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epictetsocrate's review against another edition
3.0
„Îi vom spânzura pe duşmanii poporului cu propriile lor cravate!”
„Băncile sunt bune doar ca să fie jefuite!”
Carlo Militello, supranumit Carlo Ciocanul – în primul rând pentru atitudinea sa suverană, de lider suprem, iar în al doilea rând pentru că, asupra adversarilor, vorbele sale cădeau ca nişte lovituri de ciocan, iar scatoalcele ca nişte lovituri de baros. Cel mai intransigent, cel mai inflexibil, atât de radical încât însuşi Ho Şi Min – atât de mult invocat pe atunci de demonstranţi – părea un social-democrat reformist. Îi obliga pe toţi să nu fumeze ţigări, ca să nu contribuie la îmbogăţirea Monopolului Statului; în schimb, joint-uri şi iarbă la discreţie, de voie. Susţinea că tovarăşul Stalin acţionase bine o singură dată în viaţă: atunci când devalizase băncile ca să finanţeze partidul. „Stat” era un cuvânt care le înfierbânta tuturor capetele, îi înfuria mai rău ca pe taurii zădărâţi cu basmale roşii. Din perioada acelor ani, Montalbano îşi amintea mai ales o poezie a lui Pasolini care lua apărarea poliţiştilor trimişi să le ţină piept studenţilor în Valle Giulia, la Roma. Toţi tovarăşii săi scuipaseră scârbiţi peste acele versuri, în vreme ce el încercase să le găsească o justificare: „Totuşi, e o poezie frumoasă” – spusese. De nu l-ar fi ţinut ceilalţi, Carlo Ciocanul i-ar fi fărâmat obrazul cu una dintre scatoalcele lui nimicitoare.
„Băncile sunt bune doar ca să fie jefuite!”
Carlo Militello, supranumit Carlo Ciocanul – în primul rând pentru atitudinea sa suverană, de lider suprem, iar în al doilea rând pentru că, asupra adversarilor, vorbele sale cădeau ca nişte lovituri de ciocan, iar scatoalcele ca nişte lovituri de baros. Cel mai intransigent, cel mai inflexibil, atât de radical încât însuşi Ho Şi Min – atât de mult invocat pe atunci de demonstranţi – părea un social-democrat reformist. Îi obliga pe toţi să nu fumeze ţigări, ca să nu contribuie la îmbogăţirea Monopolului Statului; în schimb, joint-uri şi iarbă la discreţie, de voie. Susţinea că tovarăşul Stalin acţionase bine o singură dată în viaţă: atunci când devalizase băncile ca să finanţeze partidul. „Stat” era un cuvânt care le înfierbânta tuturor capetele, îi înfuria mai rău ca pe taurii zădărâţi cu basmale roşii. Din perioada acelor ani, Montalbano îşi amintea mai ales o poezie a lui Pasolini care lua apărarea poliţiştilor trimişi să le ţină piept studenţilor în Valle Giulia, la Roma. Toţi tovarăşii săi scuipaseră scârbiţi peste acele versuri, în vreme ce el încercase să le găsească o justificare: „Totuşi, e o poezie frumoasă” – spusese. De nu l-ar fi ţinut ceilalţi, Carlo Ciocanul i-ar fi fărâmat obrazul cu una dintre scatoalcele lui nimicitoare.
tien's review against another edition
3.0
A quick & easy listening mystery novel set in Italy. Inspector Salvo Montalbano runs his team & office as he wants to run them to the dismay of his superiors. He has got a great team together despite each member's quirks, they get along & work well as a team. In this instalment, 2 seemingly separate incidents rolled into 1 big conspiracy involving the mafia and certain black marketing activities. Of course, Montalbano solved everything to his own satisfaction (his superiors can get stuffed!).
As a 50 year old confirmed bachelor and I think, he's a confirmed bachelor, really, even with his long-term long-distance relationship with Livia (again another thing that doesn't make sense to me), Montalbano is used to getting his own way and will, unashamedly, manipulate as circumstance will allow. His love for food along with his unpredictable temper provides alternatively cravings for Italian food and comic relief. I do believe all the food descriptions are what really pulled this series!
