Already the hero of more than two dozen novels, Inspector Salvo Montalbano appears here in 21 short stories, written with Andrea Camilleri's particular humor and psychological insight. Here are tales of Italy's famous detective in key cases of his career, including the title story, featuring a young deputy Montalbano newly assigned to Vigàta; "The Pact," in which Montalbano helps an old woman out walking at night; "Catarella Solves a Case," a rare chance for his assistant to save the day; and most intriguingly, "Montalbano Says No," in which the inspector makes a late-night call to Camilleri himself to refuse an outlandish case. "A sparking collection…. This is a treat for admirers of the Montalbano novels and a superb introduction for new readers."—Publishers Weekly(starred review)