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Treasure Hunt: An Inspector Montalbano Mystery    by Andre Camilleri Amazon.com order for
Treasure Hunt
by Andre Camilleri
Order:  USA  Can
Penguin, 2013 (2013)
Hardcover, Softcover, CD, e-Book
* * *   Reviewed by Tim Davis

When the action begins in Andrea Camilleri's latest must-read mystery (translated by by Stephen Sartarelli), Salvo Montalbano, the 57 year old Sicilian police inspector, is puzzled. Two aging siblings unleash mayhem upon their neighbors, and - when the guns are finally silent - Montalbano is shocked to find a bizarre collection in the siblings' apartment: hundreds of crucifixes, dozens of religious statuettes, a few pianos, and a well-worn inflatable sex doll.

For his part, reflecting upon his reactions to the siblings' sacred and profane tragicomedy, Montalbano understands that he has changed over time - he is more sensitive and more vulnerable, and he has a different perspective on the ups-and-downs in life - but in the aftermath of the apartment discoveries, he faces more baffling issues: first he receives a cryptic letter that diverts his attentions onto something that looks at first like an amusing little treasure hunt, and then a nearly identical inflatable doll is discovered in a neighborhood dumpster. All of this would be troublesome enough, but quicker than you can say, Dear Inspector, more puzzling and increasingly challenging letters arrive - and those are quickly followed by danger. But to say more at this point would be inappropriate.

So, instead of revealing anything further, here is the bottom line: There are plenty of first-rate European mystery series writers out there - including Jo Nesbo, Arnaldur Indridason, and others that I admire - but Andrea Camilleri is the absolute best. As far as I am concerned, if you only have time to read one European writer's series, all 16 of the Montalbano mysteries (including Treasure Hunt) should be the ones. Enjoy!

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