As a 50 year old confirmed bachelor and I think, he's a confirmed bachelor, really, even with his long-term long-distance relationship with Livia (again another thing that doesn't make sense to me), Montalbano is used to getting his own way and will, unashamedly, manipulate as circumstance will allow. His love for food along with his unpredictable temper provides alternatively cravings for Italian food and comic relief. I do believe all the food descriptions are what really pulled this series!
writerlibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
In this, we find Montalbano trying to keep one member of his team where he belong, trying to out smart (not hard to do) his boss, figuring out why a young man was killed with a bullet in the head and where an old couple ended up after vanishing from an bus excursion to Tindari. We have old mafia, new mafia, a young man that wrote burning love letters, had a collection of porno tapes and left an on going novel on his computer and an old couple who vanishes without a trace. Is everything connected or is it all just coincidences? Montalbano doesn't believe in coincidences. This is as good as The Shape of Water. The plot is solid, the character development is there for Montalbano and his crew. I'm warming up to Mimi and that poor policeman who loves computers, answers the phone but is cursed with not being able to communicate properly. A good, solid novel.
margardenlady's review against another edition
5.0
Camilleri has woven another tale with mastery. He tells about two incidents that are linked only by the victims' residences. Or is that all? A tale of ethics and human nature, told with humor.
crazygoangirl's review against another edition
2.0
I’ve read another Montalbano mystery some time ago and found it alright, so I thought I would give this one a try.
It’s not bad as mysteries go. In this one, the Inspector and his team must solve two crimes - a mafia-style hit on a young man and and the disappearance of an elderly couple. Nothing connects the two incidents other than the fact that those involved all lived in the same building. I couldn’t remember much about the Inspector or his team from my previous encounter (which in itself should have told me he isn’t the most memorable of characters!), but they were decent enough in the typical sort of way. The Inspector himself single but with a long distance girlfriend Livia, fond of good food (would have liked more detailed descriptions of that good Italian food😋) and drink, sharp, secretive and sarcastic, surrounded by a loyal, close knit team that would die for him as he would for them.
This would have been a 3-star book but for the fact that as we progressed toward the resolution, new characters entered the narrative randomly, foisted on the reader, in a attempt to solve the mystery and tie up loose ends. So although the crime was solved, it left me unsatisfied and somehow indifferent because the characters involved in the crimes seemed vague and flat as compared to the policemen who all seemed written in technicolor, if you know what I mean! Whether this is by author design I cannot say, but it bored me. I would have liked more local flavour, a faster paced narrative and better plotting.
Don’t think I’ll be continuing with the series. Perhaps reading them in proper order makes a difference? I don’t think I care enough to find out. This book did however lead me to Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti series also set in Italy. I’ve downloaded the first in the series and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a better reading experience.
It’s not bad as mysteries go. In this one, the Inspector and his team must solve two crimes - a mafia-style hit on a young man and and the disappearance of an elderly couple. Nothing connects the two incidents other than the fact that those involved all lived in the same building. I couldn’t remember much about the Inspector or his team from my previous encounter (which in itself should have told me he isn’t the most memorable of characters!), but they were decent enough in the typical sort of way. The Inspector himself single but with a long distance girlfriend Livia, fond of good food (would have liked more detailed descriptions of that good Italian food😋) and drink, sharp, secretive and sarcastic, surrounded by a loyal, close knit team that would die for him as he would for them.
This would have been a 3-star book but for the fact that as we progressed toward the resolution, new characters entered the narrative randomly, foisted on the reader, in a attempt to solve the mystery and tie up loose ends. So although the crime was solved, it left me unsatisfied and somehow indifferent because the characters involved in the crimes seemed vague and flat as compared to the policemen who all seemed written in technicolor, if you know what I mean! Whether this is by author design I cannot say, but it bored me. I would have liked more local flavour, a faster paced narrative and better plotting.
Don’t think I’ll be continuing with the series. Perhaps reading them in proper order makes a difference? I don’t think I care enough to find out. This book did however lead me to Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti series also set in Italy. I’ve downloaded the first in the series and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a better reading experience.
indoorg1rl's review
4.0
Where has Montalbano been my entire life? I'm kicking myself because I've had this book sitting around gathering dust on my bookshelf for years, without realising how enjoyable it is.
Montalbano is a funny and eccentric Sicilian inspector. He leads a band of other funny, eccentric detectives who approach murder mysteries in unconventional ways. In this book, they find a guy murdered outside his apartment building, and things unravel from there.
