A Nest of Vipers (Inspector Montalbano mysteries, Band 21)

Mystery served the Sicilian way . . .

Quite a family, you had to admit! A nest of vipers might be a better description . . .

On what should be a quiet Sunday morning, Inspector Montalbano is called to a murder scene on the Sicilian coast. A man has discovered his father dead in his Vigàtan beach house: his body slumped on the dining-room floor, his morning coffee spilt across the table, and a single gunshot wound to the back of his head.

First appearances point to the son having the most to gain from his father's untimely death, a notion his sister can't help but reinforce. But as Montalbano delves deeper into the case, and learns of the victim's dishonourable past, it soon becomes clear that half of Vigàta has a motive for his murder and this investigation won't be as simple as the Inspector had once hoped . . .

'Among the most exquisitely crafted pieces of crime writing available today . . . simply superb' Sunday Times