Well worked and engaging, laid back, wryly comedic mystery set against the backdrop of Sicily and its gangs.

Inspector Montalbano sees through the almost slapstick scheming and corruption around him and skilfully navigates to an equitable conclusion.

Had been looking forward to reading this book. Sadly it wasn’t for me. It just lacked a good plot to get you excited and wanting more. It was very slow paced and never picked up

An Inspector Montelbano mystery for afficionados and new-comers alike. Camilleri doesn’t get bogged down with too many background details and yet enough is provided to ensure a smooth introduction to these books.
This opens with a longer descriptive narrative than many sensationalist murders and mysteries, but the characters are convincing and the plot gains momentum, culminating in a novel that both makes you want to visit Italy and yet makes you terrified at the prospect.
Of definite interest for those who are fans of Inspector Montelbano and those who want a murder detective in the setting of gang rivalry.

Thank you to Picador (Pan Macmillan) and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another most interesting and story of Inspector Montalbano and his life and cases to be solved. Having been a fan for so long, reading the books and following the TV series it was good to meet up with him again. Great.

From GoodReads:

Why have I not read these before......

Transport yourself to heat soaked Sicily. Even the criminal investigations feel relaxed and somewhat casual. There is a lightness here, almost comedic. But at the heart we still have a crime to be solved and Montalbano is on hand

I will be reading more!

I hadn’t read any in this series previously and hadn’t watched the tv series. However, unfortunately I struggled with this book and found it quite heavy going. Sorry

For those of us who have enjoyed the sights and sounds of Camilleri’s Sicily, as imagined in the subtitled BBC TV detective series, reading the author’s original is like seeing an old 405 line TV picture suddenly rendered in glorious 4K UHD clarity. That’s isn’t to say the TV show is a disappointment - far from it, but Camilleri’s original prose captures so much more of the character of Montalbano’s Vigata, the individuals he works with and the citizens of that corner of Sicily, even if this is a little more earthy than the somewhat sanitised TV version. The wry humour that is a feature of Camilleri’s writing is also a source of pleasure for the reader. So if you have enjoyed TV Montalbano, or even if that pleasure still awaits you, sit back, open a fine Chianti and start to read - you won’t be disappointed!

Andrea Camillieri has been on my list to read for some time, and I believe 'The Shape of Water' to be the first in the Inspector Montalbano series, and so a good place to start.
Although this may be the first Montalbano novel, there is not a hit of establishing characters or padding with backstory. Indeed a number of colleagues and friends of the Inspector are dropped into the story without much if any background explanation; the whole Montalbano universe arrives fully formed. This can be a little confusing at times but ultimately leads to a more immersive experience of reading. So far, so good.

I had heard that these novels were very funny and therefore, I had assumed ‘light’, along the lines of 'Midsomer Murders' or 'Agatha Raisin'. But 'The Shape of Water' turned out to be very far from the book I expected it to be. It may seem exotic and some of the characters a little fantastical, but it is certainly grounded in reality and indeed, can be surprisingly coarse at times, but then what should you expect from crime fiction? Once I got over the shock of this, I really started to enjoy the book and at the end was fascinated to have the very logical reveal presented. I was also very much taken with the character of Inspector Montalbano. Although drawn very differently, Montalbano bears much similarity to Maigret in outlook and perspective, in his general disappointment with humanity but his genuine tenderness for the deserving.

I know I am very late to the party, but the Inspector Montalbano novels may very likely prove to be a new ‘Crime Fiction’ series I could get very involved with.

I have wanted to read this book and the series for a long time. So, was happy to see it. I really loved it. Very addictive writing, perfect mystery. Very entertaining time. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NG for a review of this. I've not read much Camilleri, but based on this and the short story collection, I'd gladly read far more. Excellent sympathetic characterisation of Salvo, and the writing conveys the languor and heat of southern Italy superbly. The plot rattles along at a clip with the usual rogues gallery of some splendidly unlikeable characters - never quite sure of some of their motivations until much later. Great fun, and an easy rapid read.

The Shape of Water is the first book in the ever popular Inspector Montalbano series by Andrea Camilleri, (Inspector Montalbano, #1). The tale is set in the fictional town of Vigata, and the sun, sea and island life of Sicily, notorious for presence of the mafia.Each book acts as a mystery story while I would recommend that you always read a series in sequence, these books can easily be read as a stand alone or out of sequence.
One of my favourites aspects of this series - and the reason why I return to the series again and again - is that the books act almost as a love letter to Sicily. Yes, the author honestly addresses the problems facing the island such as employment, mafioso etc. However, it is in the beautiful descriptions of the island, the smell of the lemon trees actually comes alive and I can hear the sounds of the waves crashing along the shore.
Turn to the Inspector Montalbano series and be whisked away to a world sunny of mystery.

