A Nest of Vipers – Book Review

A Nest of Vipers is the latest installment in the Inspector Montalbano series set in . In it, we find Montalbano investigating the murder of a wealthy businessman. Though it isn’t long before we realize that this “upstanding” citizen is not at all what he seems.

The usual routines that make Montalbano great, the delicious food, the comic relief from Catarella, the fights with girlfriend, Livia among them fill the book. It’s a pretty standard formula at this point and this story is no different than the others.

A Nest of Vipers – My Thoughts

If you like the series, read this book, you won’t be disappointed. It’s a solid three stars for me over on goodreads.

A Voice in the Night A Voice in the Night is the 20th book in the Inspector Montalbano series by . Like the others we find Montalbano investigating crimes (in this case the robbery of a supermarket and the brutal murder of a beautiful young girl), all the while dealing with the machinations of the Police Commissioner, a bit of the local mafia, corrupt politicians and their families and the strange speech of officer Catarella. Simply, Camilleri uses the same formula here that he’s used in more than a dozen of these books in the past. Like the others, a quick read, and if you enjoyed the others, you will probably enjoy this one too.

Angelica’s Smile

I love the Inspector Montalbano series and have read all of them. I also watch the TV series when I’m able but I’m afraid to say, I fear this series may have finally jumped the shark. Angelica’s Smile has us again investigating with Montalbano, this time a series of robberies. Again, like in Treasure Hunt, he’s taunted by someone who fashions themselves a criminal mastermind and again, like Treasure Hunt (among others), he’s tempted to cheat on his lung suffering girlfriend, Livia, with a beautiful woman entwined in the case.

Unfortunately it’s getting tired. And Montalbano must be getting old because I figured out most of this one way before he did. And while I love the characters and the setting, I have to say, if the next one doesn’t bounce back, I’ll be done with this series.

Andrea Camilleri – Inspector Montalbano Series

Another detective series – this one set in Sicily 1. The Shape of Water (2002) 2. The Terra-Cotta Dog (2002) 3. The Snack Thief (2003) 4. Voice of the Violin (2003) 5. The Excursion To Tindari (2005) 6. The Smell of the Night (2005) aka The Scent of the Night 7. (2006) 8. The Patience of the Spider (2007) 9. (2008) 10. August Heat (2008) 11. The Wings of the Sphinx (2009) 12. The Track of Sand (2010) 13. The Potter’s Field (2011) 14. The Age of Doubt 15. The Dance of the Seagull 16. Treasure Hunt 17. Angelica’s Smile 18. Game of Mirrors 19. A Beam of Light 20. A Voice in the Night 21. A Nest of Vipers

Plus these random ones:

The Fourth Secret and Montalbano’s First Case.

August Heat

August Heat is the latest and greatest in the Inspector Montalbano series, set in Sicily, by Andrea Camilleri, translated by Stephen Sartarelli. Montalbano is on the case after friends of his girlfriend, Livia, rent a seemingly haunted house along the beach, in the heat of August. Solving the mystery of the haunting only leads to another, more terrible mystery for Montalbano to solve. I don’t want to say much more than this for fear of giving away the plot. Let’s face it though, if you’re a Montalbano fan, you’ll read this book. If not, and you like mysteries, love Italy, you should probably start reading these, but not with this book, with Shape of Water, that I believe is the first.

Oh, and for you fans, this one left me incredibly sad at the end, waiting for and dreading the repercussions that must surely follow in the next book.