Review: The Sicilian Method

 

The Sicilian Method

Andrea Camilleri

One night while Mimi Augello is visiting a lady friend, her husband arrives, and Mimi has to escape through the window. As he makes his way down to a lower balcony, he decides to exit through another apartment. That's when he discovers a corpse lying on a bed. He goes straight to Inspector Montalbano to report what he's found. They decide to wait until the death is reported.

When they get a call the next day about a body, both are surprised to find another body, a local play director who moonlights as a money lender. After investigating, they can't decide if his death is related to the unorthodox methods he uses to audition actors or money lending activities. Montalbano is happy to have the help of a new and beautiful forensic employee, Antonia. He's fallen head of heels for her but, will they be able to find the time to catch a killer? And what about the other body? Will they investigate?

The late Camilleri was a master at creating sympathetic and exciting characters as well as showcasing his beloved Sicily. Just when you think you know Montalbano, he falls in love with someone other than his long term partner Livia. This was a Montalbano like I hadn't seen before, vulnerable to the charms of an unpredictable younger woman. But thankfully, still, a kind, caring, and loyal servant to the people of Vigata.

This review was written by me for City Book Review.

Review: The End of the Line

The Other End of the Line

Andrea Camilleri

In The Other End of the Line Inspector Montalbano and his team of officers in Sicily are inundated with migrants who have been rescued at sea and brought to the local port. Along with concerned locals, Montalbano and the police have been doing the best they can to cope with the crisis. But when Montalbano is pulled away to investigate a murder, he is saddened to find the body of Elena, a local seamstress who was in the process of making him a bespoke suit. His connection to the victim ensures that he will do everything he can to find the murderer.

Once again, Camilleri has written a gem of a story. Drawing on current events, he highlights the issues facing migrants and the locals who are trying to help them. The colorful cast of characters, the witty dialogue, and the intricate storyline are what make Camilleri, to my mind at least, a master storyteller. Then there is the reference to sublime food of Sicily, and life beside the sea which gives the reader a real sense of place. Fans of this series will be happy to know that Montalbano has lost none of his charm and ability to solve even the most complex of cases in Montelusa.

This review was originally written by me for City Book Review.

Review: Autie Poldi and the Vineyards of Etna

Auntie Poldi and the Vineyards of Etna

Mario Giordano

When Auntie Poldi's water is cut off, her friend's dog found poisoned, and she hears about the murder of a young district attorney; she is sure the mafia is behind it. She's in Sicily, after all. Setting out to discover the culprit behind the dog's death, Poldi ends up getting involved in the murder case of Chief Inspector Montana. As if that weren't enough excitement for one sixty-year-old woman, she discovers a body at a vineyard on the slopes of Etna. Her senses tell her the murders are connected. And when Auntie Poldi sticks her nose into something, she can't let it go, even when she knows death is looking over her shoulder.

Auntie Poldi and the Vineyards of Etna is narrated by Poldi's nephew, an aspiring writer with his share of writer's block. As he points out, his aunt navigates life between two poles: utter joy and the depths of despair. But she knows, like him, that Sicily is a special place, full of complex characters, and mysteries yet to be solved. There is nowhere else she'd rather live. Giordano has written a firecracker of a story, layered with wit, humor, and charm. It's filled with delightful and exotic characters I won't soon forget.

This review was originally written by me for City Book Review.