All would appear to be over, except Gargano disappears with millions of lira and Montalbano’s superiors don’t want him involved in the case. Montalbano can’t figure out why he is being shut out, but between that and having problems with his lover Livia, he is in no mood to be fooled around with and chases Gargano, unofficially, with much vigor. Because so many residents of Vigata are involved with Gargano, the town seems to have turned itself on its ear leaving Montalbano wondering if any of his work is worth anything.

Montalbano loves his home island and will do almost anything to save it and the people and preserve their way of life. He is very good at ferreting out information and getting people to tell him things that don’t necessarily want to tell him. While nothing in his investigation seems quite right, Montalbano presses on, knowing that sooner or later the pieces will fall into place and he will be back in everyone’s good graces.

Montalbano is becoming an intense character over the course of the series, though he may learn not to take himself and others so seriously after this outing.

The atmosphere of Sicily is carefully and faithfully re-created leaving American readers eager to take a trip across the Atlantic and pay a visit to Montalbano’s world. A relatively new series to the United States, Inspector Montalbano is sure to continue winning fans and staking his claim in the police procedural genre.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry