nothing away from story and characters, and I quite enjoyed the local flavour, the many references to corruption and mafia involvement, the colourful characters, and especially Montalbano himself, who is a man trying to find a balance between different notions of justice and do what's his conscience dictates. A short and enjoyable novel. I'll be reading more books in this series.
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and their johns. His superior is one of many who wonder why Montalbano feels compelled to keep working on what should be an open and shut case, but the detective's instincts tell him that there's been foul play and he's determined to get to the bottom of it. This series takes place in Sicily, and part of it's great success in Italy is due to the fact that Camilleri wrote these novels in the regional italian dialects he learned as a child. It was suggested to me to read the French translation to stay nearer to the original text, though of course much is lost in translation, in the same way for example that French readers would miss out on the accents and local expressions of the protagonists in [The Grapes of Wrath]. This takes nothing away from story and characters, and I quite enjoyed the local flavour, the many references to corruption and mafia involvement, the colourful characters, and especially Montalbano himself, who is a man trying to find a balance between different notions of justice and do what's his conscience dictates. A short and enjoyable novel. I'll be reading more books in this series.
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LibraryThing member isabelx
One day I saw that my friend had put a bowl, a cup, a teapot and a milk carton on the edge of a well, had filled them all with water, and was looking at them attentively.
"What are you doing?" I asked him. And he answered me with a question in turn.
"What shape is water?"
"Water doesn't have any
The first in this series of Sicilian police procedurals was a short book of just under 250 pages, with widely-spaced lines and large margins round each page, so it was a very quick read.
The story concerns the discovery of the body of a local politician, in his car in an area notorious for prostitution. He appears to have died of a heart attack so the police are under pressure to close the case quickly, but Inspector Salvo Montalbano, an honest cop in a corrupt system, believes that things are not exactly as they seem at first glance.
I'll definitely read the other books in this series if I come across them.
"What are you doing?" I asked him. And he answered me with a question in turn.
"What shape is water?"
"Water doesn't have any
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shape!" I said, laughing. "It takes the shape you give it."The first in this series of Sicilian police procedurals was a short book of just under 250 pages, with widely-spaced lines and large margins round each page, so it was a very quick read.
The story concerns the discovery of the body of a local politician, in his car in an area notorious for prostitution. He appears to have died of a heart attack so the police are under pressure to close the case quickly, but Inspector Salvo Montalbano, an honest cop in a corrupt system, believes that things are not exactly as they seem at first glance.
I'll definitely read the other books in this series if I come across them.
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LibraryThing member jasonlf
This police procedural is set in Sicily and has a plot grounded in the byzantine and corrupt local politics. The plot itself moves along and maintains interest but is not particularly thrilling, unexpected or extraordinary. But it has a lot of other elements, many of them more important, to
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recommend it including an excellent detective, much better than average writing with a wry sense of humor, and a great Sicilian setting that is integral to the story itself. Show Less
LibraryThing member tulikangaroo
I read the fourth book in the series, Voice of the Violin, and enjoyed it immensely, so I decided to read the rest of the series from the beginning. Salvo Montalbano is an experienced and insightful police inspector who can intuit not only the whodunnit but also the complex, often unpleasant,
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reasons why. Once again, I appreciated that the author and characters are not American, as it definitely gives the story a different flavor. The important thing is the journey, not the end, and not how long it takes. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookwoman247
This is the first in the Inspector Monalbano series. I very much enjoyed this police procedural which was set in Sicily. As you would expect from the Sicilian stereotype it was liberally sprinkled with mafiosos, mafia wannabes, corruption, and personal peccadillos.
Montalbano is an interesting
Montalbano is an interesting
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character who is full of local flavor. The mystery was well-plotted and very fast-paced. It moved forward like a smooth, well-oiled Ferrari. Show Less
LibraryThing member Berly
The Pasture is home to drug dealers and prostitutes. While working there one morning, two workers from the Splendour Refuse Collection Company find the dead body of Silvio Lupanello in his car in a compromising position, if you catch my drift. The death is determined to be from natural causes, (the
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man did have a weak heart after all), but Inspector Salvo Montalbano is not satisfied. Sicily's most respected detective refuses to bow to the pressure from politicians on high and follows his gut through false clues and corruption to the heart of the matter. Montalbano is an endearingly honest detective, who is also cynical, humorous, and compassionate, and never turns down a good meal. A very fun, light read with a few good plot twists thrown in. 3.5 Show Less
LibraryThing member bookswoman
I didn't enjoy this a much as I thought I might. It was an okay mystery and an interesting look at life in Italy but for some reason it didn't capture my attention so that I felt I had to keep reading to find out "who dunnit".
The story is told by a local police officer (see, I've forgotten his
He finds out; but I didn't much care for the whole trip and the twists and turns of Italian politics and mafia intervention just lost me. Oh well, several people I know loved this - I'm not one of them.
The story is told by a local police officer (see, I've forgotten his
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title already) and is about the mysterious death of a local politician who is found dead in his car, which is found near a local "known drug and prostitution" area. He finds out; but I didn't much care for the whole trip and the twists and turns of Italian politics and mafia intervention just lost me. Oh well, several people I know loved this - I'm not one of them.
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LibraryThing member thorold
La forma dell'acqua was the novel that introduced the character of Salvo Montalbano in 1994 (some later novels and stories are set earlier in Montalbano's career). In the opening pages, a prominent local businessman and political figure is found dead in his car in an a bit of waste ground notorious
The humour, the constant subversion of authority (except for Montalbano's own authority over the Vigata police, of course), and the exaggerated food-worship are all very endearing. Camilleri's stage and TV experience show in the construction and execution of the story: generally in a good way, especially in the care he takes with the dialogue, which is always spot on and has to do most of the work of telling the story and defining the characters. But there are also some bits of "business" that didn't seem to work as well on the page as it would on screen: notably when he uses the old "gunfight with his own reflection" trick and we can see it coming a mile off.
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for drugs and prostitution. Even though there's nothing in the physical evidence to suggest foul play, Montalbano isn't happy, and launches an investigation, much against the wishes of his superiors. The humour, the constant subversion of authority (except for Montalbano's own authority over the Vigata police, of course), and the exaggerated food-worship are all very endearing. Camilleri's stage and TV experience show in the construction and execution of the story: generally in a good way, especially in the care he takes with the dialogue, which is always spot on and has to do most of the work of telling the story and defining the characters. But there are also some bits of "business" that didn't seem to work as well on the page as it would on screen: notably when he uses the old "gunfight with his own reflection" trick and we can see it coming a mile off.
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Awards
Mystère de la critique (1999)