Inspector Montalbano, still recovering from a minor wound, is called to what appears to be a kidnapping. He assists in the case, formally being handled by another detective, She disappeared on her way home after a study session. She took a different route than usual, her bike is parked in a wrong position, and her helmet is missing. The family's financial situation is well known although the girl has an uncle with hopes of a future political run capable of paying a hefty ransom. Montalbano pieces together seemingly trivial details to arrive at the correct solution. As always Grover Gardner does an excellent job narrating this installment. ( )

"Può un omo, arrivato oramà alla fine della sò carriera, arribbillarsi a uno stato di cose che ha contribuito a mantiniri?". Il commissario Montalbano sente il peso degli anni. E della solitudine. [...] "
La pazienza del ragno" è un giallo anomalo. Senza "delitto " e spargimenti di sangue. A meno che delitto cruento non venga considerato lo splendore di vite costrette a consumarsi e a sprecarsi nell'odio. Nell'attesa di una catarsi che [...] metta in calma le coscienze e le riposizioni nel gioco delle parti: dopo che l'agitazione "teatrale" della "ragnatela", pazientemente tessuta dall'odio, ha esaurito la funzione strategica di "menzogna" che sulla scena ha portato, irretendolo, il vero colpevole". (Salvatore Silvano Nigro).

Source: Amazon - January 11, 2022

A pretty young girl is kidnapped riding her scooter home after studying with a classmate. Inspector Montalbano is convelescing from his gunshot wounds, and is dragged in to assist in the case. Eventually, a large ransom is demanded from her family, which has been devastated by the financial trickery of her now-rich uncle. The uncle, who has political aspirations, is shamed into paying the ransom for the safe return of the girl. As always, Montalbano using his unorthodox policing style, figures out the mystery. ( )

Always interesting especially as Italy/Sicily seems so different to me. Except this novel has explanations in the back detailing the corrupt political system which runs Italy and appears to be a perfect script for the current US administration. ( )

At last I figured out the plot to a Montalbano novel before the end. All I had to do was learn to think like a Sicilian and ponder family dynamics!

As always in the Montalbano series, Sicily itself is a character. The weather, the countryside, the sea, and the food. Oh, yes, the food. Salvo Montalbano stays in amazing shape although he never turns down a good meal and lives for excellent ones. In this novel he eats at some of his usual places and at some new ones during the course of an investigation into a kidnapping. Livia is on hand to hector the still convalescing Montalbano, and Salvo himself actually meets another inspector who is both competent and honest!

As for the mystery, Andrea Camilleri plays fair with the reader. An alert reader will pass by the key clue the first time, but when it comes up again, it will untie this knot of a mystery.

The Montalbano series is a delight and this is a solid entry into it. Recommended for mystery lovers and for people who'd like to escape lockdown and visit Sicily. ( )