Angelica's Smile

March 31, 2014
CWA International Dagger Award-winner Camilleri’s many fans will shout “grazie” for his 17th Insp. Salvo Montalbano mystery (after 2013’s Treasure Hunt). Montalbano, who, perhaps, loves his antipasto more than his detective work, looks into a rash of copycat burglaries in the Sicilian coastal village of Vigàta. Victims are carefully chosen for the fact that they have two homes to burglarize. One such victim is Angelica Cosulich, so drop-dead gorgeous that Montalbano can barely breathe, much less speak, in her presence. But the investigation must go on! Midnight stakeouts, threatening anonymous letters, and even a puzzling murder ensue, all to the tune of those requisite seaside lunches and Angelica’s alluring smile. Poor lovesick Montalbano tries to keep his mind on the case (but not too hard) in this delightful caper, replete with charming companions and a setting that’s a pleasure to return to. Agent: Donatella Barbieri, Agenzia Letteraria Internazionale (Italy).

June 1, 2014
The investigation of a string of burglaries becomes ticklishly complicated when the rumpled investigator finds himself entranced by one of the victims.Closing in on 60 and jaded to the max, droll Sicilian Inspector Montalbano views nearly every crime as a nuisance, including a series of burglaries perpetrated on wealthy locals. Nevertheless, he and quirky subordinates Catarella and Fazio set about dutifully interviewing victims. The crime scenes and the list of articles taken, including luxury cars, mark the burglars as pros. So Montalbano compiles a list of known high-end thieves alongside the growing list of victims. Two developments amp up his interest in the case. First, he begins receiving taunting messages, presumably from the leader of the thieves, a "Mr. Z," calling this a game and daring him to play. Not long after, he goes to interview the latest victim and falls in love as never before. Angelica Cosulich, head teller at a local bank, is appealingly attentive to him. She's named after the heroine of Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, passages of which Montalbano mentally repeats with her in mind. Nor does his infatuation pass unnoticed at the station house. Meanwhile, his tempestuous lady love Livia is particularly unpredictable, aloof one minute and intrusively devoted the next. Just when the case seems hopelessly blocked, a body in a ditch and a surprising suicide blow it wide open.Montalbano's 18th recorded case (Treasure Hunt, 2013, etc.) is slight but sublime, with droll dialogue, colorful characters and a sleek pace.

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May 15, 2014

No one today writes better mysteries than Camilleri and no one's been better served than him by his translator. The distinguishing feature of these stories is their deft blend of old-style detecting, social commentary, and slapstick humor. In the 17th installment (after Treasure Hunt), Montalbano is confronted by a string of burglaries. "Mr. Z," the mastermind behind them, writes to Montalbano, taunting him for his lack of success in solving them. Among the victims is the beautiful Angelica Cosulich, who makes the inspector's heart go pitter-patter: she's the virtual image of the pagan princess Angelica (same name!) in Ariosto's mock-chivalric romance, Orlando Furioso. Whenever Angelica's around, Montalbano doesn't think straight, but he muddles through anyway. Camilleri combines Keystone Kops tomfoolery with mordant wit, overlaying it all with love for even his most extreme characters. What a pleasure it is again to hear Montalbano's language-challenged associate Catarella, who mangles every message he relays, inform Montalbano that there's been another "buggery" in town. Vigata, Sicily, may not be where you'd choose to live but it's a lot of fun to visit. VERDICT The author's fans will devour this book; for those readers who can't get enough of Camilleri, they should also consider his quirky historical mystery Hunting Season.--David Keymer, Modesto, CA

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
On the rare occasions when Camilleri's long-running series starring the impetuous and thoroughly appealing Sicilian inspector Salvo Montalbano runs into trouble, it's usually because the Keystone Kops elementMontalbano and cohorts bumbling about in an attempt to solve a wildly tangled caseoverwhelms the quieter pleasures of watching the inspector deal with the rigors of daily life. That happens here, as Montalbano investigates an audacious series of carefully orchestrated robberies. Much gnashing of the teeth ensues, as Montalbano receives taunting messages from the mastermind behind the robberies and as he finds himself in emotional turmoil, thanks to his obsession with the stunningly beautiful Angelica Cosulich, one of the robbery victims. Familiar series themesMontalbano's fear of aging, his vulnerability to the charms of beautiful women, and his uncanny ability to solve the most seemingly impenetrable cases with wild flights of intuitionall appear here, but the mix seems slightly out of proportion, as if Camilleri added too much of one ingredient to the pot and not enough of another. It's not a bad dish, by any means, but series fans are likely to find it a bit of a disappointment.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)