This is the first Inspector Montalbano book that I’ve read, although it’s not the first in the series.

The Scent of the Night sees Montalbano dealing with the mysterious disappearance of a financial conman, and the mess left behind. It’s not Montalbano’s case, but he pursues it because he doesn’t trust his Mafia-obsessed colleague. Given his own team of inarticulate Cat, bureaucratic Fazio and the absent Mimi, you have to wonder what makes him think he can do better.

Camilleri has Montalbano obsessing a lot on little things like a jumper and an olive tree. He never quite justifies his hero’s extreme reactions on these matters. The writing is pacy and easy to read, and is laced with humour (although I winced at his translator’s pastiche of rustic Italians). As I was reading it, I felt the book was pretty inconsequential, but the ending changed my view. Despite the light touch, Camilleri references Faulkner, classical literature, poetry, and opera making the book quite a bit more literate than you expect from the breezy writing style.

There are enough references to Montalbano’s earlier cases and relationships to warrant reading these in order. I think I’ll start again at the start, with The Shape of Water. I’m looking forward to it. ( )

The Scent of the Night by Andrea Camilleri is the 6th book in the Commissario Montalbano series. Wile this volume was not my favorite of the series I still enjoyed it and loved catching up with Montalbano and his group of compatriots.

Inspector Montalbano is called out to a hostage situation where an old man has a gun on the secretary of a small financial company. The owner of the company has apparently absconded with his client’s life savings. No one is quite sure whether the financial manager has run afoul of the Mafia or whether his scam was successful and he is now living it up on a tropical island. Defusing the hostage situation brings Monalbano’s attention to the case which the fraud squad has been investigating and, of course, he comes up with a totally different solution, one that much more closely matches the evidence.

The book is wonderfully translated by Stephen Sartarelli who captures the wit and gusto of Montalbano’s Sicilian life. We are treated to many mouth-watering descriptions of food as well as the delightful late night phone conversations and quarrels with his long-suffering girlfriend, Livia. Montalbano’s irreverent, individualist style makes for a fun, diverting read and I am already looking forward to the next book. ( )

I didn’t read the other books in the series. This was ok. ( )

After listening to Excursion to Tindari last month I decided to continue with the Inspector Montalbano series. I liked this one a bit better than the previous book. When a financial advisor who is really running a Ponzi scheme disappears along with much of the savings of many of the local retirees, Montalbano gets shut out of the investigation. Of course he still ends up solving the case and a couple of side mysteries along the way.

It’s a typical Montalbano book. He grumps, he enjoys his food, he manages to be kind despite being grumpy, he and Livia continue to have an unresolved relationship and I enjoyed the whole thing. ( )

A financier, running a Ponzi scheme on the residents of Vigata, disappears along with one of his employees. Even though primary responsibility for the investigation lies elsewhere, Inspector Montalbano is bothered by the crimes, especially when the employee's new home construction destroys his favorite olive tree, and so he solves the mystery. ( )