Addio, Salvo. It was a pleasure.
Note: The 27th novel is titled Riccardino . Camilleri wrote it years before his death in 2019, with strict instructions that it be published posthumously. As such, it functions as the true, final episode of the series. Andrea Camilleri Commissario Montalbano 27 ...
Opening Riccardino feels like visiting an old, dear friend for the last time. The familiar scents of arancini and sea salt, the squabbling with Catarella over the phone, the ritualistic lunch at Enzo’s trattoria—it’s all there. But from the very first page, Camilleri breaks the fourth wall in a way he never has before. Montalbano directly addresses the author , complaining about the plot, the characters, and even his own aging body. Addio, Salvo
If you have read the previous 26 novels, you must read this one. It’s the closing of a chapter in crime fiction. If you are new to Montalbano, for heaven’s sake, start with The Shape of Water (Book #1). This is not an entry point; it’s a farewell. Camilleri wrote it years before his death in
★★★★☆ (4/5)
The final pages—featuring a last phone call, a last meal, and a last walk on the beach—are devastatingly beautiful. Camilleri lets Montalbano fade out not with a bang, but with a quiet, knowing sigh.