|
| The Paper Moon (Inspector Montalbano Mysteries) | 
 enlarge | Author: Andrea Camilleri
Creator: Stephen Sartarelli
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Category: Book
List Price: $13.00
Buy Used: $4.64
You Save: $8.36 (64%)
New (43) Used (22) from $4.64
Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 5306
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5 x 0.6
ISBN: 0143113003
Dewey Decimal Number: 853.914
EAN: 9780143113003
ASIN: 0143113003
Publication Date: April 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
The latest mystery in Andrea Camilleris internationally bestselling Inspector Montalbano series
With their dark sophistication and dry humor, Andrea Camilleris classic crime novels continue to win more and more fans in America. The latest installment of the popular mystery series finds the moody Inspector Montalbano further beset by the existential questions that have been plaguing him of late. But he doesnt have much time to wax philosophical before the gruesome murder of a manshot at point-blank range in the face with his pants downcommands his attention. Add two evasive, beautiful women as prime suspects, some dirty cocaine, mysterious computer codes, and a series of threatening letters, and things soon get very complicated at the police headquarters in Vigata.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 Moments well spent with an old friend May 7, 2008
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano mystery series is one of life's great pleasures. Wonderful, witty writing. Humanity and terrible inhumanity juxtaposed. Complex characters with meat on their bones and, sometimes, evil (or larceny, lust, hate or greed) in their hearts. "The Paper Moon" has all of these winning qualities plus a terrific, multi-layered and serpentine plot.
In "The Paper Moon," The indefatigable Inspector Salvo Montalbano faces a trio of formidable female antagonists while sorting out a murder with erotic trappings, and he doesn't have a solution until the last few pages of the novel. And this, for me, is one of the most enjoyable things about Camilleri's stories--the complexity of their plots rarely gives away the ending before it is actually reached. The setting for the book being Sicily, there is always a whiff of the Mafia in the story's telling, but the author never resorts to the obvious in bringing it to a close.
A perennial bonus look at Sicily and Sicilian society is part and parcel of "The Paper Moon" as well.
This is one of Camilleri's most enjoyable stories to date. Highly recommended.
 The Ninth Inspector Montalbano Mystery - La Luna di Carta - The Paper Moon by Andrea Camilleri July 12, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
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
Old-Fashioned Detective Work in Sicily April 24, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
An honest cop in Sicily? Sounds like an oxymoron, but Camilleri makes Inspector Montalbano seem very human and very real. This is not the best book in the series - for once the reader is way ahead of the good inspector in figuring out what happened - but the story's pleasures are great, especially for lovers of police procedurals who are curious as to how it works in Italy.
Another great mystery April 21, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
For fans of the series, this is another great trip to Vigata with Montalbano. If you've never read any Camilleri, I suggest you start at the beginning of the series, as getting to know Montalbano over the course of the series is half the joy.
 The Paper Moon May 4, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a typical Camilleri mystery with all your favorite characters and Montalbano's mordant wit. No better, no worse than others in the series. A page turner but devoted readers will find they've been there before. Pick a bench, relax, enjoy the ride.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
