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Commissario Montalbano #22.5
Muerte en mar abierto
Desde el incendio de un hotel, el misterioso asesinato de una, en apariencia, pacifica ama de casa, o los robos de un Robin Hood local, los relatos de Muerte en mar abierto destilan la dosis perfecta de crudeza, ironia e introspeccion psicologica que han convertido en unicas las historias de Vigata. Con el joven Salvo recorreremos, pagina tras pagina, una Italia sombria, sometida por una mafia que campa a sus anchas, plenamente dedicada a la extorsion, el secuestro y el asesinato.
Bañado por la cegadora luz mediterránea y perfumado con el intenso olor del salitre y los cítricos, el pequeño municipio siciliano de Vigàta forma parte del acervo literario de miles de lectores europeos. En este volumen, Andrea Camilleri nos transporta a los años ochenta para conocer una versión quizá más ingenua, aunque no menos enmarañada, del complejo microcosmos en el que inicia su carrera profesional el ahora famoso comisario Montalbano.
En estos ocho casos, descubrimos a un Salvo en plena juventud que, con idéntica intuición pero con bastante menos escepticismo, vive los momentos más apasionados de su relación con Livia, vigilado de lejos por Adelina con su natural desconfianza. En la comisaría, a su vez, asistimos a la entrada triunfal del inefable Catarella, Fazio es igual de avispado que hoy y no es difícil reconocer a Mimì Augello hipnotizado como siempre por tal o cual belleza; incluso despunta Pasquano, con su impenitente sarcasmo y su debilidad por los cannoli.
Con la dosis perfecta de crudeza, ironía e introspección psicológica que han convertido en únicas las historias de Montalbano, el maestro Camilleri nos invita a recorrer una Italia sombría, sometida por una mafia que campa a sus anchas, plenamente dedicada a la extorsión, el secuestro y el asesinato. Un viaje al borde del abismo que deleitará una vez más a los numerosísimos seguidores de Montalbano y fascinará a quienes aún no lo conozcan.
Bañado por la cegadora luz mediterránea y perfumado con el intenso olor del salitre y los cítricos, el pequeño municipio siciliano de Vigàta forma parte del acervo literario de miles de lectores europeos. En este volumen, Andrea Camilleri nos transporta a los años ochenta para conocer una versión quizá más ingenua, aunque no menos enmarañada, del complejo microcosmos en el que inicia su carrera profesional el ahora famoso comisario Montalbano.
En estos ocho casos, descubrimos a un Salvo en plena juventud que, con idéntica intuición pero con bastante menos escepticismo, vive los momentos más apasionados de su relación con Livia, vigilado de lejos por Adelina con su natural desconfianza. En la comisaría, a su vez, asistimos a la entrada triunfal del inefable Catarella, Fazio es igual de avispado que hoy y no es difícil reconocer a Mimì Augello hipnotizado como siempre por tal o cual belleza; incluso despunta Pasquano, con su impenitente sarcasmo y su debilidad por los cannoli.
Con la dosis perfecta de crudeza, ironía e introspección psicológica que han convertido en únicas las historias de Montalbano, el maestro Camilleri nos invita a recorrer una Italia sombría, sometida por una mafia que campa a sus anchas, plenamente dedicada a la extorsión, el secuestro y el asesinato. Un viaje al borde del abismo que deleitará una vez más a los numerosísimos seguidores de Montalbano y fascinará a quienes aún no lo conozcan.
283 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2014
284 people are currently reading
1639 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Camilleri
427 books2,454 followersAndrea Camilleri was an Italian writer. He is considered one of the greatest Italian writers of both 20th and 21st centuries.
Originally from Porto Empedocle, Sicily, Camilleri began studies at the Faculty of Literature in 1944, without concluding them, meanwhile publishing poems and short stories. Around this time he joined the Italian Communist Party.
From 1948 to 1950 Camilleri studied stage and film direction at the Silvio D'Amico Academy of Dramatic Arts, and began to take on work as a director and screenwriter, directing especially plays by Pirandello and Beckett. As a matter of fact, his parents knew Pirandello and were even distant friends, as he tells in his essay on Pirandello "Biography of the changed son". His most famous works, the Montalbano series show many pirandellian elements: for example, the wild olive tree that helps Montalbano think, is on stage in his late work "The giants of the mountain"
With RAI, Camilleri worked on several TV productions, such as Inspector Maigret with Gino Cervi. In 1977 he returned to the Academy of Dramatic Arts, holding the chair of Movie Direction, and occupying it for 20 years.
