Customer Reviews

The scent of the night

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Montalbano is one of my favorite policemen - very, very human in his many appetites, cantankerous and grouchy, but astute in his judgments and, of course, intuitive in crime-solving. This is his most thoughtful and provocative book yet. Descriptions of his meals make me want to board the next plane for Palermo! And three cheers for the excellent translation.

I love mysteries. While I can be charmed by a cozy, the books that I want to own are the true mysteries that allow the reader to solve honestly presented clues, much preferably with a psychological insight that enhances the understanding of the crime. With the Montalbano series, it is the inspector's psyche that fascinates..he is cranky, moody, sometimes unfair but ruefully honest. His author swings from sentiment to cynacism (proving the cliche that to scratch a cynic is to find a romantic). What makes these books so savory is the quallity of writing. No extra words, no navel gazing, but with spare and sometimes painful accuracy, Camilleri captures a view of life that I think can only be modern Italian. You can see the (fictional) town, the light over the sea and the struggle for Montalbano to manage a romance (badly), a series of clues (very well) and the cultural assumptions that many of his insights rest upon. The whole series is worth collecting. Donna Leon has the detective we want to know (Inspector Brunetti) and I love to read. Camilleri has the detective who is entirely believable, even by a cynic. Less comfortable than Leon / Brunetti, but more realistic.

"The Smell Of the Night" by Andrea Camilleri. Subtitled: "An Inspector Montalbano Mystery". Translated by Stephen Sartarelli. Penguin Books, 2005.

A scam artist goes missing. Did the Mafia get rid of him? Because they were jealous of his success? Or because this relatively new scam was tapping funds the Mafia would have wanted? Or, perhaps, it was time for the scam artist to reap the rewards (however ill-gotten) of his scam and despite the fact that the scam would hurt many older and poorer people. At first, Inspector Montalbano does not want to become involved with a missing person case. The particular case at hand looked like the scam artist had bailed out with the money and gone back to mainland Italy. Missing persons. Money scams. No Sicilians involved except (of course) the victims of the scam. Page 97: "Mimi asked him:' Would you please tell me why you're getting so worked up over the Gargano Case?' "

Two women! A young, cute lady who was the secretary and the older ...middle aged...good looking woman who was the office manager where the money was collected from the unsuspecting victims. Of course, murder is involved, and you'll be surprised to find out that Inspector Montalbano is an accomplished swimmer and free-diver. One body is found in the sea at the base of a cliff, but wait until you see who really got rid of the perpetuator of the scam, the initiator of the get-rich-scheme in Sicily, and where his body is found. Should Salvo Montalbano arrange the body so that the Mafia is blamed? "But he was a cop" (Page 220). All in all, this is an intriguing mystery, and, as usual, the title is not explained until you are three-fourths of the way through the book.

The Smell of the Night is the only one of the first six books to lack a decent mystery. Inspector Montalbano is as amusing as ever as he trashes an uninhabited villa, challenges a tease, deals with the remnants of incompetent laundering, desperately searches for new places to dine, tries to show he isn't really middle-aged, and solves a crime he isn't supposed to go near. There's the usual byplay at the station as Catarella mangles words and Fazio tries to inveigle Montalbano to sign stacks of paperwork for hours. In between, there are delicious meals and quiet interludes to think things over.

The book's plot involves a missing financier, Emanuele Gargano, who appears to have been running a Ponzi scheme (paying out large returns to early investors by using the money deposited by new investors). When the payment date occurs, the financier is nowhere to be found. One of his staff members, Giacomo Pellegrino, is also gone. But the dedicated middle-aged teller, Mariastella Cosentino, still mans the office . . . despite threats from angered depositors. Another assistant, the attractive Michela Manganaro, is licking her wounds after not having been paid for two months. But she can dish the dirt, and Montalbano gets some helpful clues.

On the serious side, headquarters has learned about the adoption Montalbano had arranged after another case, and Montalbano has to cover his tracks. As he does, he finds some good and not-so-good news. In addition, Mimi is getting close to marriage . . . but cold feet are also setting in. Will his nerve hold?

