A Beam of Light

A Beam of Light is vintage Camilleri. From the inimitable Catarella's knowledge of Latin to Montalbano's "friendship" with a crab down at the end of the jetty, Camilleri knows how to make readers laugh. Food also plays a mouthwatering part in the proceedings. One of Montalbano's most important indulgences is food. The man breaks into a cold sweat when someone else chooses the restaurant. It's true!

But before you think everything is played for laughs, think again. The meaning of the book's title is so poignant that it may make a tear come to your eye. There are three cases that Montalbano and his team must solve, and-- as always-- it is so enjoyable to watch the inspector's mind work as he investigates and begins to put everything show more together.

I've been slowly savoring each book in this series, knowing that it would inevitably come to an end. If you haven't read a Montalbano mystery, grab one. The purist in me suggests that you start at the beginning with The Shape of Water, especially if you're in the market for a long-running, high-quality series that will keep you laughing, keep you guessing, and keep your mouth watering. Worried about books in translation? Don't be. Stephen Sartarelli is a master of his craft. You're in good hands with Camilleri and Sartarelli. Come on... take a trip to Sicily! show less

2015, Blackstone Audiobooks, Read by Grover Gardner

Publisher’s Summary: adapted from Audible.com
When Inspector Montalbano falls under the charms of beautiful gallery owner Marian, his longtime relationship with Livia comes under threat. Meanwhile, he is also troubled by a strange dream as three crimes demand his attention: the robbery and assault of a wealthy merchant's young wife, stolen works of art, and a search for arms traffickers that leads him deep into the countryside, where the investigation takes a tragic turn.

My Review:
As Blade of Light opens, our Sicilian detective is having the strangest dream – one of those which makes absolutely no sense in the moment – but which begins manifesting itself in reality shortly show more thereafter. I was surprised to feel saddened when Montalbano’s relationship with Livia comes under threat – in spite of their differences and their drama, I had hoped for better for both characters. I like that Camilleri has introduced three crimes here: as the story unfolds, the crimes are not so unrelated as they initially appear to be. And Camilleri writes a great scene in which Montalbano breaks out in a cold sweat as a particular piece of the puzzle clicks into place. I loved the conclusion of Blade of Light which, among other things, finds Montalbano taking a ten-day leave.

Taking a break from this series now until Camilleri’s latest installment, A Voice in the Night, becomes available on audiobook in Canada. show less

As sometimes happens in Andrea Camilleri’s Salvo Montalbano series, A Beam of Light, the serie’s 19th novel, begins with a dream — a dream that will prove prophetic in many ways. Police Commissario Salvatore Montalbano meets the pretty and personable owner of an art gallery, the first ever in the sleepy village of Vigàta. The once faithful Montalbano has grown more and more likely to stray as he has aged, and here he falls head over heels for the lovely Marian. Is his decades-long (albeit long-distance) relationship with Livia doomed?

Meanwhile, Chief Inspector Montalbano and the Vigàta police are investigating some strange goings-on at an isolated farmstead and also a very curious strong-armed robbery. Montalbano realizes show more there’s a lot more than meets the eye in both cases. To tell anymore would be to spoil this wry, clever mystery, which is loaded with humor and pathos as well as lots of twists.

With the aid of his clever police department — Sergeant Giuseppe Fazio, Officer Galluzzo, Vice Commissario (and consummate ladies’ man) Domenico “Mimì” Augello, and the hilarious, Malapropism-prone Officer Agatino Catarella —wraps up three mysteries very nicely. But A Beam of Light, despite the title, is a very dark novel, full of regrets. Longtime Salvo fans will enjoy A Beam of Light more than those new to the Sicilian police chief inspector/philosopher. show less

Perfezione vitalinconica

Centellino i romanzi di Camilleri come bottiglie di vino "grand cru" per non sciuparli in attimi frettolosi fino a che una folgorante lama di luce raccoglie in una sola lettura ciò che la vita impiega a volte anni a distillare. La stanchezza, la perdita, un caso da risolvere, un amore in bilico ed un altro per ritornare alla vita. Ma ciò che è stato non può sfiorire così, per la sola pigrizia degli umani. Ci sono ricordi che devono materializzarsi in perdite reiterate e definitive per scuoterci, per tornare a combattere, per salvare ciò che non può andar perso. Un meccanismo perfetto che si chiude su se stesso.

How to tell Livia that Montalbano does not love her anymore? How could he in the first place? Livia can only complain, argue, add acid to the sour life of a policeman. Livia is far away, and she is not a distant image of a past dream, but the bleak flavor of a failed family. Fanculo Livia, the world is full of beautiful, independent, strong, sweet, funny women ready to be loved by Salvo Montalbano.

In A Beam of Light, by Andrea Camilleri, Chief Inspector Montalbano is once again beset by romantic problems: his long-time lover Livia seems to be undergoing some sort of existential crisis, while he himself has fallen headlong in love with a new woman, an art gallery owner named Marian. In the meantime, there are some nefarious goings-on in a broken-down shed on a farm, a young woman has been robbed and raped while on her way home from visiting a friend, and a number of bodies start turning up, all of which serve to distract Montalbano from his contemplation of the meaning of true love.... While I continue to enjoy Camilleri's wonderful creation Montalbano, I've complained before of the fixation that his character increasingly has show more with young, beautiful women who always seem to be eager to bed the aging, grumpy Chief Inspector; I am simply tired of this fantasy of older men showing up in novel after novel in this series. However, the resolution of the story in this entry gives me hope that this problem will be settled in the not-too-distant future. Meanwhile, the actual crimes and causes of them are as always well-described and effectively handled, so I'm pretty happy with this addition to the long-running series; recommended! show less

Blade of Light – Another Montalbano Winner

Once again the South Sicilian detective stars as the grumpy, food obsessed, administration dodging, crime fighter, and no one does it better in that area than Salvo Montalbano. Andrea Camilleri once again serves a wonderful plate of intrigue and crime, where nothing is as it seems, until Montalbano brings all the threads together at the end.

The book opens with Montalbano asleep and dreaming of a crime happening, in a field with a coffin in it, he feels it is a prophecy. This alone is going to set him off in to one of his moods that only good food and wine at Enzo’s will solve.

A woman is assaulted and the takings from her husband’s supermarket have been taken and she is too ashamed to show more report the matter to the police, but her husband does that for her. What follows is a murder, a cover up, a great actress, a strange affair and a nod to the island’s mafia. Each clue looking completely divorced from each other or so it seems.

At the same time a poor farmer reports that someone has put a lock on one of his outbuildings that has been abandoned long ago. When Montalbano and his team arrive the door and lock have gone but there a clues all around, and he decides he should pass this investigation over to the anti-terrorist branch, even though he will be running a parallel investigation.

All the characters are involved, Fazio is the over efficient younger detective that seems to be pre-empting Salvo which is beginning to annoy him, Mimi is still the lothario for once will be put to good use. As usual Montalbano’s love life is in turmoil, Livia is over in Genoa and is depressed over something, and he has found himself an art gallery owning lover. This lover infatuates Montalbano and takes over a lot of his thinking, but he does help her out with a matter in Milan.

As matters come to ahead, can Montalbano solve the crime of the mugging, and assault with the added death while sorting out his personal life. One thing that does happen is that at the end of the book Salvo takes ten days holiday as he closes one period of his life.

Blade of Light is yet another excellent book in the Inspector Montalbano series, which are such a pleasurable read and such a shame for it to end. Would I rather read the book or watch the DVD, read the book every time, as the book delivers so much more. show less