The Pyramid of Mud

I know Montalbano is aging, but the energy seems to have ebbed out of the series with the passing of years. Completists will of course want to check off the box labeled book #22. Montalbano still is a fairly interesting fellow to trail around the island, breathing in the gritty, semi-rural atmosphere of Sicily, so a newcomer to the series would find enough of interest. But for that newcomer, I would instead recommend starting from the beginning. If they enjoy what they read in 'The Shape of Water,' I would recommend continuing in order, reading up to number 13 or 14, plus the short stories about Montalbano--not beyond that. The early stories are chronological, building on characters and events introduced in prior installments but not continuing previous stories--it is possible to read them out of order but it improves the experience to read them in order. As the series continues beyond book 14 ('The Age of Doubt'), installments feel nebulous and suspended in a sort of generic time, with less reference to what came before. It loses something.