Will Montalbano's relationship with Livia survive some prevarications on the part of each?

If you are a devoted fan of the series, be sure to read the book. It contains some nice character development. But don't expect much of a mystery. After all, how hard can it be to solve a Ponzi scheme case with a missing financier? There has to be a money trail . . . and that can be turned into a physical trail.

Enjoy a pleasant taste if Sicily!

Trickery, unrequited love, longing, long-distance lovers, con-men, pyramid schemes and hidden sex. These all make up this sixth novel in the "Montalbano" series by Andrea Camilleri, but more than anything it's a chance for the author to rail against Italian society. Much of the book mocks the police and their fear of the mafia and use of the mafia as a 'whipping boy'.

When a pyramid scheme falls apart with the disappearance of the con-man in charge, Montalbano has the case taken away and given to the 'regional authorities'. But since Salvo, and readers in the know (wink wink nudge nudge) understand what a bunch of 'boobs' these guys are, is incensed when they blame it on the Mafia. Sure, the con-man stole their money and so they killed him. But how did they know the money had disappeared? When Montalbano, on his own, finds the body of one of the co- conspirators with a 'sissy' 22 caliber bullet in his head, he knows it's not the Mafia. So, who?

At the same time we are forced to sift through polemics of the problems with love and commitment. "Mimi" is thinking of calling off his wedding just as it is postponed because of an illness of his prospective father- in-law. Meanwhile, Salvo keeps wondering about his relationship and the distance between him and Genoa. This part has the feeling of being very set-up and forced. Even some of his side characters, who are usually so interesting, are dull. Not his best effort.

Zeb Kantrowitz

When Emanuele Gargano, owner of King Midas Associates, disappears after bilking millions of lire from people in a pyramid scheme, it's up to Inspector Salvo Montalbano to get to the bottom of it all. As with most of the books in this delightful series, the fun is in tagging along with the inspector while he uses both official and unofficial channels to test his theories. In between lavish meals at home and in local Sicilian restaurants, Montalbano thinks nothing of thumbing his nose at his superiors, badgering his own officers, and wheedling information from any promising source.

After momentarily getting off on the wrong foot when reading the first book in the series, I've grown to appreciate and to enjoy this wily inspector who has no patience for cliches or stupidity. (I've also learned not to read any of these books when I'm hungry!)

Normally I don't go out of my way to mention translators unless something strikes me as being awkward or not quite right, but in this case I have to mention Stephen Sartarelli. Somehow, some way, he manages to translate colloquial Sicilian into excellent English prose-- while still retaining a feel for the original idiom. That cannot be easy, but he certainly makes it seem as if it is.

Wonderful characterizations, a very strong sense of place, mouth-watering meals for foodies, sly humor and perfectly paced plots have made this series one that I highly recommend to anyone looking for an excellent mystery series to read.

It was all happening at the general management's office down town in Vigàta, `King Midas Associates'. Mariastella Cosentino was sitting behind the cashier's window as usual, three policeman Mimi Augello, Fazio and Galluzzo were performing a kind of ballet depending on which way the pistol was pointing at them, Inspector Montalbano kept his eye on the assailant who was making everybody nervous. The old man himself was in his eighties had advance Parkinson's, the pistol was shaking so badly in his hands someone was bound to end up shot, he was clearly destressed all this guy wanted was his money.

Emanuele Gargano belonged to the short-lived breed of businessman fast climber and ready for the scrap heap age fifty. This man was a Financial miracle worker and had given Vigàta the economic reawakening it needed, he had set up offices and with his charismatic charm enticed people to invest their life savings and pensions, for a couple of years now his firm had shown a high profit turn over, word spread and more invested, for the people of this town it was about making money as quickly as possible, then as fast as Emanuele Gargano had breezed into town he had suddenly disappeared and all the people's Vigàta savings with him.

