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Max Gilardi #2
Il matto affogato
Il matto affogato è uno degli scacchi matti più spettacolari, in cui il Re viene mattato da un solo pezzo avversario pur essendo circondato da pezzi amici: sono proprio questi ultimi infatti a impedire al monarca di sottrarsi al mortale scacco, ostruendo ogni via di fuga. E all’insegna del matto affogato saranno anche i due casi su cui si trova a indagare Max Gilardi, che ha rinunciato alla sua carriera di commissario a Milano per intraprendere quella di avvocato a Napoli. Ed è Napoli la vera protagonista del romanzo. Una Napoli volutamente dimenticata e faticosamente ritrovata, con tutte le sue contraddizioni, ma ricca di ricordi, di umori, di amici. E di un padre amato a stento. Questa città gli sta addosso come un vestito stretto, del quale poco a poco Max Gilardi, attraverso due delitti che lo coinvolgono, saprà liberarsi. Per ritornare a Napoli anche con il cuore, e con gli occhi di un uomo che si misura, senza condiscendenza, con la propria voglia di ricominciare a vivere.
- GenresCrime
416 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 7, 2020
Napul’è mille culure ... Napul’è mille culture
Nel gioco degli scacchi, il ”matto affogato” è uno scacco matto. Il Re subisce scacco matto, perché impedito dai suoi stessi pezzi. Una volta si sarebbe detto "tradito da fuoco amico”...
Max Gilardi, avvocato napoletano, il padre stimato giudice ormai in pensione, entra come commissario in polizia e si trasferisce a Milano. A seguito di... certi fatti, ritorna nella casa di famiglia e torna a fare l’avvocato.
Napoli lo accoglierà con il suo mix di infinita bellezza, affetti e contraddizioni, e lui si incamminerà int'e viche miezo all'ate, indagando tra caffè, finti suicidi e trame oscure.
«Nei fatti credo di non averla mai lasciata. Non me ne sono accorto, ma forse me la sono portata appresso dovunque sono stato. Napoli è una strana città... crea dipendenza.»
Nel gioco degli scacchi, il ”matto affogato” è uno scacco matto. Il Re subisce scacco matto, perché impedito dai suoi stessi pezzi. Una volta si sarebbe detto "tradito da fuoco amico”...
Max Gilardi, avvocato napoletano, il padre stimato giudice ormai in pensione, entra come commissario in polizia e si trasferisce a Milano. A seguito di... certi fatti, ritorna nella casa di famiglia e torna a fare l’avvocato.
Napoli lo accoglierà con il suo mix di infinita bellezza, affetti e contraddizioni, e lui si incamminerà int'e viche miezo all'ate, indagando tra caffè, finti suicidi e trame oscure.
«Nei fatti credo di non averla mai lasciata. Non me ne sono accorto, ma forse me la sono portata appresso dovunque sono stato. Napoli è una strana città... crea dipendenza.»
May 24, 2025
Light reading, despite clocking in at over 400 pages.
I happened upon a used copy of the paperback (published by Salani) by chance (at a thrift shop in Portland), so this is my first introduction to Elda Lanza and to this character, lawyer and former police commissioner Max Gilardi, who begins the book by leaving his law enforcement career in Milan to return to his hometown (and his father's home) in Napoli, to relaunch his life and his career as a lawyer (which was his now retired father's life work as well).
This is the second book in the series, but I felt no disadvantage at not having read the first. The author takes some time to effectively establish the character and his backstory, including the main points of his life in Milan and the tragedy that drove him to seek out a fresh start. Despite being a sort of rehash, it's well-written and got the book off to a good start.
In fact, after reading the first few chapters, I really liked the book and was convinced I'd stumbled upon another great author. Sadly, though, as the story progressed, I found myself liking the book less, getting bored at times, and not really enjoying the meat of the story.
This is a giallo in the broadest sense, but it's definitely on the soft side. (There's no harsh or offensive language, no "on camera" sex, no blood or gore.) There is also no action, no violence (save for one light scene when Max punches out a high-school boy), no chases, no danger, no close calls, no tension, no thrills, no real detective work beyond talking to people (while drinking coffee, naturally) and examining rooms where victims lived years ago. The crimes are "off-screen" and mostly in the past, reported in a very cold and matter-of-fact way.