For anyone feeling they will never get a foreign holiday this year, I recommend The Shape of Water. If a book ever evoked the Latin temperament then it's this one. Set In Sicily we get to know the politics, the criminality and the skills of a very thoughtful policeman, Chief Inspector Montalbano. It's so well written, I could feel the heat from the sun, the sound of cicadas, the whiff of garlic and of course the occasional unpleasant smell of drains, it was as though I was there. The novel was not without comedy or indeed farce but was massively entertaining to read.

This is where the journey starts, the first book in the excellent Inspector Montalbano Series. A big thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for providing a copy of this book for an open and honest review and allowing me to revisit the start of one of my favourite series.

Like all the books in this series they are very well-written and in fact you wouldn’t really know they have been translated from the original Italian., a brilliant job with the translation. These are always quite quirky books and Montalbano’s intelligence shines through as he doggedly investigates a death that every one else puts down to death by natural causes, as the details behind it just don’t seem right to him.

I love the way Montalbano gets stick into the cases and gets into and under the skin of those he questions and does things that most wouldn’t even think of doing. Brilliant plotting.

This is an excellent start to the series, and I strongly recommend the series to all lovers of quaint and quirky detective series. The rest of the series only builds on this as the great characters surrounding Montalbano are yet to be developed and fleshed out. So the series only gets even better from this point. Read and enjoy!

Just a shame the author is no longer with us but he has left behind a great series that will live on and I look forward+to re-reading the series.

‘“What shape is water?” ‘“Water doesn’t have any shape!” I said, laughing. “It takes the shape you give it.”’ Signora Luparello, recounting an incident from her childhood to Inspector Montalbano.

My thanks to Pan Macmillan/Picador for a digital review copy of ‘The Shape of Water’ by Andrea Camilleri. It was translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarelli.

This is the first in Andrea Camilleri’s highly successful Inspector Montalbano series that was originally published in 1994 in Italy with its English translation published by Picador in 2002. The series has come to an end with the death of Andrea Camilleri in 2019 with the twenty-eighth and final book in the series due to be published in October 2021.

The central case involves the discovery of a body in an abandoned car at the Pasture, a local site with a reputation for unsavoury activities. The deceased is Silvio Luparello, a respected and prominent engineer. Despite the embarrassment of where he was found, the coroner’s verdict is death from natural causes - somewhat unusual for Sicily.

Yet Inspector Salvo Montalbano of the Vigàta police force is not ready to close the case, despite pressure from Vigàta’s police chief, judge, and bishop. He picks his way through a labyrinth of clues including the inevitable red herrings to get to the heart of the matter.

I first read ‘The Shape of Water’ in 2011 and so this was a welcome reread. I loved it even more the second time around. There is a lightness of spirit to these novels that is hard to put into words.

While Montalbano’s world is often filled with violence and corruption; this is balanced by the eccentricity of its inhabitants, plenty of joy and warmth as well as lively banter. There is also the undeniable beauty of the Sicilian setting and mouthwatering descriptions of the local cuisine.

‘The Shape of Water’ is an excellent start to this outstanding series. Very highly recommended.

With the never ending rain, it is a delight to be transported to the Mediterranean by re-reading the first of Andrea Camilleri's irresistible Inspector Salvo Montalbano series with its relaxed pacing, located in the fictional town of Vigata, and the the sun, sea and island life of Sicily, notorious for presence of the mafia. This establishes the world of Montalbano, the wide cast of characters, the wonderful cuisine, the local culture, the banter, the humour, the girlfriend and other women, and the corruption. Many of you may be familiar with the excellent Italian TV series, but the books and TV persona of the good Inspector are not the same. Montalbano handles with aplomb the often chaotic nature of policing, determined, with his own particular style of solving mysteries. Here a local bigwig, engineer Silvio Luparello's dead body is found in a trash filled site, the coroner rules it a death from natural causes. Montalbano is not so convinced. This is a start of a terrific series that if you have not read, you should definitely try. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for a copy.

Perfection....
The very first in the wonderful Inspector Montalbano Sicilian mysteries and a top class introduction to the reliable, methodical yet completely street wise Inspector. Told with wit and gusto these tales are always compelling, engaging and evoke a perfect ambiance. Our well drawn protagonist is accompanied by a solid cast of always colourful and ever interesting characters. Perfection.

This book has been beautifully translated into English. Transported me to another world for a few hours. This is a moving and beautifully written book, and I fully recommend it to lovers of good storytelling.

A real joy to read this first outing for Inspector Montalbano.

This was the first book I read by Andrea Camilleri and I have subsequently read each title in this series, in order of publication.

This book centres almost inclusively on the main character and unlike many debut crime novels does little to pad background details. The books stands alone, Montalbano is a fully formed character and the basics introduced here will remain true for him throughout his journey.

Sicilian life is a glorious backdrop to the drama; the political and criminal realities well represented. Although fictional places are used for the immediate environs the language, culture and senses are authentic nods to this location.

Beautifully translated into English with masterful care; aspects are further explained in an appendix to clarify references and language.

Reading the text again I see why I fell in love with books and why they adorn my library shelves.