In 1978 Camilleri wrote his first novel Il Corso Delle Cose ("The Way Things Go"). This was followed by Un Filo di Fumo ("A Thread of Smoke") in 1980. Neither of these works enjoyed any significant amount of popularity.
In 1992, after a long pause of 12 years, Camilleri once more took up novel-writing. A new book, La Stagione della Caccia ("The Hunting Season") turned out to be a best-seller.
In 1994 Camilleri published the first in a long series of novels: La forma dell'Acqua (The Shape of Water) featured the character of Inspector Montalbano, a fractious Sicilian detective in the police force of Vigàta, an imaginary Sicilian town. The series is written in Italian but with a substantial sprinkling of Sicilian phrases and grammar. The name Montalbano is an homage to the Spanish writer Manuel Vázquez Montalbán; the similarities between Montalban's Pepe Carvalho and Camilleri's fictional detective are remarkable. Both writers make great play of their protagonists' gastronomic preferences.
This feature provides an interesting quirk which has become something of a fad among his readership even in mainland Italy. The TV adaptation of Montalbano's adventures, starring the perfectly-cast Luca Zingaretti, further increased Camilleri's popularity to such a point that in 2003 Camilleri's home town, Porto Empedocle - on which Vigàta is modelled - took the extraordinary step of changing its official denomination to that of Porto Empedocle Vigàta, no doubt with an eye to capitalising on the tourism possibilities thrown up by the author's work.
In 1998 Camilleri won the Nino Martoglio International Book Award.
Camilleri lived in Rome where he worked as a TV and theatre director. About 10 million copies of his novels have been sold to date, and are becoming increasingly popular in the UK and North America.
In addition to the degree of popularity brought him by the novels, in recent months Andrea Camilleri has become even more of a media icon thanks to the parodies aired on an RAI radio show, where popular comedian, TV-host and impression artist Fiorello presents him as a raspy voiced, caustic character, madly in love with cigarettes and smoking (Camilleri is well-known for his love of tobacco).
He received an honorary degree from University of Pisa in 2005.
Originally from Porto Empedocle, Sicily, Camilleri began studies at the Faculty of Literature in 1944, without concluding them, meanwhile publishing poems and short stories. Around this time he joined the Italian Communist Party.
From 1948 to 1950 Camilleri studied stage and film direction at the Silvio D'Amico Academy of Dramatic Arts, and began to take on work as a director and screenwriter, directing especially plays by Pirandello and Beckett. As a matter of fact, his parents knew Pirandello and were even distant friends, as he tells in his essay on Pirandello "Biography of the changed son". His most famous works, the Montalbano series show many pirandellian elements: for example, the wild olive tree that helps Montalbano think, is on stage in his late work "The giants of the mountain"
With RAI, Camilleri worked on several TV productions, such as Inspector Maigret with Gino Cervi. In 1977 he returned to the Academy of Dramatic Arts, holding the chair of Movie Direction, and occupying it for 20 years.
In 1978 Camilleri wrote his first novel Il Corso Delle Cose ("The Way Things Go"). This was followed by Un Filo di Fumo ("A Thread of Smoke") in 1980. Neither of these works enjoyed any significant amount of popularity.
In 1992, after a long pause of 12 years, Camilleri once more took up novel-writing. A new book, La Stagione della Caccia ("The Hunting Season") turned out to be a best-seller.
In 1994 Camilleri published the first in a long series of novels: La forma dell'Acqua (The Shape of Water) featured the character of Inspector Montalbano, a fractious Sicilian detective in the police force of Vigàta, an imaginary Sicilian town. The series is written in Italian but with a substantial sprinkling of Sicilian phrases and grammar. The name Montalbano is an homage to the Spanish writer Manuel Vázquez Montalbán; the similarities between Montalban's Pepe Carvalho and Camilleri's fictional detective are remarkable. Both writers make great play of their protagonists' gastronomic preferences.
This feature provides an interesting quirk which has become something of a fad among his readership even in mainland Italy. The TV adaptation of Montalbano's adventures, starring the perfectly-cast Luca Zingaretti, further increased Camilleri's popularity to such a point that in 2003 Camilleri's home town, Porto Empedocle - on which Vigàta is modelled - took the extraordinary step of changing its official denomination to that of Porto Empedocle Vigàta, no doubt with an eye to capitalising on the tourism possibilities thrown up by the author's work.
In 1998 Camilleri won the Nino Martoglio International Book Award.
Camilleri lived in Rome where he worked as a TV and theatre director. About 10 million copies of his novels have been sold to date, and are becoming increasingly popular in the UK and North America.
In addition to the degree of popularity brought him by the novels, in recent months Andrea Camilleri has become even more of a media icon thanks to the parodies aired on an RAI radio show, where popular comedian, TV-host and impression artist Fiorello presents him as a raspy voiced, caustic character, madly in love with cigarettes and smoking (Camilleri is well-known for his love of tobacco).
He received an honorary degree from University of Pisa in 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
January 23, 2019
This is a book of some short stories set in the earlier life of Inspector Montalbano.
That said Goodreads lists it as 22.5 perhaps in terms of release into English but not in the chronology of police work in Vigata.
So it can be read at any time without disrupting things in the established relationships. Indeed it would be a great jumping in point to anyone new to this series as the stories are packed with the stuff that makes Andrea Camilleri’s Sicilian world sing.
His books are all about relationships, between colleagues, girlfriends, suspects and witnesses. Perhaps some of the best relationships are between Montalbano and food, the media and the Mafia families vying for control in his area. Fun is found in many areas but never at the expense of the drama or the seriousness of terrible crimes.
The pace is gentle but as police procedurals go it is clever inspiration and hard work.
Here then is a collection of mysteries that will delight the reader of this great series or amaze the new reader for there is more than enough to demand more and plenty to read available to you.
That said Goodreads lists it as 22.5 perhaps in terms of release into English but not in the chronology of police work in Vigata.
So it can be read at any time without disrupting things in the established relationships. Indeed it would be a great jumping in point to anyone new to this series as the stories are packed with the stuff that makes Andrea Camilleri’s Sicilian world sing.
His books are all about relationships, between colleagues, girlfriends, suspects and witnesses. Perhaps some of the best relationships are between Montalbano and food, the media and the Mafia families vying for control in his area. Fun is found in many areas but never at the expense of the drama or the seriousness of terrible crimes.
The pace is gentle but as police procedurals go it is clever inspiration and hard work.
Here then is a collection of mysteries that will delight the reader of this great series or amaze the new reader for there is more than enough to demand more and plenty to read available to you.
June 25, 2019
L'unica pecca di questi racconti è di essere troppo corti. Avrebbero potuto essere altrettanti romanzi, forma nella quale secondo me Camilleri dà il meglio.
September 30, 2018
Short stories from Inspector Montalbano's earlier life. Light fare in these eight vignettes, with crimes as disparate as arson, murder, burglary, kidnapping, snuff films, drug smuggling, and loansharking. Personally, I'd rather have read the next novel.
April 18, 2019
love his wriiting
June 2, 2016
Raccolta di racconti sulle esperienze di un Montalbano che, di giovane, ha giusto l'appellativo nel titolo. Se non ci fosse quell'aggettivo non noteremmo alcuna differenza con il Montalbano solito: intuizione, passione per il buon cibo, interpretazione creativa del lavoro e grande umanità sono sempre presenti. Qui veniamo a conoscenza di qualche dettaglio che nei romanzi precedenti abbiamo sempre dato per scontato: per esempio incontriamo la persona che ha insegnato a Montalbano ad aprire ogni porta.
Che dire? Camilleri non delude mai e tornare a Vigata è ormai come tornare a casa.
Che dire? Camilleri non delude mai e tornare a Vigata è ormai come tornare a casa.
August 2, 2019
This is an excellent collection of shorts by Andrea Camilleri. The writing is right up my alley...lean, fast-paced, intriguing in a short format.
Each story has a satisfying ending to the mini-mysteries. Inspector Montalbano is quite the character.
The shorts are filled with lots of details about Italian life. Really enjoyed these.
Only one was too disturbing for me..."Standard Procedure." That one was too much.
The others were perfect, especially the final story. Loved it!
Grade: A
Each story has a satisfying ending to the mini-mysteries. Inspector Montalbano is quite the character.
The shorts are filled with lots of details about Italian life. Really enjoyed these.
Only one was too disturbing for me..."Standard Procedure." That one was too much.
The others were perfect, especially the final story. Loved it!
Grade: A
August 1, 2021
This book was very different from the usual books as it was a collection of shorter stories from the younger years of Montalbano, In which Mimi does a little womanizing, Fazio is as excellent as always and Catarella is still a force of nature and a running gag.
This is the reading equivalent of comfort food, it can be enjoyed in small bites and does not make you read a full novel, very enjoyable certainly for the fans of this series a must read.
This is the reading equivalent of comfort food, it can be enjoyed in small bites and does not make you read a full novel, very enjoyable certainly for the fans of this series a must read.
December 9, 2014
La Sellerio sta raschiando il fondo del barile. Sono buona e voglio immaginarmi che con quanto guadagnato da un Camilleri scadente editino autori anche sconosciuti. Sperem.
February 28, 2021
(English below)
Kurzgeschichtensammlungen sind fast immer wie die sprichwörtliche „Katze im Sack" kaufen. Einige Geschichten sind richtig gut, andere sind schwach wie 100-jährige. Es kommt auf die Mischung gut/schwach an. Von daher sieht man selten eine Sammlung mit mehr als 3 Sterne durchschnitt.
„Der ehrliche Dieb" (orig: Morte in mare aperto) bildet eine fröhliche Ausnahme. Aus 8 Geschichten, zeigen nur 2 Schwächen an, sei es bei Plot oder Länge. Unterhaltsam und (fast) immer gut durchdacht. Viele können als Entwurf für Bücher mit Romanlänge dienen. Keine Katze hier, sonder nur das Schwein.
---English---
Short story collections are almost always like buying the proverbial pig in a poke. Some of the stories are great, others are as weak as 100-year-olds. It depends on the mixture of good/bad. That's why you normally NEVER see a collection with more than a 3-star rating.
"The Honest Thief" (orig: Morte in mare aperto = "Death on the open water") is a happy exception. Out of 8 stories, only 2 show weaknesses of plot or length. Entertaining and (almost) always well planned out. Many could be drafts for full-length Montalbano novels. No cat here. This one's the real pig.
Kurzgeschichtensammlungen sind fast immer wie die sprichwörtliche „Katze im Sack" kaufen. Einige Geschichten sind richtig gut, andere sind schwach wie 100-jährige. Es kommt auf die Mischung gut/schwach an. Von daher sieht man selten eine Sammlung mit mehr als 3 Sterne durchschnitt.
„Der ehrliche Dieb" (orig: Morte in mare aperto) bildet eine fröhliche Ausnahme. Aus 8 Geschichten, zeigen nur 2 Schwächen an, sei es bei Plot oder Länge. Unterhaltsam und (fast) immer gut durchdacht. Viele können als Entwurf für Bücher mit Romanlänge dienen. Keine Katze hier, sonder nur das Schwein.
---English---
Short story collections are almost always like buying the proverbial pig in a poke. Some of the stories are great, others are as weak as 100-year-olds. It depends on the mixture of good/bad. That's why you normally NEVER see a collection with more than a 3-star rating.
"The Honest Thief" (orig: Morte in mare aperto = "Death on the open water") is a happy exception. Out of 8 stories, only 2 show weaknesses of plot or length. Entertaining and (almost) always well planned out. Many could be drafts for full-length Montalbano novels. No cat here. This one's the real pig.
June 3, 2018
Μικρές ιστοριες από το νεαρό Σαλβο Μονταλμπάνο.Διαβαζεται λίγο λίγο,σαν γλυκό του κουταλιού.
October 17, 2018
Death at Sea – Brilliant Collection of Montalbano Short Stories
Once again, another collection of Montalbano short stories have been published in England, which will keep all Andrea Camilleri very happy. Translated by Stephen Sartarelli, nothing is lost all the fun, the food and the team around Montalbano shine out.
These eight short stories are brilliantly crafted and proving you do not need hundreds of pages to create top notch stories. Some of these stories may seem familiar to those fans who have watched the television series on BBC 4, but that does not deflect at how much better the stories are in writing.
Some of the stories may seem a little rushed but not on the flair of Montalbano, diving in to the Sicilian underworld. We are served with short blasts of Camilleri’s wit, which are usually splashed across all the stories. While Montalbano does not seem to eat as much as usual in these stories, we do get to the contents of his fridge.
As always Montalbano’s are described in perfect detail, the characterisation always brings a smile to the face. Whether good guys or bad, the women are described in detail, showing that Camilleri has an eye for details. Also, like Italian an eye for the ladies.
A wonderful collection for all fans of Montalbano, a wonderfully crafted stories, that any reader can enjoy.
Once again, another collection of Montalbano short stories have been published in England, which will keep all Andrea Camilleri very happy. Translated by Stephen Sartarelli, nothing is lost all the fun, the food and the team around Montalbano shine out.
