The Paper Moon (Inspector Montalbano Mysteries) [Paperback]

 

 

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This book centres on two fascinating women - the sister and the mistress of Angelo Pardo, done to death in horrible circumstances right at the beginning. The sister hates the mistress - but why? Montalbano meets both and has to be wary - Michela's eyes and Emilia's easy beauty are seductive. But his job is to discover the killer, and as usual local and national politics and the complex social fabric of Sicily are a strong element - and food too, at Enzo's wonderful trattoria. For all Montalbano's afficianados, this is really the mixture as before, which is how we like it, and it is a lovely read, full of atmosphere and interest, and with an involving plot which keeps you guessing. I don't think it's the best Montalbano mystery (though I'd find it difficult to say exactly why) but it's certainly up to scratch and will while away a few hours very enjoyably indeed.

Montalbano is a wonderful invention - a human being, it would be hard not to like him. He adores good food and will travel out of his way to find it. He is infuriated by and infuriates his subordinates. He sits under his favourite olive tree to think, to find a solution to some vexing question. He wrestles with his work but he loves it. I've thoroughly enjoyed all the Montalbano series. Each one is like a good meal.

Inspector Montalbano wakes this time not by his inner alarm clock but from one he now sets each night to wake him prompt each morning. His usual slapstick routine of starting the day had fallen by the wayside, irrelevant random thoughts had been plaguing his mind, with a touch of forgetfulness, tiredness and that feeling of age had suddenly creep upon him.

Within ten minutes of being at the station Montalbano is confronted by Signorina. Michela Pardo who cannot locate her brother Angelo, he may have been forty-two but had been missing for some forty eight hours and would always call when away. After a few questions and being won over by Michela's deep, violet lake eyes he was willing to check out her brother's apartment. Montalbano stumbles into a gruesome situation on Angelo's terrace, a man shot at point blank range in the face presented in a rather lewd position.

As things begin to unfold Angelo Pardo the victim was certainly appearing to be no saint. A former doctor struck off the Medical Association ten years earlier after indecent relations with a female patient. Montalbano also had suspicions and doubts about Angelo's job as a medical/pharmaceutical `Informer' and the wealth that seemed to go with it, not only was he lacking a bank account, the money had instead been spent on lavish expensive gifts for his mistress. Then there was Angelo's computer, three files protected by passwords and within secret codes were used! What for? Threatening letters had been found but a strongbox Angelo kept was missing. Montalbano sized up possible motives female entanglements or shady influence in the medical profession with plenty of suspects past and present to go with both, or was it something else? While Montalbano's faithful team cracked codes and follow all other leads including a political one, Montalbano on the other hand was looking for trouble and decided his line of enquiry, presence was best felt with the ladies.

Andrea Camilleri has done wonders with the character Inspector Salvo Montalbano over the years, always in hot water with female trouble, his moods dark, aging but not lacking in sophistication and charm it just melts right off the pages. In this book Montalbano wits become changellened against the leading ladies Michela Pardo and Elena Sclafani but its Montalbano inner thoughts about these two which adds to the comedy. His team follow him as he leadeth them into temptation; always using his unorthodox route to get an answer, meanwhile the description of a chaotic police station always cracks me with a smile. The whole series has a timeless feel, for any thinking of starting to read they clearly deserve to be read from the beginning.

Camilleri has written a wonderful Montalbano Mystery series, this book is the ninth in the series and again he doesn't disappoint. All Montalbano mysteries start in comedy but end in horror or melodrama but its all done with lots of human interest in every plot. This novel I found to start slower than others but it soon picked up pace and again the ending was a gem with its darker twists. What I love about this whole series would be the characterisation and language the usage of dialogue in conversation, directness, it's all been kept real with sharp dry wit and ironic comedy moments, the sly comments on Italian life and culture keeps things amusing and interesting. A big also for me is the passion for great flavoured foods, all the dishes in these books are mouth-watering and endless, described so vividly you can almost taste them.

This is also where I bring in my special thank you to poet Stephen Sartarelli who has translated each book smoothly and clearly managing to keep its humour throughout and for the informative notes given at the back on wording, I would also say notes are always advised to be read before reading the novels.

Another thoroughly enjoyable read in the series.

Andrea Bowhill

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5.0 out of 5 stars Sicilian atmosphere, satirical humour and a crime mystery
As The Paper Moon opens, Salvo Montalbano, a fifty-something police Inspector in the fictional town of Vigata, Sicily, is summoned to see a distraught woman, Michaela Pardo, whose... Read more

Published 11 months ago by Maxine Clarke

3.0 out of 5 stars Paper moon
Read the book without anticipation or excitment.

I found his description of women very macho. The females come in two categories. Read more

Published 15 months ago by Marianne

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun detective story
A fun, readable detective story I picked up. Half the interest is in the Italian crime setting, and the detective is identifiable and world-weary. Read more

Published on 6 Dec 2009 by JamieJ

4.0 out of 5 stars More Montalbano, beautiful women and food
A beautiful woman arrives one morning at the office of Chief Inspector Salvo Montalbano to report her brother missing. Read more

Published on 4 May 2009 by Mick Read

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful camilleri
another excellent Montelbano story - full of the mixture I've come to expect of humour, mystery, eccentric characters, clash with authority, tussles with his love life.

Published on 12 April 2009 by E. A. Welch

5.0 out of 5 stars continued excellence
This is, yet again, a brilliant success. The variety of characters makes it funny, intriguing and suprisingly human! I read it with a smile on my face.

Published on 17 Mar 2009 by lingee

4.0 out of 5 stars good as always but not the strongest in the series
'The alarm rang as it had every morning for the past year, at seven thirty.'

Things have changed for Montalbano and he needs some help - his internal clock has... Read more

Published on 4 Nov 2008 by purpleheart

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