Reviews

Das Ritual der Rache Commissario Montalbano vermisst einen guten Freund by Andrea Camilleri, Moshe Kahn

gavinsteyn's review against another edition

funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

liberrydude's review against another edition

4.0

My favorite detective series of all time. Just the right mix of humor and cunning. Montalbano seems ready for retirement but Camilleri has him masterfully pulling the strings like a puppetmaster on a very complex case that appears to be a slam dunk. In this mystery we have: a dismembered body; a beautiful woman(Latina) who leaves men agape reports her husband, a sailor, missing; the Mafia looks to be involved-drug smuggling?; one of Montalbano's leading detectives is really moody. As usual there are many moments of laughter with the incapable assistant of Montalbano getting all the names wrong and the messages messed up. It will be a sad day when this series ends.

alice_18's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense

4.0

git_r_read's review against another edition

4.0

Enjoyable Italian suspense with some humor dribbled in. Humor I didn't quite always get, maybe due to starting the series with this one, number 13. The book had little to do with the description I read that got me to buy the book. I thought it would be more along the lines of anthropological or archeological, but it was more along the lines of misdirection and clue finding.
I will look for others in the series at some point, will start at the beginning. Some series I can start in the middle and dig...this wasn't one of them. I enjoyed it enough to try again, though.

timmens59's review against another edition

4.0

After a couple of so-so mysteries, this one for me excelled in the melding of Salvo’s world, Camilleri’s ability to weave a mystery, and the realities of Sicilian and Italian life. And what fun was it to come upon Camilleri’s breaking of the fourth wall, so to speak. Mimi has taken a back seat in previous mysteries but in this one the author uses the character to possibly connect to the crime Montalbano is investigating. Fazio continues to be the inspector’s main go-to guy but Mimi is back in a way. Livia is pretty much absent, thank goodness and we get to focus on Montalbano’s genius in running the multiplication tables as a way of controlling his impatience and for adding up the clues into a solution. The meals of course make you hungry, the descriptions of Sicily make you want to move there all in spite of Camilleri’s incisive and biting commentary on Italian customs, politics and life. Enjoy.

ewill's review against another edition

3.0

read

chronicreader96's review against another edition

4.0

This is definitely one of my favourites in the Inspector Montalbano series. The theme of betrayal in this book had me feeling all sorts of emotions. Characters I have grown to love left me feeling a little angry and hurt by their actions. I loved the different direction this plot took compared to previous books.
As always the food and scenery descriptions are second to none. Camilleri and Sartarelli (the translator) are both incredible at what they do.

ph_scales's review against another edition

funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

lomahongva's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore and Murder

Minor: Infidelity and Blood

tommyro's review against another edition

4.0

The series just gets better and better with each book. May Andrea Camilleri write forever.