All the usual elements of the Montalbano books - Livia arrives for an arranged few days off with Salvo, and not only does it not happen but he completely forgets all about her. She removes herself from the scene - for once without too many harsh words. There is the food, the mystery, and the strange habit of lying to everyone including his own colleagues. There is also a strange post-modernist element - Camilleri has done this once before in a previous story in which Montalbano was reading a book by Camilleri. In this one he wants to avoid the area where they are filming "that television series" with the actor who may or may not look like him - and the end of the story is another odd comment, "Little surprise that Montalbano couldn't tell Camilleri how the story would end". He also conveniently works out what actually happened by having a sort of vision. All of these things jar a bit and threaten the willing suspension of disbelief. The image of the dancing, dying seagull at the beginning is memorable, a rather horrible portent of what has happened to the murder victim. Entertaining, but not sure about the self-conscious self-mockery, if that's what it is. started on Kindle on 10th October 2013. Felt that I had to keep reading. Inspector Montalbano is preparing to set off on vacation with his long-suffering girlfriend Livia when he realizes that his friend and colleague Sergeant Fazio has vanished. So, Livia is forgotten. The men of Montalbano's police department at Vigàta in Sicily investigate what has happened to Fazio and the author even has a dialigue including himself
What do You think about La Danza Del Gabbiano (2009)?
My second Inspector Montalbano mystery. The setting is Sicily. Great read.
—temzie
Loved it... A great read, so Italian atmospheric, smells and tastes...
—duelist137
