Book Review: The Potter's Field by Andrea Camilleri

A New York Times bestseller, Winner of the Crime Writers' Association's International Dagger and longlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award Witty and entertaining, the Montalbano novels by Andrea Camilleri-a master of the Italian detective story-have become favorites of mystery fans everywhere. In this latest installment, an unidentified corpse is found near Vigàta, a town known for its soil rich with potter's clay. Meanwhile, a woman reports the disappearance of her husband, a Colombian man with Sicilian origins who turns out to be related to a local mobster. Then Inspector Montalbano remembers the story from the Bible-Judas's betrayal, the act of remorse, and the money for the potter's field, where those of unknown or foreign origin are to be buried-and slowly, through myriad betrayals, finds his way to the solution to the crime.

Andrea Camilleri is one of my favorite mystery writers. His Montalbano series are one of the best in the genre. I have watched every episode of the TV series made according to his novels. Inspector Montalbano is just one of a kind, and one of my favorite detectives. The Potter's Field is the thirteenth in the row.

The police gets a call about a dead body on a private property, a place called the potter's field. It is raining heavily and when the police arrives, the body is gone. But soon after the search begins, it is obvious that the body has been washed away downhill, because of the rain. The police finds no body, but body parts, thirteen precisely.

In the very same time, a woman reports her husband missing. A man who works on a ship and travels a lot. A man connected to Colombia and related with Sicilian mafia. A man madly in love with his wife, a devoted husband who always calls her, no matter where he is. Except the last time.

While working on the case, Montalbano has problems with sleeping and nightmares. He is wandering if all those dreams mean something. His friend and colleague Mimi acts very strange. Is his behavior connected with the case?

As I said previously, Montalbano is one of my favorite detectives and I have seen all the episodes of the TV series. In 2012, Young Montalbano TV series showed up, as a pre-sequel. I watched almost all of them. Good to see the great inspector as a rookie. Andrea Camilleri created a great character with a hell of an attitude. Despite the mystery and twists, he also includes the quotations from the bible and many other classic books. The moment when Montalbano reads Andrea Camilleri's book is just one of a kind.

My opinion: 5 / 5.

Book Review: The Crocodile by Maurizio de Giovanni

This is Naples as you’ve never seen it before. A chaotic, shadowy city full of ominous echoes and dark alleyways where each inhabitant seems too absorbed by his or her own problems to give a damn about anybody else. And that is exactly what makes it possible for a cold, methodical killer to commit his atrocious crimes largely undisturbed, to merge with the crowd as if he were invisible. The newspapers call him “The Crocodile” because, like a crocodile, when he devours his own children, he cries. And like a crocodile he is a perfect killing machine: he waits and watches until his prey is within range, and then he strikes.

I wasn't familiar with Mauricio de Giovanni before, but after reading this book, I am definitely putting this author's books on my shelves. Not because of the one of a kind main character, but because of the stories he tells and the twists to the very end. So, let me tell you something about this book.

When you think of Italy and Sicilia, you think of mafia. Unfortunately, mafia is the first association with every crime and every police act in Italy. Inspector Lojacono is an excellent police detective, until rumor says that he is mafia guy. And his entire world changes. To make the damage as small as possible, the police department moves Lojacono in Napoli, and his wife and daughter in another city. They both don't want to talk to him, they blame him for ruining their lives also.

But in Napoli, it is not safe and sound. A young teenager is shot just in front of his home. A boy who delivers things (read drugs) to students. Soon after his death, a teenager girl is shot, walking home from her music classes. No one sees the connection, except Lojacono, who is clearly ordered to stay away from the case. But when the third teenager's body appears, the authorities in the police station have no choice except to let Lojacono lead the case. Because he sees things that others don't, he notices things that others can't. The lead takes him far away from the three teenagers, long time before they were born. When it all began.

The Crocodile is one great detective story, with lots of police procedurals and many turn-overs.
You can also feel the rhythm of the city, with all of its trattorie (small restaurants) and good Italian food. But you can also feel the fear of the mafia and crime ratio among the ordinary people. And you can not go wrong with a main character that many people mistake for a Chinese. He is one of kind.

My opinion: 4 / 5.