The Terra-Cotta Dog: An Inspector Montalbano Mystery

I am fascinated with the work of Andrea Camilleri.Sometimes the stories are so convoluted that I can hardly follow them. But he always makes me laugh and appreciate the depth of all the characters. Inspector Montalban is quite an anomaly. He is mean spirited, very smart and occasionally shows his soft side. I enjoyed this book immensely. If you have never read Andrea Camilleri, he is worth your reading time.

I have become enamoured with the Italian mystery genre in the last 2-3 years. It has been an education to explore Venice with Commissario Brunetti and Florence with Marshall Guarnaccia or Sicily with Inspector Montealbano. All three authors (Donna Leon, Magdalen Nabb, and Andrea Camilleri) know their locale and focus on the daily lives of the citizens, while moving along a rip-roaring story. But there are significant differences - Leon and Nabb write in English (Nabb uses British terms that remind me of Christie that break the spell) while Camilleri writes in Italian. He is Italian - he understands the importance of the land and the wine and especially the food that fuels Sicily. (The translation is superb.) Leon and Nabb certainly know their areas and their craft and they are very, very good, but Camilleri works the magic.Camilleri captures the angst and the pain and the loneliness of Inspector Montalbano. But he also captures in mouthwatering detail the need to eat with a focus on the quality and variety of food that stops the Inspector's world, even when he has to go long distances to find the right place to eat.I like to read a series from the beginning. I like to meet and greet the protagonist and then watch him/her grow with fond memories brought about by references to prior books. The Terra Cotta Dog is the first of the series that has been translated into English. Apparently the entire collection is large and the selection for translation has been severe, but the stories and especially the translations have been excellent. This is the place to start.I highly recommend all three Italian protagonists with Inspector Montalbano and Commissario Brunetti right at the top of my list of "must buy" when a new book hit the market. They take me to places I have never visited, though I now seem to know, and allow me to interact with people I would like to know better.My colleague and his wife visited his ancestor's Sicily last spring for the first time. I got them 5 of the books and suggested they read them in the order they were written if they had the time. The results were astounding. Apparently there was a fight for the books amongst the 4 that went and Mr. Camilleri's introduction to Sicily through the eyes of Inspector Montalbano made the trip even more memorable than expected. They "lived" Sicily by reading the books - not the big things from the guide books, but the small rituals of life and especially the food. Yes, for the Inspector, it all comes down to food and this is what made the trip so memorable.Enjoy your tour of Venice or Florence or Sicily!

A stumble into Andrea Camilleri (thank you, Omnimystery News) introduced me to a very different type of crime novel from the ones I usually read. It was funny! Amongst the clutter of dead bodies, only two created the least bit of regret in my heart. They were the young lovers arranged ritualistically in a hidden cave,found only because, at the beginning of this tale, a crime boss made a confession. Why would he do this? That's part of the mystery. The setting is a clue: Sicily. Isn't that where our American mafia come from?I had never heard of this author nor had I read any novel set in Sicily. It was pure coincidence that we had an Italian dinner guest this week who helped me appreciate that Camilleri is famous, even beloved, at home, to the extent that he is parodied by a popular comedian. The Montalbano stories have been made into an Italian TV series that is headed for North America. I have since looked him up on Wikipedia, where his photo shows him wearing a plaid cap and pixieish smirk. I learned Camilleri is a multi-tasker. He directs productions for TV and theatre. He also has written other novels, but they have not been as popular as those featuring the clever and literate Investigator Montalbano.I found the twists and turns of THE TERRA COTTA DOG something like a ride down one of Italy's narrow, winding mountain roads, bringing the odd characters and strands of the story to a satisfactory and finally obvious conclusion. I look forward to more, on my Kindle and on the screen.

Love foreign detective stories and wonderful writing.

The Terra-Cotta Dog is Camilleri's second outing with Salvo Montalbano. There are two plot lines in this novel and a lot of bodies for Dr. Pasquano's autopsy table. The key mystery is a mysterious cave and two teenaged skeletons. Not quite Romeo and Juliet. The other ongoing story is of Montalbano's dealing with the local mafia. You'll meet an infamous and impressive "made man" in this novel; and in his own quirky way Montalbano has respect for the man. Sort of. I learned about aspects of Italian culture during the World War II era. I also learned about slippery Sicilian concepts around honor; it apparently was "better in the old days." The author is known in Italy for writing anti-Mafia essays. Again, read the notes from the gifted translator, Stephen Sartarelli. The story is involved, but you'll laugh. Salvo's humor starts to shine in this one.When you finish all the Camilleri novels, you owe it yourself to see the series of movies done for Italian television with Luca Zingaretti. They are all subtitled and the actors are pitch-perfect.