This almost feels like two books in one (which is a bonus if you're enjoying the book and the main character) because there are essentially two cases that the main character "solves" over the course of the placid plot. At one point I was laughing because things like "several weeks passed" and "after a few months" and similar expressions kept coming up. I think the story stretched out over at least a couple of years (I frankly lost track). Developments came sloooooow, which may actually be more realistic than having a complex murder case getting neatly wrapped up in a one-hour TV show, but it doesn't really make for scintillating reading when the filler is sort of lukewarm semi-romantic stuff that doesn't really go anywhere either.
More than any crime or investigation, the story focuses on Max as a person. His life journey. Unfortunately, I didn't find him to be particularly compelling as a character. A good man with a bit of character progression, but nothing substantial enough (in my opinion) to build a 400-page book on. There's his relationship with his father which was only superficially explored (could have been more interesting), and his relationship with a young woman he meets and then breaks up with even though it's clear he loves her. To me, Max didn't feel very "real" as a man or as a character.
There are a number of interesting secondary characters. The women generally seemed more realistic and intriguing. The male characters all felt a bit flat and bland. The final wrap-up, or denouement if you prefer, was long and talky and not terribly surprising or dramatic or even interesting. But it did wrap up the story in a satisfying way.
Overall, no big plot twists here, nothing shocking, just a methodical (slow) unfolding of two not terribly interesting crimes involving characters that weren't terribly interesting either. And yet, the whole somehow ends up being better than the sum of its parts. Despite the book's flaws (perhaps it's simply a matter of taste and expectation on my part), Lanza is a good writer, and I still enjoyed reading this, even if I didn't find the plot engrossing or convincing. Had this been (written or translated) in English, though, I doubt I would've started it, and I know I wouldn't have finished it.
Note (this didn't affect my rating at all): There are a number of typos in the book. Here's just one example: on page 337, Max says "Doppiamo parlare" to Elena when it should be "Dobbiamo parlare."
I happened upon a used copy of the paperback (published by Salani) by chance (at a thrift shop in Portland), so this is my first introduction to Elda Lanza and to this character, lawyer and former police commissioner Max Gilardi, who begins the book by leaving his law enforcement career in Milan to return to his hometown (and his father's home) in Napoli, to relaunch his life and his career as a lawyer (which was his now retired father's life work as well).
This is the second book in the series, but I felt no disadvantage at not having read the first. The author takes some time to effectively establish the character and his backstory, including the main points of his life in Milan and the tragedy that drove him to seek out a fresh start. Despite being a sort of rehash, it's well-written and got the book off to a good start.
In fact, after reading the first few chapters, I really liked the book and was convinced I'd stumbled upon another great author. Sadly, though, as the story progressed, I found myself liking the book less, getting bored at times, and not really enjoying the meat of the story.
This is a giallo in the broadest sense, but it's definitely on the soft side. (There's no harsh or offensive language, no "on camera" sex, no blood or gore.) There is also no action, no violence (save for one light scene when Max punches out a high-school boy), no chases, no danger, no close calls, no tension, no thrills, no real detective work beyond talking to people (while drinking coffee, naturally) and examining rooms where victims lived years ago. The crimes are "off-screen" and mostly in the past, reported in a very cold and matter-of-fact way.
This almost feels like two books in one (which is a bonus if you're enjoying the book and the main character) because there are essentially two cases that the main character "solves" over the course of the placid plot. At one point I was laughing because things like "several weeks passed" and "after a few months" and similar expressions kept coming up. I think the story stretched out over at least a couple of years (I frankly lost track). Developments came sloooooow, which may actually be more realistic than having a complex murder case getting neatly wrapped up in a one-hour TV show, but it doesn't really make for scintillating reading when the filler is sort of lukewarm semi-romantic stuff that doesn't really go anywhere either.
