Treasure Hunt

Treasure Hunt (2010/2013) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli

Things are boring in Vigata for Inspector Montalbano and the police, until an elder brother and sister allow their religious mania to push them over the edge. But even that event doesn’t hold Montalbano’s interest for long, which is probably why he allows a “treasure hunt” to pique his interest.

I’ll note that I pretty quickly realized what was happening, and why, but it was solely because I knew I was reading a murder mystery, and so things couldn’t possibly be as they appeared. So I enjoyed watching Montalbano reach the same conclusions.

Of course, I always enjoy spending time with Montalbano and the men under his command. I’ve even, like Montalbano, fond of Catarella.

“Jess like Brussi Vilisi, y’know, the ‘Murican actor who’s always in shoot-ats an’ boinin’ bildinz and’ sinkin’ ships…”

For the uninitiated, that would be Bruce Willis. Because Catarella can never ever get a name right.

And of course, Fazio, who drives Montalbano insane with his need to tell Montalbano the entire back story of anyone he needs to research.

(Fazio) stuck a hand in his pocket, pulle dout a small half-sheet of paper, and prepared to read it.

“If you’re about to tell me the drivers’ name, whose son he is, and when he was born, I will make you eat that piece of paper.”

Although Montalbano is becoming more and more aware of his age, it doesn’t seem to be mellowing him any. Which always takes me a bit to get used to, since the cultural differences are always a bit of a shock.

“And how are we going to identify the other people waiting at the stop?”

“I think we’re better off forgetting about them. If they witnessed a violent sort of scene and still haven’t come forward to report it, they’re never going to.”

To an American reader, that’s a strange and terrible mindset.

If you haven’t read an Inspector Montalbano story, you could certainly start here and enjoy the mystery, but I’ll admit that the bits and pieces and interactions between Montalbano and his men are far more amusing if you you know their history.
Rating: 8/10

Published by Penguin

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