This is the second book in the Inspector Montalbano series but it can be read as a standalone. This time there is a robbery and elsewhere a murder scene. Follow Inspector Montalbano as he solves these two mysteries on his home turf of Sicily.I liked how many of the characters carried on from the first novel. I liked the tone and author’s voice that sounded loudly from the pages. I got the feeling that Inspector Montalbano plus his workmates and friends became family to me. Having read the first novel, I found the characters very easy to engage with. Because of Andrea’s writing style I found it extremely easy to engage with the new characters, whether they were the good or the bad guys. Andrea has a great skill at smoothly developing realistic characters.The two mysteries were a great puzzle for the reader to grapple with. Neither mystery made any sense but because of the people Inspector Montalbano interviewed, he was able to get to the bottom of both mysteries. This was great because nothing made sense, the proceeds of a robbery were abandoned and the murder scene formed a triangle around the victims bordered by a bowl, a jug and a Terra-Cotta dog. I loved how folklore and religion were used to explain the significance of the murder scene. This added great depth to this story.I found The Terra-Cotta Dog to be a jolly read with great banter and wit between the characters. The dialogue had great humour and constantly made me smile. The undertones of each character were subtly played and Inspector Montalbano is quite a randy old devil on the quiet.There was an extensive vocabulary used throughout this novel and I loved how Andrea would explain and play on how his characters spoke depending on whether they came from the north, the south or a foreign country.There was a good mixture of people in this mystery making this a bright story. I thought the novel progressed at a good pace with lots going on. On the one side Inspector Montalbano is a lovable cop and on the other the Mafioso are making things awkward. Then there are the many people caught between, making the violent and murderous scenes all part of a cosy mystery.I thought The Terra-Cotta Dog was a GOOD 4 star read and I am very comfortable with this series.

The Terracotta Dog is the second outing for the fractious Inspector Salvo Montalbano and his team based in Vigàta, Sicily and despite this being only my third read from the series I already feel that I am reaping the benefits of a growing familiarity with the characters and the ‘flexible’ justice system that Camilleri recounts. I certainly feel that already my understanding of Montalbano’s criminal network of contacts, his colleagues, his culinary persuasions and indeed his tempestuous relationship with fiery girlfriend, Livia, is all the more humorous with repeated outings. In all three of my experiences to date it is hard to sum up the plot in a straightforward manner as Camilleri throws in numerous diversions and follows an circuitous route to an eventual solution, but as I have now discovered the opening exchanges often give no indication of all that is to come and that is, in itself, a curious part of the enjoyment.The Terracotta Dog begins with an ageing mafioso, Tano the (not so very) Greek, orchestrating an elaborate charade with Inspector Salvo Montslbano in an acceptance that his day has passed and the rapidly progressing crime racket is too much for an old man. But at the same time as Montalbano is involved in overseeing this operation of amateur dramatics, complete with a weapon he really isn’t keen on being in charge of, a major theft at a local supermarket is underway. As a prison transfer sees Tano the Greek gunned down and drawing his last breath, his last gasp tip off revealing the location of a cave within an abandoned construction site reveals a hidden cache of firearms, but just how this relates to the supermarket theft remains to be seen. When an abandoned truck involved in the theft is discovered with its contents untouched it forces Montalbano to go the extra mile and dig deep, set the local gossip grapevine in motion and thereby uncover a few more skeletons in his home town. For Montalbano, his continual need to know and inherent curiosity about his surroundings and Sicilian home mean that he mixes in a world where he is privy to some disclosures that wouldn’t otherwise begin to feature in a more routine police investigation. In The Terracotta Dog it is the discovery of a second hidden chamber deep inside the original cave with two embracing corpses, both dead for over fifty-years, that is the real substance of this wry police procedural, and the supermarket theft that is a mere diversion along the way. Montalbano’s fascination with the identity of the corpses and what appears as a particular burial rite surrounding their bodies that includes a life-sized terracotta dog, a bowl and a jug that so mystifies him. Opting to focus on this matter rather than the significantly less fascinating supermarket robbery, his second-in-command Mimi Augello doesn’t cover himself in glory with his handling of what should be a routine operation. Meanwhile Montalbano devotes himself to an energetic quest that may not show up in his annual crime statistics as another case solved, but means markedly more to the elder statesmen of the region. One of the delights of reading Camilleri is the absolutely outlandish solutions that he delivers and it is a pleasure to witness his creative solutions slowly building to fruition.Whilst the central attraction in the novels is the eponymous Inspector Salvo Montalbano with his pragmatic approach to crime fighting and delivering justice that proves so compelling, the secondary characters are just as intrinsic to my enjoyment. Quick-witted, honest to a fault, and remarkably loyal, Montalbano is as involved with the underworld criminals as he is to adhering to procedure. Always keen to take command of an operation and instruct his subordinates, he is less keen on cooperating with second-in-command Mimi Augello, where a noticeable rivalry exists. The inept Agatino Catarella (Cat) operates the station telephone and bungles every message that is left for Montalbano, offering his own frankly curious interpretation of the Italian language. Each continuing character brings a unique element of humour to the story, from housekeeper Adelina’s culinary prowess, to colleague Galluzzo’s newsman brother-in-law and Montalbano’s red haired friend and journalist with very red ideas, the radical Nicolò Zito and his timely broadcasting.Whilst I could not read a continual diet of Camilleri and his energetic brand of high comedy, every once in a while an interlude in the company of Montalbano really does the trick. This second outing is exceptionally well-plotted and keeps the readers brain working overtime to stay with the sometimes less than transparent workings in Sicily. Camilleri’s understanding of the Italian culture and the remarkably blurred boundaries between the good and bad guys allows him to draw every bit of humour out of the culture and workings of the system. I do feel that any review of an Inspector Montalbano novel distils a large part of the charm and as such, readers are best to dip a toe in the water to understand just was an absolute riot these gems are! I defy any review to even compare to the brilliance of actually witnessing Camilleri’s tales playing out. Thankfully the fluid translation courtesy of Stephen Sartarelli makes these delights so easily accessible to an English speaking audience.Review written by Rachel Hall (@hallrachel)