More than any crime or investigation, the story focuses on Max as a person. His life journey. Unfortunately, I didn't find him to be particularly compelling as a character. A good man with a bit of character progression, but nothing substantial enough (in my opinion) to build a 400-page book on. There's his relationship with his father which was only superficially explored (could have been more interesting), and his relationship with a young woman he meets and then breaks up with even though it's clear he loves her. To me, Max didn't feel very "real" as a man or as a character.
There are a number of interesting secondary characters. The women generally seemed more realistic and intriguing. The male characters all felt a bit flat and bland. The final wrap-up, or denouement if you prefer, was long and talky and not terribly surprising or dramatic or even interesting. But it did wrap up the story in a satisfying way.
Overall, no big plot twists here, nothing shocking, just a methodical (slow) unfolding of two not terribly interesting crimes involving characters that weren't terribly interesting either. And yet, the whole somehow ends up being better than the sum of its parts. Despite the book's flaws (perhaps it's simply a matter of taste and expectation on my part), Lanza is a good writer, and I still enjoyed reading this, even if I didn't find the plot engrossing or convincing. Had this been (written or translated) in English, though, I doubt I would've started it, and I know I wouldn't have finished it.
Note (this didn't affect my rating at all): There are a number of typos in the book. Here's just one example: on page 337, Max says "Doppiamo parlare" to Elena when it should be "Dobbiamo parlare."
April 23, 2020
Elda Lanza, scomparsa da poco, era una Signora d'altri tempi e la sua scrittura è scorrevole e piacevole. Questo è il 2° libro di una serie con il commissario / avvocato Max Gilardi che, un caffè dopo l'altro (siamo a Napoli ovviamente!) giunge brillantemente alla soluzione di ben due casi... Del primo avevo capito anche io chi fosse l'assassino alcune pagine prima che fosse svelato, il secondo caso che tratta di camorra, tangenti e corruzione mi ha presa meno, ma forse perché io sono da gialli alla Christie 😉
Leggerò sicuramente il 3°libro della serie che racconta in parallelo anche le vicende personali di vita di Gilardi.
Leggerò sicuramente il 3°libro della serie che racconta in parallelo anche le vicende personali di vita di Gilardi.
August 19, 2024
Solito giallo con classico investigatore piacione , intuitivo , perfetto .
Donne bellissime e ammaliatrici, quasi stereotipi .
Un po' farraginoso il racconto dello svolgimento della seconda indagine ma la soluzione si intuiva quasi a metà libro . No , non mi è piaciuto
Donne bellissime e ammaliatrici, quasi stereotipi .
Un po' farraginoso il racconto dello svolgimento della seconda indagine ma la soluzione si intuiva quasi a metà libro . No , non mi è piaciuto
December 27, 2013
Lento, farraginoso ed improbabile. Irreale la figura del l'avvocato Gilardi, poco plausibili le sue avventure, che sembrano uscire da un fotoromanzo d'annata e ben poco hanno a che fare con il lavoro di un avvocato.
Il primo romanzo, nonostante qualche vizio "di gioventù" (non certo per l'etá dell'autrice ma per il fatto di essere il primo romanzo della serie) non mi era dispiaciuto, ma l'autrice sembra ora aver perso il controllo del personaggio.
Caro Gilardi, era meglio se continuavi a fare il commissario.
Il primo romanzo, nonostante qualche vizio "di gioventù" (non certo per l'etá dell'autrice ma per il fatto di essere il primo romanzo della serie) non mi era dispiaciuto, ma l'autrice sembra ora aver perso il controllo del personaggio.
Caro Gilardi, era meglio se continuavi a fare il commissario.
October 26, 2013
Il libro è bello, ben scritto. Contiene al suo interno due indagini del commissario Gilardi. Due sottolineature: un gusto un po' retrò per quanto riguarda i rapporti di coppia - delizioso il comportamento quasi d'altri tempi - del commissario, ma forse influenzato dall'età dell'autrice; un po' farraginosa la seconda indagine negli aspetti di presunto coinvolgimento della malavita organizzata, volendo utilizzare l'argomento forse andava approfondito ulteriormente.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews