Ο χορός των παρεξηγήσεων

Commissario Montalbano #23

by Andrea Camilleri, Φωτεινή Ζερβού (Translator)

Στη Βιγκάτα οι νύχτες θυμίζουν την ομορφιά που έχουν οι βραδιές στα ποιήματα του Λεοπάρντι - θλιμμένες αλλά μαγευτικές. Ο Μονταλμπάνο ξύπνησε μ’ ένα προαίσθημα. Διαισθάνεται μια σκοτεινή αίσθηση φανταστικού που ενισχύεται από το παιχνίδι των παρεξηγήσεων και παρουσιάζει σαν αληθινή μια ψεύτικη ερμηνεία. Στέκει αμήχανος. Καταλαβαίνει ότι του ανοίγονται δρόμοι χωρίς σκοπό. Προχωρά προσεκτικά, ακολουθώντας την πλάγια οδό. Τα χρόνια που βαραίνουν στην πλάτη του τελικά μετρούν θετικά. Όταν όλα έχουν φτάσει στο σημείο ν’ αποκαλυφθούν, μια παγωνιά χωρίς να φυσά αέρας καλύπτει το μυθιστόρημα. Και στο μεταξύ ο αναγνώστης έχει μάθει να εισχωρεί, μαζί με τον Μονταλμπάνο, σ’ ένα "νεκρικό θάλαμο" και να περνά ξυστά από τους τοίχους για να μη γίνει αντιληπτός και να μην ενοχλήσει με την παρουσία του τη μοναχικότητα του αστυνόμου, που προσηλωμένος ακούει όσα έχει να του διηγηθεί ο τόπος του εγκλήματος, αν ερευνηθεί σωστά.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Italy, Italian Literature, Audiobook, Detective

307 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2015

About the author

Andrea 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.

Reviews

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Los años pasan. Al comisario Montalbano le pesan. Al menos eso es lo que parece en esta entrega, donde la vejez y la decadencia acechan como un tema recurrente para nuestro protagonista. Nada de lo cual asombrarse si se toma en cuenta que Camillieri escribió este libro cuando rondaba sus 90 años.
Sin mucha dilación somos introducidos en la trama: Tres secuestros de jóvenes, un incendio intencional y la desaparición inexplicable de una pareja. Nada que parezca estar relacionado. A partir de ahí, nos movemos por la escritura familiar, despreocupada y alegre de Camillieri, confiando en que los años sólo hayan agudizado el fino olfato que Montalbano ostenta para su trabajo. Porque viejo es el viento... y todavía sopla.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

#23 of 28 books in the Inspector Salvo Montalbano series by Andrea Camilleri, which begins with the kidnapping of two women, both 30, both work in banks, who are released after a day unharmed, not robbed. So, intriguing? What is being communicated by the kidnappers? Then some arson takes place, and a third woman is kidnapped, but unlike the two previous women, she is murdered. Salvo is wrong most of the time in trying to figure out whodunnit in this story that is basically just a police procedural--no beautiful woman to fall in love with, Salvo??! aww--where he works pretty closely with Mimi and Fazio on the case. The actual murder is particularly brutal (I say not necessary to have it be that violent) and the resolution isn't all that surprising in this one, standard fare, really, which is to say good, not great.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazingly, this series is still going strong at #23 in the series - steeped in Sicilian atmosphere, moody Montalbano continues to charm and amuse, with his usual able sidekicks. Catarella has less of a role than in some books, but does manage to successfully mangle every name given to him - and Adelina deals with a burglar without taking her eyes off the pasta!

Classiest of switch-off reading.

[DorothyEm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Είναι το δεύτερο βιβλίο του Camilleri που διαβάζω και η πρώτη ιστορία του επιθεωρητή Montalbano. Μου άρεσε αρκετά και ο τρόπος γραφής, όπως και στο πρώτο που διάβασα (πανσιόν Εύα) και η ροή της ιστορίας. Το διάβασα μέσα σε δύο βράδια και περίμενα να δω πως θα καταλήξει η ιστορία. Σίγουρα θα φροντίσω να ξαναπέσει στα χέρια μου βιβλίο του. Έτσι, παράμ παπάμ έχουμε 4 αστεράκια.

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three female bank employees are flagged down to help a man working on his car; two are chloroformed, but otherwise unharmed, but the third is superficially slashed. Are they related? Is this a vendetta against banks? Montalbano and his team start asking questions as they always do, and Catarella butchers everyone's names. Mix in a nasty case of arson and the shop owner's disappearance after refusing to pay the Mafia's increased protection money. Then for some spice, add in a jilted lover and you have all ingredients for a classic Sicilian mystery by the master, Andrea Camilleri.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 23th Montalbano book and the book series is coasting along nicely. Once again we visit sunny Sicily and get to enjoy the meals Montalbano enjoys for lunch and dinner.
This novel begins with the kidnap of two ladies who have been taken and returned without any physical harm. Sadly enough the 3th girl is not so lucky.
Then there is the fire in an Electronics store of whom the owner is missing, as well as the owners new girlfriend who remains unknown.
This is not so much a mystery but more a procedural kind of story.
The pace similar to the usual Montalbano story and while all elements and characters are in the story it feels like something is missing. Cannot put my finger on it but it feels not complete. But then again I liked Andrea Camilleri writing always and while this is not the best in the series I always enjoy this Italian series of books.
Still have some books left to read in this series looking forward to them, but are pacing myself.

[Mirrordance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Qualcosa di piu' di tre stellette ma questa storia di Montalbano mi ha convinta poco. Non mi era mai successo di "avere chiaro" e notare dettagli nella narrazione che Montalbano sembra proprio trascurare e non notare. Che Montalbano stia invecchiando anche nelle sue capacità di indagine? Queste piccole sbavature di cose evidenti dette ma non notate da nessuno un po' stonano. In questa nuova indagine mi è sembrato - o sono forse io che sto invecchiando? - che il dialetto fosse assai piu' presente del solito e questo sicuramente non è il romanzo con cui iniziare ad approcciarsi a Montalbano. Alla fine l'affezione rimane ma l'entusiasmo è lontano.

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 3 out of 5]

somewhere between a 3 and a 3.5 -- this isn't Camilleri's best entry in this series, nor is it his worst, but it's somewhere in the middle. I'll post more about this book soon; for now let me just say that he's done better. The thing is though that I will keep reading (and buying) these novels until the last one is translated and published because I am a huge fan.

more shortly.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Overnight Kidnapper, the 23rd novel in the series featuring Chief Inspector Salvo Montalbano, isn’t up to author Andrea Camillieri’s usual standards, but that still leaves room for it to be pretty good.

Two 30-something employees from banks are doused with chloroform before being released unharmed, confusing police. But Salvo eventually links these odd kidnappings with the disappearance of a storeowner whose shop is subjected to arson. Camillieri packs some twists and turns, but it’s not as clever or as humorous as Camillieri’s usual fare; still I’m glad I read it, and I look forward to the next one.

[Vasilis Kalandaridis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Καρπουζακι δροσερό και παγωμένο κι ενα κομμάτι φέτα δίπλα.Καλοκαιρακι βράδυ στο μπαλκόνι.Τόσο γλυκό.

[Ffiamma · Rating 3 out of 5]

un montalbano senza eccessi, con una storia semplice e godibile che si legge volentieri. nulla di memorabile, ma una buona pausa da letture più impegnative.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, I enjoyed a few belly laughs appreciating the comical exchanges between Montalbano and his staff as well as the frequent reckless driving sequences getting to crime scenes. Typically of late these books have started with dreams hinting at the theme to come, but in this case it's a case of a guilty fly vs innocent fly disturbing his sleep.
There are some confusing abductions of women on their way home from work at banks, missing people, concerned friends and family, suspicion of Mafia, murders and more...all for Montalbano to resolve.
Livia was only offstage via short phone calls. Her presence usually adds warmth, so I missed that. Even so, this author is a favorite and he always makes me laugh.

[Justyna Sk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kocham pana, komisarzu 😍

[Fran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decisamente migliore degli ultimi romanzi.
Storia di cui si intuisce il finale da metà libro, ma comunque piacevole. Montalbano è pronto per la pensione.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are aspects here that are frustrating to the avid reader of the Inspector Montalbano series. At times it appears that the brilliant Camilleri is toying with his reader and playing on the success of the popular TV series these books have spawned.

Is it an homage to the great detective to explore lighter moments or is it closer to parody and on the cusp of farce?

Now reader, I believe all these things are forgivable. For me the author is a genius and based on his success can play with his characters in this way. However, this is not an apology in my review of a substandard story as I believe there are
aspects here that celebrate the success and I am so pleased to be part of that process.

This is a police procedural with Montalbano aided and abetted by Fazio, Augello and Catarella. Here we find the team struggling with a mysterious kidnapper who seems to be escalating in his violence with each abduction.
Meanwhile life in the police station is further disrupted by a fire at an electronics store and the disappearance of its
owner which has potential Mafia links.
The two separate crimes are investigated and progress is slow but methodical. To cut through the routine the author has breathed life into his characters who have become larger than life due to the TV series and Camilleri acknowledges that
by his love and care of these individuals here.

So we understand the role of the TV news media based on Salvo’s friend at the station. Smile at his tetchy and caustic interactions with Dr Pasquano born out of their mutual respect. When you add the humour, the location and the heart of the fiction, crimes of passion, you have the flavour of these books. When exposed to wonderful food and the Sicilian magic in relationship and character you appreciate why it is a formula that works and produces more success.
In this case, all these elements are spun and woven into a complex investigation that although seems familiar, is fresh and compelling.

Unlike many of the stories that evolve in books in his series - this one does not recall an actual crime turned into fiction. This is from the mind of the Maestro himself, an original idea, so is precious in itself for this insight into his imagination.

A crime mystery that demands engagement by the reader. A book that rewards with entertainment, transportation to another place. Escapism to a point, but countered by sharing lessons from life. I love the digs at getting older and the irksome idiosyncrasies of others that annoy, frustrate but can also be affirming.

Andrea Camilleri respects his art too much to just bring out another book, each one I view as a gift and it is a great pleasure to read another one and recommend it to others.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entry in the Montalbano series lacks the social commentary that many of the previous books featured but the mystery was solid.

Translated by Stephen Sartarelli

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

The literary equivalent of a Cassata.

“A layer of sponge dipped in liqueur is topped with fresh ricotta sometimes mixed with chocolate chips. The cake and ricotta are then covered by a marzipan shell, followed by green icing. Usually, the cake is topped with glace fruit such as cherries. You can find the cake in small or large sizes throughout Sicily but it is said to originate in Palermo.”*

It’s delicious, comforting, best enjoyed at leisure and has little to nothing to do with crime but who cares.

* copied from a website called something along the lines of Sicilian desserts so good they make you want to cry

[Magpie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️⭐️⭐️ One of a long series of Montalbano novels. Well described characterisation, a whole cast of inspectors, detectives, coroners and lawyers troop across the page and a love letter to the food of Sicily but not an especially effective thriller.
Still, the author has a lot of fun with the various witty interactions of the cast and the exposing of the killer at the end is suitably dramatic 🎭

Outstanding cover

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

A forza di leggere le avventure del commissario Montalbano, che mi piacciono sempre sia chiaro, devo aver capito incosciamente il trucchetto perché anche stavolta ho indovinato l'assassino qualche capitolo prima di lui. Lo considero un successo.

[Sinou Thangal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a little different from what I’d normally purchase but I enjoyed it just the same!
Yes, I did buy it because I liked the cover and the thought of owning the entire series and how it’d look on my shelf did sway me, but I refuse to apologize for it 😌
Although this was the 23rd instalment in the series I didn’t find that I was lacking TOO much information and I really liked that about this book. The fact that it was primarily focused on the crime and “true” issue was what sold it to me. There was no “jealous ex lover” or “ venomous rival” to stir the pot and create drama which in a series such as this is expected, but I was pleasantly surprised because I don’t often find them conducive to the plot or particularly enjoyable.
I also liked that there was no sordid affair or romantic notions introduced between the protagonist and whoever!
I think I definitely will pick up another book from this series!

[Ivor Armistead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of Camilleri’s best efforts.

[Sally Sutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given to me by a friend- first time I have heard or read anything by this author who is Italian and his work translated. A ‘gentle’ murder, if you can have that- full of witticisms and whilst not nail biting, clever. In a similar vein to Agatha Christie. I will read more.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Historically, I have given just about every Montalbano book a four star review. That was generally due to the good mystery, the humor, the surprises, and the character development. This one, The Overnight Kidnapper, lacked all four of those qualities. We have the womanizing Augello, the foul mouthed Pasquano, the inept Catarella, Montalbano's dreams and his preoccupation with getting older, the foodies Adelina and Enzo. But in this book, these are all retreads with little touch of humor, depth or curiosity. The mystery at the heart of the story is also a letdown. I would agree with other reviewers who have said that Camilleri just phoned this one in. Easily the worst and most lifeless of the Montalbano books. If you are reading all of the Montalbano books, you could readily skip this one and invest your precious time elsewhere. If you choose to read it, at least it is a quick read. Definitely not recommended.

[Ray LaManna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Montalbano mystery...a bit complicated but still a good read.

[Axie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Camilleri assembla una storia breve, che ha il pregio di vivere solo dello svolgersi dell’investigazione sfruttando con abilità il gioco di scambi evocati dal titolo: niente tempi morti e divagazioni socio-politiche quasi azzerate consentono al lettore di sprofondare nello svolgimento giallo senza venire distratto o condotto in giro a vuoto. Tema portante: la gelosia. Voto: 8 ½

[Obrir un llibre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nova entrega del creador del comissari Montalbano, Andrea Camilleri, que ens va deixar el mes de juliol d’enguany. Premi Pepe Carvalho 2014 entre altres guardons, La roda dels equívocs és un nou cas d’en Montalbano ambientat com quasi sempre a Vigàta, en l’illa de Sicília.

La roda dels equívocs serà una novel·la que ens parlarà d’aquells malentesos inquietants, on la certesa inicial s’acaba convertint en un resultat imprevisible. També de com podent triar entre dues opcions i tenint el 50% de possibilitats de fer encert, malauradament, la torrada caurà de la banda de la mantega.

Estranyament... https://www.obrirunllibre.cat/la-roda...

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Overnight Kidnapper – Another Montalbano Classic

The Overnight Kidnapper is now the twenty fourth book in the Montalbano Mystery series, and once again another classic. All the Andrea Camilleri tricks are in the story, the food, the comedy and the crimes. While at the same time this is one of the few stories not to have originated from a news story.

Two women have been kidnaped on their way home from work when they stop to help someone. But the kidnapper makes no ransom demands but releases them later that night or the following day. The victims all say the same thing, they did not see his face, but he had an acrid smell from his sweat.

Montalbano and his team are called out to a shop that has been set on fire, a victim of arson, but they are unable to find the owner. His assistant tells the team the owner has been away in Lanzarote for a month and while he was out there fell in love with an Italian female, who happened to be local. When they discover that he has been murdered, in a mafia style murder, and they cannot find his girlfriend, they have many suspects but very little to go on.

Montalbano delves in to both mysteries with gusto, once he has eaten his daily lunch fix at Enzo’s trattoria with all the usual suspects. With his colleagues and chance encounters, everything is described with wit and gusto, I just wish they would publish a book on how to make some of the dishes that get mentioned.

A proper Montalbano classic.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This most recent novel in the Inspector Montalbano series continues to impress the reader with the talent and the prodigious body of work of Andrea Camilleri. The clever storyline keeps the reader on the edge of their seat right until the end, when, of course, the inspector comes through and solves the case. But this does not happen until the reader is treated to the hilarious give and take between Salvo, 'poissonally in poison' (read the book) and his co-workers, his superiors, the Mafia, his romantic interest, and of course, his favorite places and foods to eat. Camilleri's wry sense of humor prevails throughout. I have enjoyed reading every book in the series and have recommended it to others who have become hooked on everything Vigata (his fictitious town in Italy where an awful lot of murders seem to take place). The translations are excellent, as are the notes included for the reader. One can only hope that the inspector will have a long and happy career so that we can continue to enjoy his activities and the workings of his process of reasoning out the identity of the culprits. Camilleri gets substantial information across with an economy of words.
If you have not read any of the series my advice is to get started right now. Read the series from the beginning, as Camilleri develops his characters incrementally, throughout the series.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the reasons why I read Andrea Camilleri's series is because of its humor, but I have to admit that the humor has been lacking in the past few books. I am happy to say that the comedy is back in full force in The Overnight Kidnapper, and I enjoyed every second of it. The stories in the past few books seemed a bit lackluster to me as well, and that changed in this book, too. Perhaps it's due to something Camilleri says in the Afterward. Unlike the other recent books, The Overnight Kidnapper was not inspired by a newspaper article that the author read. It could be that giving himself a rest from the real world set him free to get back to the roots of this long-running series.

The story, with its arson case and the strange abductions of young women who worked in local banks, also kept me wondering what was going on, and-- as usual-- I enjoyed watching Montalbano figure it all out. Even if he can't find his way out of a hospital, Montalbano is a master (1) at knowing all the major crime figures on his patch, (2) how to work with his contacts in the local media, and (3) even more importantly, how to manipulate his aggravating superior.

If anything was lacking in this book, it was food. There were no real descriptions of the mouth-watering meals Montalbano usually enjoys. He went into his favorite restaurant, he ate, and then he walked along the jetty. Even his housekeeper didn't keep his refrigerator and oven filled with her usual feasts. Ah well. I suppose we all have to go on diets periodically.

With the death of Camilleri in 2019, there are no more new Montalbano mysteries, and I find myself wanting to read these last few even slower, to stretch out my enjoyment for as long as I can. This talented man created a cast of characters, an entire fictional world, that I have lived in happily for many years. It's always sad to have something like this end.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although crime fiction is often not realistic, one thing that many real and fictional detectives have in common is the need to find a way of surviving encounters with evil. Inspector Montalbano eats delicious Italian dishes, walks on the jetty, swims in the sea a lot, and keeps his distance in personal relationships. And he works, rarely taking a vacation or even getting away for any length of time. When faced with the overnight kidnappings of two women, even though they are found unharmed he assumes that the incidents will escalate. Skillfully written and superbly translated.