Recently read: Andrea Camilleri’s The Smell of the Night

Another book in my favorite series set in contemporary Sicily, Inspector Salvo Montalbano quietly does his job in the political and Mafioso world of Sicilian law enforcement. Emanuele Gargano, a wealthy financial pundit, has vanished. With him went a lot of money, mainly from retirees who gave Gargano their entire life savings. As Montalbano uncovers the financial scam and searches for both the man and the money, he is going through a rough patch in his personal life. His lover, Livia, continues to be miffed at him and Montalbano’s boss has shut him out of the case. Camilleri is a beautiful writer with a vivid sense of atmosphere, and his books are splendidly translated by poet Stephen Sartarelli.