I love Montalbano and his team. Each of them has a unique, unforgettable character with their own quirks. I tremendously enjoyed the pranks he played on each of his team members. I chuckled out loud reading this book (big shoutout to the translator for doing a great job. It's not easy translating humour) - will definitely check out other books in the series.
Montalbano is a funny and eccentric Sicilian inspector. He leads a band of other funny, eccentric detectives who approach murder mysteries in unconventional ways. In this book, they find a guy murdered outside his apartment building, and things unravel from there.
I love Montalbano and his team. Each of them has a unique, unforgettable character with their own quirks. I tremendously enjoyed the pranks he played on each of his team members. I chuckled out loud reading this book (big shoutout to the translator for doing a great job. It's not easy translating humour) - will definitely check out other books in the series.
canadianbookworm's review
4.0
I started reading this series a few years ago and then got away from them, but recently decided to seek them out again, continuing where I left off. This is the fifth book in the series featuring Inspector Salvo Montalbano out of Vigàta, Sicily. Montalbano struggles against corruption, government bureaucracy and the mafia. His team provides many interesting characters, as do the non-police members of his circle.
In this mystery, a young man is discovered murdered at his front door. Shortly thereafter another man asks the police for assistance regarding his missing parents, who resided at the same address as the murdered man. The police can`t see any other relation between the two, but can`t help but wonder. As the cases develop, Montalbano finds inspiration in both the sea outside his door, and a particular olive tree, and is led to a very disturbing discovery.
With an odd request from a local mafia lord, strange behaviour on the part of the missing couple, and worry over his team`s future, this novel continues to entertain.
Montalbano`s love of food is present again, with mouthwatering descriptions of local Italian dishes. These books immerse one in Sicily.
In this mystery, a young man is discovered murdered at his front door. Shortly thereafter another man asks the police for assistance regarding his missing parents, who resided at the same address as the murdered man. The police can`t see any other relation between the two, but can`t help but wonder. As the cases develop, Montalbano finds inspiration in both the sea outside his door, and a particular olive tree, and is led to a very disturbing discovery.
With an odd request from a local mafia lord, strange behaviour on the part of the missing couple, and worry over his team`s future, this novel continues to entertain.
Montalbano`s love of food is present again, with mouthwatering descriptions of local Italian dishes. These books immerse one in Sicily.
tippycanoegal's review
4.0
I am on a Camilleri bender. Reading them like candy one after the other. The perfect summertime mystery reads. Fantastic series set in Sicily with an inspector that is quirky and difficult. I cannot believe that these mysteries have not yet been serialized on television. They are so witty, vivid and crisp. Highly recommend to anyone who has not come across this author.
expendablemudge's review
4.0
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: Following the long-running success he has enjoyed on bestseller lists in Europe, Inspector Salvo Montalbano is now winning over American readers and critics alike as “one of the most engaging protagonists in detective fiction” (USA Today). Now, in Excursion to Tindari, Andrea Camilleri’s savvy and darkly comic take on Sicilian life leads Montalbano into his most bone-chilling case yet.In two seemingly unrelated crimes, a young Don Juan is found murdered and an elderly couple is reported missing after an excursion to the ancient site of Tindari. As Montalbano works to solve both cases, he stumbles onto Sicily’s ghastly “new age” of brutal and anonymous criminality.
My Review: Fifth of Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano series set in fictional Vigata, Sicily, this outing sees Montalbano and his team dealing with a homicide, a double disappearance, and a bad case of lovin' you for the Inspector and his chief henchman as their respective relationships head into perilous waters. That is as nothing, though, compared to the murder of a too-wealthy twenty-year-old computer whiz who is in so far over his head that teasing out the whys and wherefores of his death leads Montalbano directly to the pinnacle of the Mafia food chain, and the resolution of the double disappearance...actually a double homicide...and the end of particularly vile, despicable, reprehensible, inexcusable business. For good? Probably not. For better, yes.
Camilleri doesn't disappoint in this outing for the hapless Mimí Augello, the surprisingly astute Catarella, and the Inspector himself. A web spins around Vigata (modeled after Porto Empedocle, Camilleri's home, which has actually added "Vigata" to its name to capitalize on the tourists following Montalbano around!) that seems at first to mean one thing, then another, then when you're SURE it means ANOTHER thing, *bam* there it is, the real source of all the trouble...and this time it was one I so totally never saw coming that I reeled backwards in shock, just like in the old cartoons. (Never mind that I was comfortably recumbent in the bed, don't be a spoilsport, the image works.)
