The Inspector Montalbano is a Crime Fiction / Literary Fiction series by Andrea Camilleri, made up of 30 books published between 1994 and 2021. It begins with The Shape of Water (1994), and is best read in publication order. The most recent entry is Riccardino (2021), spanning 27 years of storytelling.
Inspector Montalbano series: frequently asked questions
What order should I read the Inspector Montalbano series?
Start with The Shape of Water (1994), the first book in the Inspector Montalbano series by Andrea Camilleri. Follow the books in publication order for the best reading experience.
How many books are in the Inspector Montalbano series?
There are 30 books in the Inspector Montalbano series by Andrea Camilleri, published between 1994 and 2021.
What is the first book in the Inspector Montalbano series?
The first book in the Inspector Montalbano series is The Shape of Water, published in 1994 by Andrea Camilleri.
What is the latest book in the Inspector Montalbano series?
The most recent book in the Inspector Montalbano series is Riccardino (2021) by Andrea Camilleri.
About the Inspector Montalbano series
Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano novels are sun-drenched Sicilian crime fiction, beloved as much for their food, landscape and comedy as for their mysteries. Salvo Montalbano is a sharp, irascible, deeply principled police inspector in the fictional town of Vigàta, forever battling bureaucracy, the Mafia's long shadow, and his own appetites.
Camilleri's voice is unmistakable — wry, sensual, politically barbed, and written in a famous blend of Italian and Sicilian dialect. The plots are clever, but readers return for Montalbano's character: his solitary swims, his epic meals, and his exasperated decency.
The series is best read in order from "The Shape of Water," as Montalbano's relationships and the recurring cast evolve, though each mystery stands on its own.