Montalbano had promised the old man he would get his money back and that's not all he would search everywhere for this Emanuele Gargano and bring him to justice but as complications begin to increase so does Montalbano's personal and professional king size headache.

Andrea Camilleri has written a wonderful Montalbano mystery series, what I love about this series would be the characterisations and language, the usage of dialogue in conversation it's all been kept real it's got Sharp wit and ironic comedy, the sly comments on Italian life and culture keeps things interesting and amusing. Montalbano is a fantastic leading character his middle aged, melancholy vein, recites certain favourite authors lines in moments of doubt, clearly well read. His ability of untangling his cases with certain logic and gets to the truth by not feeling afraid to explore all areas even into obsession and his wonderful passion for great flavoured food is just endless.

This Sixth novel is fantastic like all the others, I love all the characters just picking a couple out, Mimi Augello is great at being second in command, very ambitious with a real comical side as a dedicated womaniser, especially since his trying to pass himself off to Montalbano as excellent marriage material, Montalbano never believing this but remains the good boss sits silently and listens while Mimi relays his justifications. Another character who brings a smile to my face is Catarella (Cat) in charge of telephone calls his got wonderful dialogue it has me in stitches, he really tries so hard, Montalbano knows his got an angel on his team.

All Montalbano mysteries start in comedy but end in horror and melodrama but it done with lots of human interest in every plot, it's highly recommended from me and the whole series deserves to be read from the beginning.

A special mention to poet Stephen Sartarelli who has translated each book smoothly and clearly, managing to keep its humour through out and for the very informative notes given at the back on wording. Thank You.

Additional Notes: UK addition under the title, The Scent of the Night.

A.Bowhill

Larger than life characters, the flavour of Italy in both the food and ambience, mixed with a bit of mystery and good writing and with a glass of Chianti you could be there.

I came late to Camilleri's Montalbano novels, have enjoyed them all, but enjoyed this one more than previous titles ( I've not read them in order either).

Montalbano is idiosyncratic, breaks the rules and has his own unique approach to procedure. There's a lightness and humour to the writing that borders on farce at times but never undermines the credibility of the stories.

If you like mysteries, may have enjoyed Michael Dibden's Aurelio Zen and Donna Leon, try this, Montalbano is the icing on the cake.

I enjoy the t.v. series made in Italy and available here in Code 4 DVD, so much that I must have my Montalbano fix often. I read the novels that are so popular here and in Italy, and listen to the audio CD's like this one, Smell of the Night, which should have been titled: Scent of the Night because Vigata is on the sea and the fragrances of sea, salt, olive blossoms and basil, can become intoxicating. This episode is great because someone has dared to cut down an ancient olive tree where Salvo Montalbano goes to brood and to receive comfort, this make our volatile Chief Inspector very "pazzo!". Plus, Salvo has such an acute brain,he knows to get into his old wet suit, and go diving in dark waters to solve the puzzle; then gloats that he is still in good shape until he bends down to pick up something afterwards, and ouch! His constant battle with evading marriage with the patient and beautiful Milano resident, Livia, is always delightful and Salvo's love for Sicilian food makes me long to go there and try some of those dishes that are described so well. the other regulars are wonderful including the long-suffering Livai, Fazio, the loyal right hand man, Mimi, the skirt chaser, and Catarella, who has to the 4th of the 3 Stooges. The women are wonderful and either hags or voluptuous beauties. Italian drama always has comedy, and Sicilian is Italian cubed. For example, a sign of affection can be a smack on the back of the head. As for this CD Audio, if you can get past the stentorian voice of the narrator, which I did after fussing for awhile, you'll find that the character, Salvo Montalbano, will leave you wanting to walk beside him again and again. The novels are all available in English, the DVD's come with English titles, but alas there are only two other novels by Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Salvo Montalbano available on audio CD's. The Shape of Water, and The Terra Cotta Dog.

Another steller Montalbano mystery. And now I'm starving for bizzare Italian sea food. Although I do suspect someone without even a passing knowledge of Italy might not get a lot of the innuendos and tone of the book.