Montalbano's highly imperfect character...too fond of his food yet never gets fat, treats Livia with what can charitably be called a highly trusting light maintenance, is so jealous of Augello's gal-pal in Pavia (like being from Massachusetts to a Texan) that he sets out with malice aforethought to get poor Mimí to forget her by introducing him to a witness in the double disappearance case, who just happens to be tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and a major foodie who has no family outside Vigata...which ploy works like a champ, may I add...grows deeper in this entry, and in some surprising ways. Upstanding yet spiteful, insubordinate yet deftly political, Montalbano makes each twist and every turn just that much more fun to take with Camilleri.
These are hugely popular books in the rest of the world, and the TV series is huge in Europe, and they are like all fueled by the same basic engine: Real drama comes from inside complex characters, their different facets all whirling chaotically to create the energy to drive the story. Well, yes.
Now will SOMEONE please translate Camilleri's non-Montalbano novel "Noah's Umbrella"?!? I *have* to know what it's about!
The Publisher Says: Following the long-running success he has enjoyed on bestseller lists in Europe, Inspector Salvo Montalbano is now winning over American readers and critics alike as “one of the most engaging protagonists in detective fiction” (USA Today). Now, in Excursion to Tindari, Andrea Camilleri’s savvy and darkly comic take on Sicilian life leads Montalbano into his most bone-chilling case yet.In two seemingly unrelated crimes, a young Don Juan is found murdered and an elderly couple is reported missing after an excursion to the ancient site of Tindari. As Montalbano works to solve both cases, he stumbles onto Sicily’s ghastly “new age” of brutal and anonymous criminality.
My Review: Fifth of Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano series set in fictional Vigata, Sicily, this outing sees Montalbano and his team dealing with a homicide, a double disappearance, and a bad case of lovin' you for the Inspector and his chief henchman as their respective relationships head into perilous waters. That is as nothing, though, compared to the murder of a too-wealthy twenty-year-old computer whiz who is in so far over his head that teasing out the whys and wherefores of his death leads Montalbano directly to the pinnacle of the Mafia food chain, and the resolution of the double disappearance...actually a double homicide...and the end of particularly vile, despicable, reprehensible, inexcusable business. For good? Probably not. For better, yes.
Camilleri doesn't disappoint in this outing for the hapless Mimí Augello, the surprisingly astute Catarella, and the Inspector himself. A web spins around Vigata (modeled after Porto Empedocle, Camilleri's home, which has actually added "Vigata" to its name to capitalize on the tourists following Montalbano around!) that seems at first to mean one thing, then another, then when you're SURE it means ANOTHER thing, *bam* there it is, the real source of all the trouble...and this time it was one I so totally never saw coming that I reeled backwards in shock, just like in the old cartoons. (Never mind that I was comfortably recumbent in the bed, don't be a spoilsport, the image works.)
Montalbano's highly imperfect character...too fond of his food yet never gets fat, treats Livia with what can charitably be called a highly trusting light maintenance, is so jealous of Augello's gal-pal in Pavia (like being from Massachusetts to a Texan) that he sets out with malice aforethought to get poor Mimí to forget her by introducing him to a witness in the double disappearance case, who just happens to be tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and a major foodie who has no family outside Vigata...which ploy works like a champ, may I add...grows deeper in this entry, and in some surprising ways. Upstanding yet spiteful, insubordinate yet deftly political, Montalbano makes each twist and every turn just that much more fun to take with Camilleri.
These are hugely popular books in the rest of the world, and the TV series is huge in Europe, and they are like all fueled by the same basic engine: Real drama comes from inside complex characters, their different facets all whirling chaotically to create the energy to drive the story. Well, yes.
Now will SOMEONE please translate Camilleri's non-Montalbano novel "Noah's Umbrella"?!? I *have* to know what it's about!
lnatal's review
3.0
A couple of old people of Vigata mysteriously disappears after making an excursion to the neighboring town, Tindari. In the same building where they lived elders, a man is murdered. Seemingly unrelated facts that end up in the commissioner Salvo Montalbano charge. Even going against the advice of his superiors, the detective following in their investigations without believing in coincidences. Search then, among the delights of the local cuisine and the finest Italian wines, a fact that can connect the couple to the victim's murder.