On 6th September 1925, Andrea Camilleri was born in Porto Empedocle, Sicily. Today, he is best known as the creator of Inspector Montalbano, the beloved Sicilian detective.
Camilleri’s path to literary fame was not straightforward. For much of his life, he worked behind the scenes in theatre and television, with little recognition outside Italy.
Early life
Camilleri grew up under Mussolini’s dictatorship. His father, a harbour official, actively supported the Fascists. Yet, Camilleri rebelled against authority from a young age. At school, he was expelled for throwing an egg at a crucifix. Later, he joined the Italian Communist Party, rejecting his father’s politics.
After the Second World War, Camilleri studied directing at Rome’s Accademia Nazionale d’Arte Drammatica. He became an influential figure in theatre, staging the first Italian production of a play by Samuel Beckett. He later joined the television arm of Italy’s state broadcaster, RAI, in 1957, producing popular detective series.
For decades, Camilleri remained relatively unknown to the public. In the early 1990s, he began to write again, returning to a passion he had set aside many years earlier. At the age of 66, he published his first bestseller, La Stagione della Caccia (Hunting Season). Two years later, in 1994, he introduced the world to Inspector Montalbano in The Shape of Water.
The Inspector Montalbano series
Montalbano, named after the Spanish writer Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, is a complex character. He is grumpy, clever, and deeply committed to justice. Inspired by Camilleri’s Sicilian roots, Montalbano reflects the contradictions of the island: beautiful, mysterious, and sometimes harsh.
Camilleri once said, “Montalbano has become successful because he is a normal man, not a superhero.” Through Montalbano’s investigations, Camilleri explored the social and political fabric of Sicily, exposing corruption, crime, and the everyday lives of its people.
The success of Montalbano transformed Camilleri’s life. Between 1994 and his death in 2019, he wrote over 30 Montalbano books and more than 60 others. At an age when many writers slow down, Camilleri’s creativity only intensified. He even experimented with new forms, such as a joint novel with fellow crime writer Carlo Lucarelli.
The last Montalbano novel was published in the UK in 2021.
A blend of Sicilian dialect and standard Italian
Camilleri’s use of language also stood out. He blended standard Italian with Sicilian dialect, creating a unique style. This “contaminated language” gave his books an authentic voice that resonated with readers. Many non-Italian fans, however, first discovered Montalbano through the successful television series starring Luca Zingaretti. The show became a hit in over 20 countries, making Camilleri’s work internationally recognised.
Camilleri’s late literary success was unexpected. He had previously tried writing historical novels but met little success. His early attempts at writing, as he later recalled, had mostly brought rejection slips. Yet, by the end of his life, he had sold over 10 million books worldwide.
Politically outspoken
Even after achieving fame, Camilleri remained politically outspoken. A lifelong supporter of left-wing causes, he publicly criticised Matteo Salvini’s hard-right populist movement. In an interview with The Guardian, he compared Salvini’s rhetoric to Mussolini’s, stating, “The same fascist arrogance, the same smug representation of power.”
Andrea Camilleri died on 17th July 2019 at the age of 93, leaving a rich literary legacy. His books continue to be read and loved by millions around the world. His career offers inspiration to many, showing that success can come at any age. As Camilleri once said, “You can never say you’re too old for something.”
Recommended Book
The Shape of Water is the first in Andrea Camilleri’s wry, brilliantly compelling Sicilian crime series, featuring Inspector Montalbano.
When the body of respected and prominent engineer Silvio Luparello is discovered in the Pasture, a rubbish-strewn site brimming with drug dealers and prostitutes, the coroner’s verdict is death from natural causes – refreshingly unusual for Sicily.
But Inspector Salvo Montalbano of the Vigàta police force, as honest as he is streetwise , is not ready to close the case, despite pressure from Vigàta’s police chief, judge, and bishop.
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