This entry in the Montalbano series lacks the social commentary that many of the previous books featured but the mystery was solid.

Translated by Stephen Sartarelli ( )

One of the reasons why I read Andrea Camilleri's series is because of its humor, but I have to admit that the humor has been lacking in the past few books. I am happy to say that the comedy is back in full force in The Overnight Kidnapper, and I enjoyed every second of it. The stories in the past few books seemed a bit lackluster to me as well, and that changed in this book, too. Perhaps it's due to something Camilleri says in the Afterward. Unlike the other recent books, The Overnight Kidnapper was not inspired by a newspaper article that the author read. It could be that giving himself a rest from the real world set him free to get back to the roots of this long-running series.

The story, with its arson case and the strange abductions of young women who worked in local banks, also kept me wondering what was going on, and-- as usual-- I enjoyed watching Montalbano figure it all out. Even if he can't find his way out of a hospital, Montalbano is a master (1) at knowing all the major crime figures on his patch, (2) how to work with his contacts in the local media, and (3) even more importantly, how to manipulate his aggravating superior.

If anything was lacking in this book, it was food. There was no real descriptions of the mouth-watering meals Montalbano usually enjoys. He went into his favorite restaurant, he ate, and then he walked along the jetty. Even his housekeeper didn't keep his refrigerator and oven filled with her usual feasts. Ah well. I suppose we all have to go on diets periodically.

With the death of Camilleri in 2019, there are no more new Montalbano mysteries, and I find myself wanting to read these last few even slower, to stretch out my enjoyment for as long as I can. This talented man created a cast of characters, an entire fictional world, that I have lived in happily for many years. It's always sad to have something like this end. ( )

Bello, come sempre, Camilleri e Montalbano non tradiscono. Forse il libro termina un po’ bruscamente, ma tutto sommato va bene così. ( )

Three female bank employees are flagged down to help a man working on his car; two are chloroformed, but otherwise unharmed, but the third is superficially slashed. Are they related? Is this a vendetta against banks? Montalbano and his team start asking questions as they always do, and Catarella butchers everyone's names. Mix in a nasty case of arson and the shop owner's disappearance after refusing to pay the Mafia's increased protection money. Then for some spice, add in a jilted lover and you have all ingredients for a classic Sicilian mystery by the master, Andrea Camilleri. ( )

This entry in the Montalbano series lacks the social commentary that many of the previous books featured but the mystery was solid. ( )