Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Palermo, Sellerio
Description
When an elderly man is stabbed to death in an elevator and a crewman on an Italian fishing trawler is machine-gunned by a Tunisian patrol boat off Sicily's coast, only Inspector Montalbano, with his keen insight into human nature, suspects the link between the two incidents. His investigation leads to the beautiful Karima, an impoverished housecleaner and occasional prostitute, whose young son steals other schoolchildren's midmorning snacks. But Karima disappears, and the young snack thief's life, as well as Montalbano's, is endangered when the inspector exposes a viper's nest of government corruption and international intrigue.
User reviews
LibraryThing member richardderus
Ambiguity is a highly valued and well-tolerated state in Italy. (Likewise Japan.) It makes so much of the insane, illogical world the Italians have created and laughingly called a "government" and a "social fabric" function, this ability to be more than one thing at one time.
Immigrants, seldom from
I don't fear for his waistline or his palate. Yet again, he swims and savors his way through the book. The food descriptions! *sigh* I wish I could eat Adelina the housekeeper's roulades of bream. I long for the koftas that the Mazarase chef reinvents after a visitation from the Virgin Mary while he was in prison. The sheer sensual glory of Camilleri's Sicily makes a hungry gourmand into a ravening beast. Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin's The Physiology of Taste has not one thing on this series for sheer torture of the tastebuds.
In the end, Karima's story, which of course is so much larger than we first imagine it to be, resolves itself with losses and gains all around...death, of course, but also the slow, steady taking away that growing older in a life well lived requires us to accept and endure; the inevitable time-caused losses; but the surprises of joy and courage buoy up the other end of that cork in the wine-barrel of living emotion.
And really, in the end, isn't that what reading books is about? Experiencing living emotion, only at a safe remove; pre-feeling our feelings, or re-feeling them, in safety and without the need to explain or the desire to complain. Storytelling is, for this among many reasons, a brilliant use of language, no matter that the story told has been told before. Camilleri says as much, explicitly, on page 37: "There is no Sicilian woman alive, of any class, aristocrat or peasant, who, after her fiftieth birthday, isn't always expecting the worst. What kind of worst? Any, so long as it's the worst."
Word, as the kids of today used to say before we figured it out.
Immigrants, seldom from
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high ambiguity-tolerant climes, screw things up mightily. Karima certainly does, that Tunisian house cleaner-cum-sex worker. She thinks she's moved to a place away from the stark complexities she comes from in Tunisia, and instead ends up at the center of an only-in-Sicily clusterfuck that had me fearing for Montalbano's life, sanity, and love relationship.I don't fear for his waistline or his palate. Yet again, he swims and savors his way through the book. The food descriptions! *sigh* I wish I could eat Adelina the housekeeper's roulades of bream. I long for the koftas that the Mazarase chef reinvents after a visitation from the Virgin Mary while he was in prison. The sheer sensual glory of Camilleri's Sicily makes a hungry gourmand into a ravening beast. Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin's The Physiology of Taste has not one thing on this series for sheer torture of the tastebuds.
In the end, Karima's story, which of course is so much larger than we first imagine it to be, resolves itself with losses and gains all around...death, of course, but also the slow, steady taking away that growing older in a life well lived requires us to accept and endure; the inevitable time-caused losses; but the surprises of joy and courage buoy up the other end of that cork in the wine-barrel of living emotion.
And really, in the end, isn't that what reading books is about? Experiencing living emotion, only at a safe remove; pre-feeling our feelings, or re-feeling them, in safety and without the need to explain or the desire to complain. Storytelling is, for this among many reasons, a brilliant use of language, no matter that the story told has been told before. Camilleri says as much, explicitly, on page 37: "There is no Sicilian woman alive, of any class, aristocrat or peasant, who, after her fiftieth birthday, isn't always expecting the worst. What kind of worst? Any, so long as it's the worst."
Word, as the kids of today used to say before we figured it out.
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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
As I work my way through this series, Andrea Camilleri is quickly becoming one of my favorite crime fiction authors, and Salvo Montalbano one of my favorite characters. How can you not like him? He's grumpy, cantankerous, and crabby and yet he has a compassionate side. He lives for the best, most
The day starts out badly for Montalbano as the story begins, when he is awakened early in the morning by a call from Catarella at the Vigata station. A Tunisian man was killed when the trawler on which he was working was attacked by a Tunisian patrol boat. The trawler was in international waters, and since someone was killed, the government is forced to intervene. And because the boat came into Vigata, the nearest port, the police there are supposed to provide a detailed report because of the possible international repercussions. Montalbano would prefer not to get involved, and is happy when Mimi Augello takes it on. The Inspector has a more intriguing case to work on -- that of a businessman named Lapecora, who was found stabbed and dead in the elevator of his apartment building. As he's investigating this crime, another report is called in about someone stealing pre-lunch snacks from school children. As he focuses on Lapecora's death, more mysteries begin to reveal themselves, whetting Montalbano's appetite just as much as the promise of alalonga all'agrodolce prepared by his friend Calogero at a local restaurant. And while all of this is going on, Livia decides to come for a visit.
The Snack Thief is a wonderful read. There are multiple layers of mystery at work in this novel, and as each one is revealed, the story becomes a bit more intriguing. The characters once again take center stage -- not only are the usual players here, but there are new ones who play off of Montalbano, bringing out different sides of his character. There are many humorous moments, in the police station, or when Montalbano's hunger makes him a bit grumpy, and especially in the way he deals with his growing (but unfounded) jealousy of Livia and Mimi Augello. Stephen Sartarelli's translation is so well done that the book just flows -- there is not a line out of place, nor is there any point at which the narrative comes off even a bit awkwardly. It's absolutely incredible how well the translation captures all the characters' eccentricities, especially those belonging to Montalbano.
I can definitely recommend this one with absolutely no reservations. It will definitely appeal to all readers of crime fiction, from those who read cozy novels on through noir fans. I admire Camilleri's writing talent, and can't wait to get through the entire series.
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delectable food, and although flawed in many ways, he has an incredible handle on human nature. The Snack Thief is number three in this series, and I wasted absolutely no time after Terra-Cotta Dog to start this book. And after finishing this book, I opened up the next one, The Voice of the Violin. I have a feeling that when that one's over, it's going to be on to number five and on down the line until I've finished every book that's been published in this series. That's how good these books really are and how much I like them.The day starts out badly for Montalbano as the story begins, when he is awakened early in the morning by a call from Catarella at the Vigata station. A Tunisian man was killed when the trawler on which he was working was attacked by a Tunisian patrol boat. The trawler was in international waters, and since someone was killed, the government is forced to intervene. And because the boat came into Vigata, the nearest port, the police there are supposed to provide a detailed report because of the possible international repercussions. Montalbano would prefer not to get involved, and is happy when Mimi Augello takes it on. The Inspector has a more intriguing case to work on -- that of a businessman named Lapecora, who was found stabbed and dead in the elevator of his apartment building. As he's investigating this crime, another report is called in about someone stealing pre-lunch snacks from school children. As he focuses on Lapecora's death, more mysteries begin to reveal themselves, whetting Montalbano's appetite just as much as the promise of alalonga all'agrodolce prepared by his friend Calogero at a local restaurant. And while all of this is going on, Livia decides to come for a visit.
The Snack Thief is a wonderful read. There are multiple layers of mystery at work in this novel, and as each one is revealed, the story becomes a bit more intriguing. The characters once again take center stage -- not only are the usual players here, but there are new ones who play off of Montalbano, bringing out different sides of his character. There are many humorous moments, in the police station, or when Montalbano's hunger makes him a bit grumpy, and especially in the way he deals with his growing (but unfounded) jealousy of Livia and Mimi Augello. Stephen Sartarelli's translation is so well done that the book just flows -- there is not a line out of place, nor is there any point at which the narrative comes off even a bit awkwardly. It's absolutely incredible how well the translation captures all the characters' eccentricities, especially those belonging to Montalbano.