These eight short stories are brilliantly crafted and proving you do not need hundreds of pages to create top notch stories. Some of these stories may seem familiar to those fans who have watched the television series on BBC 4, but that does not deflect at how much better the stories are in writing.
Some of the stories may seem a little rushed but not on the flair of Montalbano, diving in to the Sicilian underworld. We are served with short blasts of Camilleri’s wit, which are usually splashed across all the stories. While Montalbano does not seem to eat as much as usual in these stories, we do get to the contents of his fridge.
As always Montalbano’s are described in perfect detail, the characterisation always brings a smile to the face. Whether good guys or bad, the women are described in detail, showing that Camilleri has an eye for details. Also, like Italian an eye for the ladies.
A wonderful collection for all fans of Montalbano, a wonderfully crafted stories, that any reader can enjoy.
February 9, 2019
Απόδραση από την Αθήνα για τη Βιγκάτα.
Αποφάσισα να την κοπανήσω για λίγο και να μεταφερθώ στην πόλη του Μονταλμπάνο, παρέα με τους γείτονες και κατοίκους, τους συναδέλφους, υφιστάμενους και φίλους του.
Για όσους έχουν διαβάσει βιβλία της σειράς, ο περίγυρος του αστυνόμου ασκεί μία έλξη στον αναγνώστη, ο οποίος φτάνει να ζει και να συμμετέχει στα δρώμενα, προβλέποντας πολλές από τις αντιδράσεις του κομισάριο.
Όσο για μένα, η σειρά της τηλεόρασης, ενίσχυσε τη φαντασία μου ως προς τα τοπία της Σικελίας που διαδραματίζονται οι ιστορίες. Ακόμα και αν δεν βρήκα εμφανισιακές ομοιότητες του ήρωα με τον ηθοποιό, ωστόσο μου πρόσφερε ευχάριστες συσχετίσεις.
Αποφάσισα να την κοπανήσω για λίγο και να μεταφερθώ στην πόλη του Μονταλμπάνο, παρέα με τους γείτονες και κατοίκους, τους συναδέλφους, υφιστάμενους και φίλους του.
Για όσους έχουν διαβάσει βιβλία της σειράς, ο περίγυρος του αστυνόμου ασκεί μία έλξη στον αναγνώστη, ο οποίος φτάνει να ζει και να συμμετέχει στα δρώμενα, προβλέποντας πολλές από τις αντιδράσεις του κομισάριο.
Όσο για μένα, η σειρά της τηλεόρασης, ενίσχυσε τη φαντασία μου ως προς τα τοπία της Σικελίας που διαδραματίζονται οι ιστορίες. Ακόμα και αν δεν βρήκα εμφανισιακές ομοιότητες του ήρωα με τον ηθοποιό, ωστόσο μου πρόσφερε ευχάριστες συσχετίσεις.
December 7, 2014
A new look at a young Montalbano but without the freshness of story and richness of character that characterized the early Montalbano books. Very thin and almost mechanical - Montalbano doesn't seem any younger than he does of late - seems phoned in by the Maestro. But hey - he's 89! I'll be lucky to be able to string a sentence together at that point!
May 11, 2021
Eight somewhat short stories from early in the career of Sicilian Inspector Montalbano. The stories are a mixed bag. The title story "Death At Sea" is very good. "Stolen Message" is good and memorable. "Standard Procedure" is very dark. Overall, the collection will be appreciated by Montalbano fans and is a good addition to the series.
December 22, 2014
Non so il perché parlate male degli ultimi libri di Camilleri. Montalbano è sempre Montalbano. E Camilleri è sempre Camilleri. E continuerò a leggerlo. Per me è sempre una lettura piacevole. Passo e chiudo. Alla prossima.
August 17, 2019
Cinque racconti che ricalcano in tutto e per tutto dinamiche e personaggi dei più celebri romanzi. Sono tutti godibili, ma la brevità non aiuta a renderli incisivi.
August 2, 2020
This was a nice introduction to the world of Inspector Montalbano. I've heard about him but hadn't tried any of the full length stories. Based on this I am expecting them to be a little hammy but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Hercule Poirot is over the top but I still love all his cases. Might have to try the first one and see how it goes
October 6, 2019
Highly enjoyable short stories. Probably one for the fans..
February 1, 2023
This is a great collection of short stories featuring Inspector Montalbano and his quirky supporting cast. These stories have all of the charm, humor and atmosphere of the full length Montalbano novels, just in smaller doses. Very enjoyable!