Despite my best intentions, I have managed to read the first few books in this wonderful Sicilian police series in the wrong order. No matter (though the publishers could have helped by noting the order). In THE TERRACOTTA DOG, chronologically the second book, the hilariously linguistically challenged Catarella has been foisted on Salvo Montalbano's team of detectives by his nepotistic connections - although the baby-like, overenthusiastic man himself seems to be entirely innocent of this fact. There is also much rivalry between Salvo and his second in command Mimi Augello, and others in the team are little more than occasional players. In later books, these relationships and characters develop, providing even more depth and joy to a delightful reading paradise.THE TERRACOTTA DOG begins with an old Mafioso, Tano the Greek (who is no more Greek than Salvo), unable to cope with the impersonal, modern criminal style, wants to retire - yet keep his face. He therefore concocts an elaborate ruse with Salvo, the kind of policeman with whom he knows he can do business, so that it appears as if he has been captured in a heroic gun battle. Things do not go entirely to plan, of course: subsequently Salvo and his men discover a hidden cache of weapons in a cave at an abandoned road construction site - and receive plenty of, in Salvo's view, not entirely properly earned glory in the process.While all this is going on, Salvo is puzzled by the apparently nonsensical theft of goods from a local supermarket. This event leads him eventually to discover that the cave has a concealed inner chamber. In this secret place are two bodies, the titular terracotta dog, and a bowl of old coins. It is this historical mystery that occupies Salvo for the rest of the book. He becomes obsessed with finding out not only who the bodies are, but how they came to be there, and ignores his other cases even though Mimi's handling of the supermarket affair turns out to be lethal for quite a few civilians.Although the historical mystery is diverting and the story of the young couple moving, the reason for the strange arrangement in the cave, when Salvo finally understands it, is slightly weak. But getting there is a wonderful journey, not least when Salvo meets the eccentric old academic priest Alcide Maraventano, who engages him in a discourse on reading.Both Livia (Salvo's long-suffering, mainly absentee girlfriend) and Ingrid (a local woman who became friends with Salvo in THE SHAPE OF WATER) make welcome appearances in this book, and I'm glad to say that even a bullet in the colon does not stop Salvo's enjoyment of the most mouth-wateringly described meals it is possible to describe.The subtle translation, by Stephen Sartarelli, does the book proud. Does the pun on the word "tenor" really work in Italian? This is just one of the many nuances that make Camilleri's perfect mix of plot, character, unsentimentality, humour and strong sense of local tradition, such a delight for the reader.

I like Camilleri's mercurial Sicilian detective Salvo Montalbano as he pragmatically solves crime between sumptuous meals, fighting off women and the incompetence of most of the heirarchy of the police and judiciary. In this story there are several disparate strands that begin to come together as more information about each of them comes to light; the capture (surrender) of a mafia enforcer, the robbery of a supermarket, the finding of a cache of arms in an abandoned cave and the subsequent discovery of a fifty year old mystery, all of which are revealed to have a common link that wasn't initially obvious.There are moments of comedic excellence throughout the story as the workings of the Italian Police beaurocracy (Sicilian style) is played out in the characature of it's officers and their dysfunctional relationships. I like the clunky translation at times as I think it adds to the style and rhythm of the book and the explanatory notes at the end are really useful. Camilleri doesn't do graphic violence, violence is alluded to but no overstated blood guts and gore in these novels and I like them for that because it means Camilleri is concentrating on the development of the story and the characters. Nor does the book paint a disturbing picture of Sicilian - and 'Talian society, this is alluded to but again in such a way as it doesn't interfere with the flow of the story. I have got  The Snack Thief (An Inspector Montalbano Mystery)  and I'm looking forward to passing a few hours with another entertaining mystery. The Snack Thief (An Inspector Montalbano Mystery)

A thoroughly entertaining and original story line for an unorthodox detective novel reaching back decades to find not only a killer, but also the solution to a bewildering puzzle.Delicious characters, plot twists and descriptions of life and crime in a small Sicilian village, with a highly independent minded detective making sure that even the strangest of leads keeps him on the path of truth.A fab read.