The last novel from Italian writer Camilleri (1925-2019), who produced more than two dozen wonderful Inspector Montalbano mysteries over the past four decades, this was written years ago as a final installment and locked away until after the author’s death. In it, an early morning murder outside a bar becomes immediately complicated. As always with Camilleri there are many speculations about motives, who was truly the mastermind, and how to suss out the suspects. A clever feature of this final book is that Montalbano himself as “The Author” has several cameo appearances. For those not familiar with this terrific series, I’d suggest reading the first one to get familiarized with the comings and goings of the major characters. And happily, the author does not retire or kill off his food-loving and somewhat gruff Inspector. Fans of Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti series from Venice, and of the Aurelio Zen novels by Michael Dibdin, will love these Sicily-based novels as well.
—Lloyd Adalist, Madison Books, Seattle, WA
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In Ragusa in 2019, fans flocked actor Cesare Bocci (in navy polo and sunglasses) of the “Inspector Montalbano” series, which was being filmed in the town. (photo by Tegan Tigani)
