The Pyramid of Mud

In the 22nd Inspector Montalbano mystery, Camilleri skillfully crafts a complex plot where a simple murder investigation gradually reveals a brilliant conspiracy by rival mafia factions to innovate a new corruption mechanism. Throughout the police procedural, Gardner provides unique Italian accents to Montalbano’s team and those they interview. His smooth inclusion of Sicilian phrases enhances the sense of place. While the story is rooted in social commentary and economic malfeasance, the darkness is defused by moments of wit and even buffoonery. As the puzzle unravels, Gardner gracefully moves Montalbano from bafflement to deduction. Montabano’s rage and bemusement with both the limitations of the political system and personality show more quirks expose the universality of policing. Gardner conveys Montalbano’s personal woes regarding aging and his domestic worries. The leisurely pacing builds to a crescendo as Camilleri lays out his deductions and reveals all. Fans of Donna Leon and Louise Penny take note!

The improved review was published in Booklist Online April 19, 2018 issue. show less

This workmanlike twenty-third book in Camilleri's marvelous series shows us that no one knows the inner workings of the police, the media, and the Mafia like Salvo Montalbano. In fact, he knows these areas so well that I don't even bother trying to solve the mystery myself; I just sit back and enjoy watching the inspector do all the work.

Although The Pyramid of Mud does show us some of the ins and outs of Italian construction work, it's a stand-out for me in a different area: Livia. Normally, I don't care for the mysteries in which Livia takes part because all she and Montalbano ever seem to do is to pick fights with each other. Relationships based on fighting and making up are big yawns for me. But in this book, Livia is ill, and I show more found Montalbano's lack of focus on the murder investigation due to his concern for her to be touching. Could these two be mellowing in their advancing years? I hope so!

After reading this book, I'm one step closer to the series' end, something I'd rather not acknowledge. I'd always hoped that Montalbano would go on forever and ever and ever... show less

A pretty weak effort by Camilleri. A convoluted story with a villain and the mafia working together to defraud the public with construction contracts using subpar materials. Starting off with a dead body at a construction site, which is dressed up as a lover's quarrel, Montalbano and his crew solve the complex crime, but have no solid evidence which the prosecutor can use for an arrest or even a warrant because the participants keep dying or disappearing. Money is the root of all evil.

Andrea Camilleri’s Salvo Montalbano has been fearing old age for several novels now, but he’s particularly hard-hit in this, the 22nd novel in the series. But Chief Inspector Salvo Montalbano also suffers with world-weariness at the rampant corruption that besets his beloved Vigàta, Sicily and all of Italy. The death of an accountant at a building site opens a chance for Montalbano, his crew and some other honest souls to possibly bring some high-level crooks to justice; however, is that possible, even in this day and age, and with a crusading journalist ready to assist? Readers will enjoy this amusing but principled novel; I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended.

I am taking this down 1/2 Star for the poor editing: The missing character's name is Inge, Montalbano's good friend is Ingrid: They Are Not the Same Person, but the editor seemed to forget that Camilleri had two different women w/ two different names and Ingrid wasn't even present in this book. I maybe 2 mistakes.. but 6? SLOPPY!

A man in his underwear & tee shirt, found dead, shot in the back of the neck in a cement sewer pipe.

Construction sites being cited & closed down.... A school w/ new buildings collapsing... A missing woman, her uncle, & the millions of Euros stashed in a hidden underground safe.

6 construction businesses owned jointly by the two Sicilian families

It is up to Montalbano & his crew to untangle the web of deceit, show more murder, & corruption...

Well written and interesting. show less

This story has to be,in my personal opinion, Montalbano (or maybe I should say Camilleri?) at his best/ top of his form, even if we find Montalbano is subjected to wading and slipping through mud created by never ending rain storms and the potential mafia corruption of public constructions works. That alone is enough to make any sane person want to pull the blankets up over their heads, stay in bed and hope all weather and crime problems just dry up and go away. That may work for the weather, but not corruption. Interestingly, Montalbano and his team find themselves caught up in a highly orchestrated drama of false confessions and a larger criminal activity to unravel. Camilleri has mastered the skill of creating intricate crimes that show more take a fair bit of "noggin' (head) work" to suss out and is part of the reason why I find these stories so interesting to read. Caterilla is as entertaining as always, but I enjoying seeing Fazio getting some good screen time where he gets to flex his researching skills.

On the downside, the story also delves into Montabano's girlfriend Livia's depression. If you are like me, and have read the previous installments, you might be wondering "What depression?" but it comes clear rather early on that Livia's depression seems to be directly linked to an event that occurs three installments back, in [A Beam of Light]. So, based on this jarring disconnect I experienced, this book is another book another book in the series that has potentially been published "out of sync". That kind of detail stuff drives me batty. show less

The Pyramid of Mud – Another Montalbano Classic

The latest Montalbano thriller from Andrea Camilleri has been translated into English and the Pyramid of Mud is yet another classic. All the comedy, the characters, the food, and mystery packed into this book with the mafia hiding in the background.

A construction company’s chief account is found murdered in a tunnel, part of a construction that his company has been working on. At first, they have to find out why he is naked and where he was before he ended up dead in a construction tunnel. So, begins a mystery which has been set up to make the police think one thing, when in reality it is something completely different.

With his ever-faithful team of Fazio and his wayward deputy Mimi, show more they tackle the mystery head on, and let those who would lead the investigation astray, think they had confused the police investigation. But Montalbano can see through the smoke and mirrors that others keep throwing up trying to confuse them. He even plays along to dupe the main protagonists thinking they will slowly make mistakes and reveal their hands.

Once again Camilleri describes all Montalbano’s colleagues with wit and gusto, so we get all the chance encounters, the contents of his fridge and oven. The Montalbano series is one of the best crafted pieces of crime writing available today. Nothing is lost in translation, even the comedic characters that are dotted throughout the mystery.

The investigation may get off to a slow and slippery start, but it carries all the pleasures of reading Montalbano, and will always keep you reading and smiling throughout the book. show less