I can definitely recommend this one with absolutely no reservations. It will definitely appeal to all readers of crime fiction, from those who read cozy novels on through noir fans. I admire Camilleri's writing talent, and can't wait to get through the entire series.
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LibraryThing member cameling
What does an elderly gentleman stabbed in the elevator of his apartment building have in connection with a Tunisian shot in a fishing boat? On the surface, there is no immediate connection, but Inspector Montalbano's investigations lead him to the dreaded Secret Service, a Tunisian housekeeper with
His relationship with food borders on holistic and that with his rest of his team continues to entertain. His father is dying and he rethinks his relationship with Livia.
I love this fascinating series.
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selected clients to whom she performs extra services, and an orphaned boy. His relationship with food borders on holistic and that with his rest of his team continues to entertain. His father is dying and he rethinks his relationship with Livia.
I love this fascinating series.
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LibraryThing member Smiler69
Two seemingly unrelated cases are being investigated; in the first, a Tunisian man has been gunned down on a fishing boat while out at sea; in the second, a elderly man was found stabbed in the back in the elevator of a residential building. It comes to light that the stabbing victim was regularly
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employing a maid in his office who also gave him sexual favours; the young woman is a Tunisian beauty, and has several clients paying her for cleaning-plus-extras. Has the wife of the murdered man taken matters into her own hands out of jealousy... or financial considerations? And who is the little boy beating up schoolchildren to steal their luncheon snacks? So far, the most enjoyable of all three Camilleris I've read, though this no doubt has much to do with the fact that I opted for the English (as opposed to French) version on audio, narrated by the excellent Grover Gardner. The translation doesn't attempt to reproduce the Sicilian dialect, but is colourful enough to give a good idea of the general tone, and Gardner does a great job of bringing the characters to life. Show Less
LibraryThing member tulikangaroo
The incomparable Salvo Montalbano once again demonstrates his insight and intellect by putting the pieces of three separate, apparently unrelated incidents together to rock the world of crime in Sicily off its feet.
Montalbano is a real jerk in this book - over the top even for his usual crankiness.
Montalbano is a real jerk in this book - over the top even for his usual crankiness.
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In addition, I felt that the multiple story lines were a little more disjointed than usual. As a result, this was not my favorite. I've also started to question his relationship with Livia - I'm not really sure what they see in each other, and it hasn't really been developed fully. They are at the point where children is a discussion point, but how did they get there...? Show Less
LibraryThing member lkernagh
Another great installment but I had some interesting mixed reactions as I was listening to this one. Previous stories have shown Montalbano's more playful sardonic side, as he playfully takes stabs at his work colleagues and the individuals he encounters. In this story, we see a rather nasty
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sarcastic side of our beloved Inspector. Even food is not the balm to temper his attitude so I started to get rather offended with how he pretty much jumped down everyone's throats, even his lady love, Livia. I will give Camilleri credit. He has given Montalbano a female love interest that is prepared to call him an "a**hole" to his face when he is acting up. Even his work colleagues call him the spade that he is acting like and ask "What gives?" so I let my emotions simmer down and decided to settle in and enjoy the story, which proves to be another one of those crime cases that shows how bureaucracy and corruption can make a crime seem like a walk in the park, in comparison. The story does go on to shed further insight into Montalbano's personality - including his jealous side - and I am seeing a very complex, intelligent character underneath all that bluff, gruff and single-minded food lover we have seen in the first two books in the series. As with any series, some interesting curve balls from some of the reoccurring characters made this another delightful audiobook read for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member FAR2MANYBOOKS
First, my compliments to Stephen Sartarelli on his translation and notes compiled for the reader to understand every nuance of Camilleri's written word.
Some say that the pace of the book is slow, but, I enjoyed this differing flavor on a detective novel. Camilleri is able to immerse us in the world
Some say that the pace of the book is slow, but, I enjoyed this differing flavor on a detective novel. Camilleri is able to immerse us in the world
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of Inspector Montalbano: his love and enjoyment of mediterranean food coupled with a detailed description of the sea and the warm and rocky Sicilian geography. With a mix of humor, cynicism, compassion, and love of good food, Montalbano goes into battle against the powerful and the corrupt who are determined to block his path. This is a"delicious" discovery for mystery afficionados and fiction lovers. Show Less
LibraryThing member TadAD
The Snack Thief continues to improve the series. Not only is the story a good one but, for the first time, I found Montalbano starting to come alive. It's not just that the story involves his personal life a bit more, Camilleri also gives us those little moments that tell us about his character and
It goes beyond the main character. Montalbano's girlfriend, Livia, becomes more than just a voice on the phone or a body in the bed. Even the town of Vigata and the local police station are starting to take on definition.
I don't think I'm ever going to rave about this series the way others do; it just doesn't mesh with my tastes well enough. It won't be one of those where I'm watching avidly for the next volume. However, I will pick up the fourth at some point and read it, then the fifth someday...
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those little insights into Montalbano's thoughts that make him more real. I start to see and, more importantly, understand the aspects of him that aren't just profane and in-your-face—the fears and compassions Camilleri put into this story make him more human.It goes beyond the main character. Montalbano's girlfriend, Livia, becomes more than just a voice on the phone or a body in the bed. Even the town of Vigata and the local police station are starting to take on definition.
I don't think I'm ever going to rave about this series the way others do; it just doesn't mesh with my tastes well enough. It won't be one of those where I'm watching avidly for the next volume. However, I will pick up the fourth at some point and read it, then the fifth someday...
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LibraryThing member hazelk
Ordered this from the library, my first Inspector Montalbano mystery, and heartily glad that I picked up on the favourable comments of the author's books on one of the groups I subscribe to on here (Crime Thriller and Mystery).
It's both clever and funny and a refreshing change. Inspector Montalbano
It's both clever and funny and a refreshing change. Inspector Montalbano
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is a great character. Can't wait to read my next one now, The Terracotta Dog. Show Less
LibraryThing member gilly1944
A good yarn with plenty of atmosphere.
LibraryThing member ashergabbay
“The Snack Thief” (“Il Ladro di Merendine”) is the third book in the “Detective Montalbano” series by Sicilian writer Andrea Camilleri. Two seemingly unrelated incidents – a man found stabbed to death in an elevator and a Tunisian man shot dead on a boat – are being investigated by
Why the man is stabbed to death and by whom, what is the nature of the illegal activities taking place and why do the Italian Secret Services take interest in this sordid southern affair – all of these will need to remain secret, lest I spoil it for future readers. Suffice to say that Montalbano (as usual) makes the connections everyone else fails to make and solves the case. In the process, he realises a few things about his personal life and his attachment to Livia.
Camilleri is, as usual, a pleasure to read. The prose at times reads like poetry, peppered with the impossible Sicilian dialect that gives the Montalbano series its distinctive rhythm.
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the tireless Montalbano. It turns out that the stabbed man was in the habit of paying his young Tunisian cleaning lady for “extras”, the very same lady being involved with the shot Tunisian in some illegal activity. The cleaning lady also dies, but her young boy escapes and is protected by Montalbano and his fiancé Livia, who falls in love with the boy and dreams of adopting him and making a family with the reluctant boyfriend-detective.Why the man is stabbed to death and by whom, what is the nature of the illegal activities taking place and why do the Italian Secret Services take interest in this sordid southern affair – all of these will need to remain secret, lest I spoil it for future readers. Suffice to say that Montalbano (as usual) makes the connections everyone else fails to make and solves the case. In the process, he realises a few things about his personal life and his attachment to Livia.
Camilleri is, as usual, a pleasure to read. The prose at times reads like poetry, peppered with the impossible Sicilian dialect that gives the Montalbano series its distinctive rhythm.
