Book Review #4: The Track of Sand (Inspector Montalbano series)

I was actually compelled to give this book a 4 1/2 star rating because there were some parts where I couldn't comprehend the situation clearly, but the overall storyline (and Inspector Montalbano's counter-attack) were so brilliant that I had to round it off to a 5.

Magnifique! This is my first try at the Inspector Montalbano series, and I'm already hooked! The Track of Sand is book 12 in the (currently) 13-book series by Andrea Camilleri. Each book covers a mysterious case that is unravelled by the inspector and his colleagues. In this particular book, Montalbano finds a dead horse in front of his seaside home, which marks the start of several disturbing events. He and his colleagues must make sense of the seemingly disconnected clues to solve the case.

The Inspector himself is an interesting character. He is undoubtedly smart, and at times a tad cunning; but when it comes to things that do not involve crime-solving he finds himself in an awkward predicament. Somehow this makes him seem real; he's not the perfect, uptight, no-nonsense type of inspector that is larger than life. Like everyone else, he has a temper and is not free from mistakes.

Camilleri carefully crafts a plot to out the guilty in this book. Every detail is planned out and executed artfully. It makes you applaud the brilliance of Inspector Montalbano; at the same time, it also shows Montalbano's foresight. 

I can't wait to see more of Montalbano in action in the other twelve books. Big Bad Wolf book sale, I'm counting on you! (You're also the only way I can collect ALL remaining 12 books)

Sometimes I wish I'd just stick to the trilogy books. They're so much easier (and WAY more economical) to collect.