"A deep evocation of the Sicilian temperament, with all its complex
darkness and ambiguity, is embodied in Inspector Salvo Montalbano. Camilleri writes
in Sicilian dialect, and his translator has expertly captured the rhythms and nuances
of that tongue in English."--Booklist

"In Sicily, where people do things as they please, Inspector Montalbano is a bona fide
folk hero."--New York Times Book Review

"Montalbano can discuss a pointy-headed book like Western Attitudes toward Death
as unflinchingly as he can pour over crime-scene snuff photos. He throws together an
extemporaneous lunch...as gracefully as he dodged advances from attractive women."
--Los Angeles Times

"Montalbano's deadpan drollery and sharp observations refresh as much for their honesty as
their wit. All he wants is a quiet corner and an uninterrupted afternoon."--Kirkus Reviews

Montalbano's latest case begins with a mysterious tête à tête with a Mafioso, some inexplicably
abandoned loot from a supermarket heist, and some dying words that lead him to an illegal arms
cache in a mountain cave. There the inspector finds two young lovers, dead for fifty years and
still embracing, watched over by a life-sized terra-cotta dog. Montalbano's passion to solve this
old crime takes him on a journey through Sicily's past and into a family's dark heart amidst the
horrors of World War II bombardment.

Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano has garnered millions of fans worldwide with his sardonic
take on Sicilian life. With sly wit and a keen understanding of human nature, Montalbano is a
detective whose earthiness, compassion, and imagination make him totally irresistible.