April 29, 2023
Una colección de ocho historias de los años 80, cuando Montalbano y su equipo eran mucho más jóvenes.
Puedes leer mi reseña completa en mi blog
https://www.alarte.eu/cuadernodelectu...
Puedes leer mi reseña completa en mi blog
https://www.alarte.eu/cuadernodelectu...
July 17, 2022
These stories are supposed to represent Inspector Montalbano as a younger man, but he's an inspector already, and most of his crew are in place. Of course, his relationship with Livia is newer, perhaps, and more ardent; she's often visiting him in these stories. Otherwise, there are still the colorful characters and cold-blooded killers of Vigata, with Montalbano to thwart the latter and encourage the former. A little Camilleri is always a day-brightener, so what can you lose?
November 13, 2025
Che dire? Fai il suo lavoro di giallo. Racconti brevi, agili, piacevoli e che fanno fanno passare il tempo senza pensare. Certo, essendo alcuni particolarmente corti non hanno la possibilità di fornire un'analisi psicologica dei personaggi ma... pazienza, non si può avere tutto.
EDIT 2025: dopo 10 anni i racconti sono sempre godibilissimi :)
EDIT 2025: dopo 10 anni i racconti sono sempre godibilissimi :)
January 26, 2023
Otto brevi indagini del Commissario Montalbano e dei suoi fedeli collaboratori. Ottimo per iniziare a leggere la saga del Maestro Camilleri. La mia preferita: il ladro onesto. Consigliato!
September 25, 2018
Out of the 8 short stories in this volume, I enjoyed seven of them, with only a meh for one. They all average only about 35 pages, but Camilleri manages to construct an interesting and frequently unusual story line in each. Character development is on the light side, but by the time of finishing all eight stories, I had a pretty well-rounded idea of who Montalbano was at least, and some lesser insights into the regular cast of supporting characters. I have only read two of the full-length novels, so my making comparisons to the longer stories isn't really practical for me to do. I do think that these shorts offer a good introduction to Montalbano and to some degree the character of Italian culture at the time (they all take place in the 80s and the mafia is ever-presently hovering in the background). Readers who have read a large number of the 27 Montalbano series may not get as much out of this volume as the novice to Camilleri's writing, but I found the writing to be quite entertaining even though in a couple of instances the resolutions to the crimes (they are not all murders) seemed implausible.
Thanks Goodreads for the ARC. Keep em coming.
Thanks Goodreads for the ARC. Keep em coming.
October 3, 2018
I am a big fan of the Montalbano novels and TV productions. I've read all the books that are translated into English and that have been released so far and have watched all of the TV productions too. This is the second collection of short stories set in Montalbano's world and they flit through time, so some set are when Montalbabo is younger and some when he is older. Most of these stories have been adapted into the television show and it was nice to revisit them after seeing than on screen. My favourite story was the titular Death at Sea which had just the right amount of tension and atmosphere. Camilleri's characterisation shines through, the stock characters are so familiar you cannot help but smile when you revisit them! If there was one thing I would say about this collection, it would be that some of the stories seemed to end a little abruptly as they had strong narratives that could potentially have been developed into a novel. Overall though, this is a great collection that I would recommend.
August 8, 2021
I have never read any of these before, and I am not sure whether this is a good representation of the novels. For short stories though, they were interesting, compelling and well-plotted. Usually when it comes to crime short stories, they have the feel of an idea for a full-length that didn't work out, and come across as not well fleshed out. With these, I felt Camilleri put time and care into each story.
August 21, 2019
This is a very enjoyable collection of eight (I think?) short stories, each one a gift of wit, hilarious badinage between the crew at the station or shrewd thinking that solves puzzling crime. I enjoyed it so much I believe I will go back and read them all again before returning book to library.
Library Loan
Library Loan
September 3, 2019
This book is actually 8 short stories,all murder mysteries. The stories involve murder,deception and local corruption. The setting is by the sea in Sicily,so lots of sun and sand! This is a great way to start reading Camilleri. Loving his books, a new author for me!
August 13, 2025
Otto racconti, otto indagini, tutte belli che mi sono piaciuti molto. Intriganti ed effervescenti come il giovane commissario che le vive, con fresca gioventù, voglia di darsi da fare ed emergere in tutta la sua forza giovanile ed irruenza. Abituata a romanzi lunghi temevo di rimanere delusa, invece il “maestro” mi ha stupito.
July 8, 2019
Good story read very well. The stories were clever and sometimes they didn’t end as you might think
Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews