Kirkus Reviews
Sicilian Inspector Salvo Montalbano ponders a tricky question: What's the connection between a dead sexual athlete and an elderly neighboring couple? When Nene Sanfillipo is shot outside his Vigata home, the police question everybody in the adjoining apartments-everybody, that is, except Alfonso and Margherita Griffo, the retirees upstairs who've gone missing shortly after a bus tour to nearby Tindari. Further investigation reveals that Nene had a reputation among his neighbors as a sexual athlete and that the Griffos may never have returned from that bus trip. It can't be a coincidence, thinks Montalbano; there must be a link. Before he and his motley subordinates can connect the dots, however, he's summoned to a meeting with Don Balduccio Sinagra, head of a local crime family, that promises serious distraction. The don is convinced that his grandson Japichinu, gone into hiding and suffering from tuberculosis, would be better off in the hands of the caribinieri than on his own, at the mercy of any rising members of the New Mafia who might come across him. So Montalbano, without ever saying he'll do so, agrees to take Japichinu into custody. Readers familiar with his first four cases (The Voice of the Violin, 2003, etc.) will expect twists to follow, though they'll probably still be surprised in the end. From the leisurely opening movement to the final clatter of revelations, Camilleri presents Sicily with humor and without illusions.
From the Publisher
Praise for Andrea Camilleri and the Montalbano Series
“The idiosyncratic Montalbano is totally endearing.”—The New York Times
“Camilleri is as crafty and charming a writer as his protagonist is an investigator.”—The Washington Post Book World
“Hailing from the land of Umberto Eco and La Cosa Nostra, Montalbano can discuss a pointy-headed book like Western Attitudes Toward Death as unflinchingly as he can pore over crime-scene snuff photos. He throws together an extemporaneous lunch of shrimp with lemon and oil as gracefully as he dodges advances from attractive women.”—Los Angeles Times
“[Camilleri’s mysteries] offer quirky characters, crisp dialogue, bright storytelling—and Salvo Montalbano, one of the most engaging protagonists in detective fiction…Montalbano is a delightful creation, an honest man on Siciliy’s mean streets.”—USA Today
“Camilleri is as crafty and charming a writer as his protagonist is an investigator.”—The Washington Post Book World
“Like Mike Hammer or Sam Spade, Montalbano is the kind of guy who can’t stay out of trouble…Still, deftly and lovingly translated by Stephen Sartarelli, Camilleri makes it abundantly clear that under the gruff, sardonic exterior our inspector has a heart of gold, and that any outburst, fumbles, or threats are made only in the name of pursuing truth.”—The Nation
“Camilleri can do a character’s whole backstory in half a paragraph.”—The New Yorker
“Subtle, sardonic, and molto simpatico: Montalbano is the Latin re-creation of Philip Marlowe, working in a place that manages to be both more and less civilized than chandler’ Los Angeles.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred)
“The novels of Andrea Camilleri breathe out the sense of place, the sense of humor, and the sense of despair that fills the air of Sicily."—Donna Leon
SoundCommentary.com
Grover Gardner is an award-winning narrator with over 650 audiobook titles to his credit…Each character is uniquely voiced and believable. A fun listen.”
Washington Post
Camilleri is as crafty and charming a writer as his protagonist is an investigator.”
AudioFile
Italian author Andrea Camilleri manages to leaven a dark mystery involving gruesome crimes with a light touch afforded by humorous situations and an engaging cast, featuring cynical but lovable Inspector Montalbano. This is not narrator Grover Gardner’s first Sicilian Inspector Montalbano mystery, and that familiarity with the author’s style and the characters’ personalities is especially evident in his comfortable and believable presentation of the irascible middle-aged detective. Gardner catches both Montalbano’s quiet musings as he examines his life as well as his crude outbursts when he’s under pressure. In successfully meeting the challenges of a translation with a multidimensional cast, multiple plot lines, and a generous sprinkling of earthy language, Grover Gardner demonstrates why he’s an AudioFile Golden Voice.”
USA Today
Montalbano is a delightful creation.”
NOVEMBER 2009 - AudioFile
Italian author Andrea Camilleri manages to leaven a dark mystery involving gruesome crimes with a light touch afforded by humorous situations and an engaging cast, featuring cynical but lovable Inspector Montalbano. This is not narrator Grover Gardner's first Sicilian Inspector Montalbano mystery, and that familiarity with the author's style and the characters' personalities is especially evident in his comfortable and believable presentation of the irascible middle-aged detective. Gardner catches both Montalbano's quiet musings as he examines his life and his crude outbursts when he’s under pressure. In successfully meeting the challenges of a translation with a multidimensional cast, multiple plot lines, and a generous sprinkling of earthy language, Grover Gardner demonstrates why he’s an AUDIOFILE Golden Voice. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine
