Andrea Camilleri

Andrea Camilleri (1925 – 2019) was a celebrated Italian writer, director, and storyteller, best known around the world for creating the iconic Inspector Salvo Montalbano detective series. Born in Porto Empedocle, Sicily, Camilleri began his creative life writing poems and short stories before studying stage and film direction, eventually working extensively in theatre, television and radio.

Camilleri’s career as a novelist took off later in life — he published La forma dell’acqua (The Shape of Water) in 1994, the first in what became a beloved series of crime novels set in the fictional Sicilian town of Vigàta, blending sharp mystery plots with rich characterisation and Sicilian cultural flavour. His books have sold millions of copies globally and have been widely translated, with many adapted for television.

Among his works Il-Kelb tat-Terrakotta (the Maltese edition of Il cane di terracotta) and Il-Forma tal-Ilma (the Maltese edition of La forma dell’acqua) are included, bringing the beloved Montalbano stories to Maltese readers.

Camilleri’s legacy lies in his unique voice, combining Sicilian dialect and Italian, blending humour, social insight and a deep understanding of human nature, which has made him one of Italy’s most influential modern authors.