I like this series of books a lot. I didn't give this one a higher rating for two reasons:
(1) I was interrupted in my reading by a broadcast on the BBC of this same story. It's not the fault of the book, but it took away from the enjoyment a little bit that I had just seen the screen adaptation, which I find more enjoyable when it occurs after I've read a book.
(2) Not to give anything away but, it is not possible to put a horseshoe in your pants pocket and forget it's there.
As in all these books, there are too many names and one gets lost, but they are fun anyway. ( )

A very quick outing with Salvo Montalbano and the gang as he works to discover who brutally killed a race horse and left it on the beach near his home. Some actual detecting, a lot of good food, and some beautiful women to complicate Salvo's already fraught relationship with the (un)fair Livia made this one a lot of fun. ( )

Entre incrédulo y horrorizado, el comisario Salvo Montalbano contempla desde su ventana una imagen de pesadilla: un caballo yace muerto sobre la arena. Una rápida inspección a pie de playa le permite constatar que se trata de un magnífico purasangre que ha sido sacrificado con crueldad y ensañamiento. Pese a no ser precisamente un defensor de los animales, el comisario siente la necesidad de llevar ante la justicia a quien haya sido capaz de perpetrar semejante acto. Así pues, con la ayuda de su amiga Ingrid, Montalbano se adentrará en un ambiente al que nos tiene poco acostumbrados: el de los círculos ecuestres, las carreras de caballos y las elegantes fiestas benéficas, un mundo poblado por hombres de negocios de altos vuelos, aristócratas y amazonas de rompe y rasga. Pero de ahí a las apuestas clandestinas y las carreras amañadas apenas media un paso, y Montalbano se colocará en el punto de mira de turbios personajes que lo amenazarán de todos los modos posibles. Incluso, poco faltará para que su casa acabe pasto de las llamas. ¿Qué otra cosa puede esperarse de la mafia? En su máximo esplendor como detective y como seductor, Montalbano se niega en redondo a subsanar las primeras y evidentes huellas del paso del tiempo, como por ejemplo llevar gafas, que le ahorrarían avanzar a tropezones y cometer algún error. Y si bien su relación con Livia sigue atravesando horas bajas, su proverbial apetito y vitalismo socarrón se mantienen indemnes.

Love the Montalbano series. Some good laughs and a good puzzle. Love the narrator, too. Makes me hungry just thinking of them. ( )

Inspector Montalbano awakens to find a dead horse on the beach in back of his home, which is removed while he awaits assistance. A champrion racehorse belonging to a beautiful woman and another horse were reported stolen in another district, but Salvo is so disturbed by the violence done to the animal that he investigates. After his home is invaded twice and almost burned down, he concludes it is related to an upcoming mafia trial in which he is a key witness. His dogged determination and love of food prevail although he does once again stray from Livia. ( )