Montalbano's First Case and Other Stories

Starred review from December 14, 2015
For this sparkling collection, bestseller Camilleri (A Beam of Light) selected 21 of his 59 published stories featuring Chief Insp. Salvo Montalbano of Sicily's Vigàta police. The title tale, one of the longest and most satisfying, is the only one to have previously appeared in English translation. In 1985, Montalbano is transferred to Vigàta, where he deals first with a sensitive case involving Giuseppe Cusumano, the favorite grandson of Don Sisino Cuffaro, the head of a powerful Mafia family. The story showcases Montalbano's love of good food, his perfect little house, his curiosity and sympathy, and his unconventional but shrewd problem solving. Some of the best stories are quite brief and moving, such as "The Pact," in which Montalbano stops to help an old woman walking alone at night, and the metafictional "Montalbano Says No," in which the detective has a dispute with his creator. Familiar supporting characters get a chance to shine, most notably and improbably in "Catarella Solves a Case," in which "Cat" Catarella, his assistant (with a gift for butchering language), takes a lead role. This is a treat for admirers of the Montalbano novels and a superb introduction for new readers. Agent: Donatella Barbieri, Agenzia Letteraria Internazionale (Italy).

December 15, 2015
In the long title story that opens this collection, Camilleri shows sardonic Sicilian Inspector Montalbano, years before he became rumpled and stricken by a perpetual midlife crisis, with vigor and swag. Office gossip tips young Salvo Montalbano that he's about to be promoted. He's unpleasantly surprised to learn that he won't be staying in his beloved Mascalippa but consigned to Vigata, known for its heavy Mafia population. When his girlfriend, Mery, finds out the news, she hangs up on him. The blunt effrontery of Vigata's citizens is a challenge, as are the quirks of his new colleagues. Montalbano feels cornered into arresting a young woman who seems dumbstruck with fright but is brandishing a revolver and wants to kill a judge. The girl, Rosanna Monaco, a domestic who's barely an adult, touches Montalbano's heart. He finds trouble at her home, along with a secret lover. Intuition helps him to unravel the crime, whose solution brings him no pleasure. The novel-length story, even longer than some of Montalbano's 19 previous cases (A Beam of Light, 2015, etc.), is supplemented by an additional 20 short stories from various points in Montalbano's career. Notable among these are "Mortally Wounded," about a twisty murder probe, and "The Cat and the Goldfinch," which features some delightfully offbeat character portraits. Series fans will especially enjoy learning the origins of Montalbano and company. Though the title story is a bit low-stakes, newcomers may be sufficiently intrigued by Camilleri's droll humor and nifty storytelling to check out the rest of the series.

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