The Pyramid of Mud

The Pyramid of Mud is the 22nd book in the Inspector Montalbano mystery series by Andrea Camilleri. I've read these in publication order because the characters age and develop over time.

from the back of the book:

Italy's favorite detective uncovers mafia ties in the world of construction.

On a gloomy morning in Vigata, a call rouses Inspector Montalbano from a nightmare. A man named Giugiu Nicotra has been found dead in the skeletal workings of a construction site, a place now entombed by a sea of mud from recent days of rain and floods. Shot in the back, Nicotra appears to have fled into a water supply system tunnel. The investigation gets off to a slow start, but all the evidence points to the world of construction and public contracts, a world just as slimy and impenetrable as mud. As he wades through the case, Montalbano is obsessed by one thought: that by going to die in the tunnel, was Nicotra trying to tell him something?

Kirkus Reviews concludes, "The usual humor and strong personalities we expect from Camilleri will be missed by fans in this book, but the more intricate portrait of the detective will make the pages turn anyway." Publishers Weekly closes with this: "Despite feeling his age, Montalbano manages to arrive at a solution to the puzzle with his customary cunning, humor, and fearlessness. Readers will hope he lives forever."

I've read the earlier books in the series:

1. The Shape of Water
2. The Terra-Cotta Dog
3. The Snack Thief
4. Voice of the Violin
5. Excursion to Tindari
6. The Smell of Night
7. Rounding the Mark
8. The Patience of the Spider
9. The Paper Moon
10. August Heat
11. The Wings of the Sphinx
12. The Track of Sand
13. The Potter's Field
14. The Age of Doubt
15. Dance of the Seagull
16. Treasure Hunt
17. Angelica's Smile
18. A Game of Mirrors
19. A Beam of Light
20. A Voice in the Night
21. A Nest of Vipers