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LibraryThing member bookczuk
I'm interested in reading this author, and started the book to get a little taste of his writing, but all the other books in my TBR pile began to scream at me and haunt my dreams, so I've put it aside for now. I will probably release this, but make a note to find the author and book one of the
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series again. This series was first recommended by a patron of a indie bookstore in Decatur GA when we were there in April of 2012. Show Less
LibraryThing member nmele
Another entertaining mystery set in Sicily, an excellent mix of farce, satire and food. Surprisingly prescient, Camilleri's story deals with immigration from Tunisia, terrorism and the compromises intelligence services make.
LibraryThing member pw0327
Inspector Montalbano is my kind of guy. He loves food, to the point of intellectualizing food. He does not suffer the fool lightly, in fact he delights in insulting the fools that surround him. He has a rather devout and unique sense of justice and morality. He is one of the great characters in
The story is about two seemingly unrelated murders which eventually, of course, become inextricably intertwined. One is the murder of an elderly gentlemen, stabbed to death in his building elevator. The other is a Tunisian sailor shot to death by the Tunisians themselves. The mechanics of solving a crime in modern day Sicily is described in delicious details, written in the voice of a true skeptic.
The plot of the story meanders along languorously in typical Camilleri style until a number of things all come together. The result of which is a philosophical and emotional series of moments for Inspector Montalbano, something wholly unexpected of Camilleri and his character because Salvo Montalbano has played the spectator all along in this series, we do not expect him to show his true self, but circumstances pushes him forward to confront his life, his future, his love, and why he is. I don't want to make this sound like an angst ridden novella, it isn't. It is a barely cracked window into the soul of the character, a window that is surreptitiously opened for the briefest moment to let the air and sun in, just to give us a peek at the inner workings of the character.
This is ususally a dangerous yet intriguing decision for an author for he is now forever saddled with a psychosis he himself created while he is also given himself a means to explore many different things.
I am hoping that Camilleri takes advantage of this trap that he set for himself and make the best of it, which means that I just got started on the next book in the series, just to find out what will happen next.
The Snack Thief is a nice bridge from the beginning: The Shape of Water and The Terra Cotta Dog, into a greater unknown, we hope.
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mysteries. This is the third book on Andrea Camilleri's sardonic and witty series set in Sicily and it is the best of the three that I have read. I like to read them in series so that I can see the character grow. This book seems like the previous two except that the orneriness of Inspector Montalbano is coming out in greater volumes. His complaints are louder and more vehemant, his patiences in shorter supply, and his judgment a little more flawed. The story is about two seemingly unrelated murders which eventually, of course, become inextricably intertwined. One is the murder of an elderly gentlemen, stabbed to death in his building elevator. The other is a Tunisian sailor shot to death by the Tunisians themselves. The mechanics of solving a crime in modern day Sicily is described in delicious details, written in the voice of a true skeptic.
The plot of the story meanders along languorously in typical Camilleri style until a number of things all come together. The result of which is a philosophical and emotional series of moments for Inspector Montalbano, something wholly unexpected of Camilleri and his character because Salvo Montalbano has played the spectator all along in this series, we do not expect him to show his true self, but circumstances pushes him forward to confront his life, his future, his love, and why he is. I don't want to make this sound like an angst ridden novella, it isn't. It is a barely cracked window into the soul of the character, a window that is surreptitiously opened for the briefest moment to let the air and sun in, just to give us a peek at the inner workings of the character.
This is ususally a dangerous yet intriguing decision for an author for he is now forever saddled with a psychosis he himself created while he is also given himself a means to explore many different things.
I am hoping that Camilleri takes advantage of this trap that he set for himself and make the best of it, which means that I just got started on the next book in the series, just to find out what will happen next.
The Snack Thief is a nice bridge from the beginning: The Shape of Water and The Terra Cotta Dog, into a greater unknown, we hope.
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LibraryThing member smik
It is fascinating to watch the disparate strands of this novel come together. In many ways Inspector Montalbano is a maverick, a very cool investigator, whose instinct for the truth is remarkable.
Courageous in many ways connected to his job, Montalbano is unable to face his father's impending
There is a lot of black humor in THE SNACK THIEF but a lot of compassion too. And underlying all, Montalbano's love of good food, resulting in mouth watering recipes.
Courageous in many ways connected to his job, Montalbano is unable to face his father's impending
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death.There is a lot of black humor in THE SNACK THIEF but a lot of compassion too. And underlying all, Montalbano's love of good food, resulting in mouth watering recipes.
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LibraryThing member Andrew-theQM
Another very good book in the Inspector Montalbano series. This all stems from a mysterious death in an elevator and someone being killed on a boat. Quite a bit of intrigue and plotting in this book. Also some interesting development between Montalbano and Livia. If you haven't given this series a
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try, I would most definitely recommend it. I look forward to reading further books in this series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Miguelnunonave
Great crime novel, with a twisting plot and a quirky detective. Unique insight on Sicilian life, though the dialogues in dialect (I read the book in the original language) are somewhat annoying because you end up ignoring everything that is not written in standard Italian.
LibraryThing member laytonwoman3rd
I'm doing my best to join the club by reading straight through as many of these as my library can provide. This one has a dual mystery in it, which as we all know, always means a common element will emerge and our hero/sleuth/detective will put the pieces together eventually. Also some more
September 2012
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drooling over food, and a tug at the heartstrings provided by the title character. I finished it after bedtime last night, got up out of the sack and went to the living room to grab the next one in the series, which was lying in wait, and continued reading as if there were no break in the story at all.September 2012
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LibraryThing member cbl_tn
As Inspector Montalbano and his colleagues investigate the murder of a retired businessman, their case converges with another jurisdiction's investigation into the death of a Tunisian fisherman. The common thread seems to be a Tunisian prostitute whose young son, left to fend for himself, has taken
The Montalbano books have a very strong sense of place in the fictional Vigata on Sicily. Montalbano enjoys his food, and its descriptions will leave most readers (or listeners, as the case may be) with mouths watering. Moments of laugh-out-loud humor provide balance for some very dark crimes and evil villains. Montalbano seemed more irritable than I remember from the first two books in the series. He comes across as self-absorbed and stingy with his affections. My sympathies were with Livia this time around.
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to stealing other children's snacks. Montalbano enlists the aid of his partner Livia in first questioning the child and then caring for him while the police search for his missing mother. Montalbano's concern for the boy's safety grows as he discovers more about the circumstances of his mother's disappearance.The Montalbano books have a very strong sense of place in the fictional Vigata on Sicily. Montalbano enjoys his food, and its descriptions will leave most readers (or listeners, as the case may be) with mouths watering. Moments of laugh-out-loud humor provide balance for some very dark crimes and evil villains. Montalbano seemed more irritable than I remember from the first two books in the series. He comes across as self-absorbed and stingy with his affections. My sympathies were with Livia this time around.
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LibraryThing member jetangen4571
law-enforcement, murder, mystery, extortion, verbal-humor, Sicily
Montalbano is having a really bad week and everyone is in verbal firing range. Surprisingly, there is more interdepartmental cooperation here and even his longterm girlfriend gets involved once a small boy needs her.
While I do enjoy
Bottom line is that Montalbano is a very flawed but realistic hero, and I love the series.
Montalbano is having a really bad week and everyone is in verbal firing range. Surprisingly, there is more interdepartmental cooperation here and even his longterm girlfriend gets involved once a small boy needs her.
While I do enjoy
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the TV series which has all the impressive scenery, the books have infinitely more depth to the characters. Bottom line is that Montalbano is a very flawed but realistic hero, and I love the series.
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LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
A man is found murdered, a kitchen knife sticking out of his back, in the elevator of his building. Several neighbors saw the body in the elevator but chose to ignore it....
The man had recently reopened his business and went to his office every Monday, Wednesday, & Friday. His Tunisian cleaning
The cleaning lady is soon embroiled in mysterious non-business dealing of his business (the police audit showing he had no assets, no debts, no inventory) and she soon disappears with her son.
At a school in the town where the cleaning lady lived, children are having their food stolen from them on the way to school.... Inspector Montalbano sets a trap for the "snack-thief" who turns out to be the son of the missing cleaning-lady...
The story progresses from there as Montalbano takes the boy home to his fiancée and the boy & fiancée become quickly emotionally attached.
On-going is the killing of a Tunisian on a fishing boat, which turns out to be murder and connected to the boy & his mother...
Many a twist & turn that held my interest.
Once again, the description of Montalbano's meals are an epicurean's dream...
The man had recently reopened his business and went to his office every Monday, Wednesday, & Friday. His Tunisian cleaning
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lady was also "cleaning up" on the side by providing extra service to him & the other retired men she worked for.The cleaning lady is soon embroiled in mysterious non-business dealing of his business (the police audit showing he had no assets, no debts, no inventory) and she soon disappears with her son.
At a school in the town where the cleaning lady lived, children are having their food stolen from them on the way to school.... Inspector Montalbano sets a trap for the "snack-thief" who turns out to be the son of the missing cleaning-lady...
The story progresses from there as Montalbano takes the boy home to his fiancée and the boy & fiancée become quickly emotionally attached.
On-going is the killing of a Tunisian on a fishing boat, which turns out to be murder and connected to the boy & his mother...
Many a twist & turn that held my interest.
Once again, the description of Montalbano's meals are an epicurean's dream...
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LibraryThing member quondame
Inspector Montalbano himself is displayed more to the reader as he investigates the murder of retired importer, tries to avoid involvement in a death at sea brought to his home port and finds both invading his own life. The food element is very seductive - these books should be read on a full belly
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or within easy reach of favorite treats. Show Less
LibraryThing member KarenDuff
I don't know if this series is losing something in translation, but in the books I don't like the character of Montalbano but in the tv series I do.
LibraryThing member thornton37814
Mimi Augello is called out when a man is shot on a fishing boat, claiming it occurred in international waters. Montalbano investigates a man's death on an apartment building elevator. A woman tied to the investigation disappeared, but when Montalbano hears of a child stealing lunches, he suspects
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it is the woman's hungry child. Montalbano's relationship with Livia continues in this installment. I listened to the audio version read by Grover Gardner because of his superb narration of the series even though I own the paperback. Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
The Snack Thief by Andrea Camilleri is the third book in his Inspector Monalbano Mystery series. In this book, the character of Inspector Montalbano is clearly defined and although he can be quite childish and selfish at times, he takes a step toward adulthood at the end of the book which is making
Great characters and dialogue move the story along at a rapid pace. The Snack Thief has Montalbano investigating both the death of an elderly man in an elevator and the shooting of a Tunisian man on a fishing boat. Eventually he realizes these cases are connected and, in doing so, runs afoul of a certain branch of government.
I read in the notes that the translator of these books, Stephen Sartarelli is a New York poet, and he deserves a great deal of praise for retaining the fluent style and farcical manner that the author originally gave these books.
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me eager to pick up the next volume. These books still delight me with their sharp humor and strong sense of place. Sicily comes alive on these pages, and the descriptions of food that the author includes has me booking a reservation at my favorite Italian restaurant!Great characters and dialogue move the story along at a rapid pace. The Snack Thief has Montalbano investigating both the death of an elderly man in an elevator and the shooting of a Tunisian man on a fishing boat. Eventually he realizes these cases are connected and, in doing so, runs afoul of a certain branch of government.
I read in the notes that the translator of these books, Stephen Sartarelli is a New York poet, and he deserves a great deal of praise for retaining the fluent style and farcical manner that the author originally gave these books.
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Language
Original language
Italian
Original publication date
1996 (original Italian)
2003 (English: Sartarelli)
ISBN
8838913196 / 9788838913198