Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • The Dance of the Seagull

  • Inspector Montalbano, Book 15
  • By: Andrea Camilleri
  • Narrated by: Daniel Philpott
  • Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (98 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Dance of the Seagull cover art

The Dance of the Seagull

By: Andrea Camilleri
Narrated by: Daniel Philpott
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £20.99

Buy Now for £20.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Ratking cover art
Pietr the Latvian cover art
Aurelio Zen: Medusa cover art
Evans Above cover art
A Long Time Dead cover art
Murder in Tuscany cover art
The Railway Detective cover art
The Ryder Quartet cover art
Monsieur Pamplemousse and the Militant Midwives cover art
Laidlaw cover art
The Crime at Black Dudley cover art
Death at the Auction cover art
Down Cemetery Road cover art
More Than You Can Say cover art

Summary

Inspector Montalbano is awake at dawn, sitting on his porch, when his attention is caught by a seagull that falls from the sky, performing a strange dance, before lying down to die. Montalbano is perplexed by what he has witnessed and the scene hangs over him like an omen.

About to depart for a holiday with his girlfriend Livia, Montalbano makes a quick trip to the police station to tie up loose ends. But when his dear colleague Fazio is discovered missing, Montalbano instead launches a desperate search for his lost friend....

©2013 Andrea Camilleri (P)2013 Oakhill Publishing

Critic reviews

"Montalbano’s 15th case features more hilarious bark and some satisfying bite." ( Kirkus Reviews)

What listeners say about The Dance of the Seagull

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    48
  • 4 Stars
    31
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    38
  • 4 Stars
    21
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    10
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    53
  • 4 Stars
    25
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wickedly Funny

Many years ago I read many of Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montoblano books, and this reminded me of how brilliant they are, full of dark humour that makes me laugh! The only niggle I have about the narrator is some of the Italian accents sound like they belong in the British sitcom Allo Allo, but I'm willing to overlook that and look forward to listening to more of Camilleri's books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Mispronunciation.

The story, as with all the Montalbano stories was excellent. The mispronunciation of Mimi Augello’s name with a hard g instead of a soft g was extremely irritating.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

shame about the narration

As ever a captivating story by Andrea Camilleri but it has been hopelessly spoiled by the narration. the Italian pronunciation is faulty and the attempts at characterisation are woeful. montalbano sounds like a Japanese warlord. I hope this can be re-released with a better reader.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

the voicing .

The way Montalbano talks is too theatrical, it is at times like comedy . Why is it so?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A gruesome tail

A long run in and a too quick denouement, not quite a classic but
good

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Unfortunate narration

What did you like most about The Dance of the Seagull?

I enjoyed the story and the narrative but not the narration!!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Always the Inspector

Would you be willing to try another one of Daniel Philpott’s performances?

Not really. Mark Meadows does a much better job of these stories.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but the narration is jarring and makes it difficult to enjoy as much as one should. The Italian accented parts are almost comical although not meant to be.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Seagull theme runs through the book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes excellent tale read by a talented Daniel Philpott with good Italian accents.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Catarella always confused and funny, plus the Inspector.

What about Daniel Philpott’s performance did you like?

Accents and bringing characters to life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No - over a few days

Any additional comments?

Like to see other books in the series for download

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story. Shame about the narrator!

As usual, the story is a good one, rattling along while masking the outcome. The narrator, new for this book, is awful. His voices for the characters are stereotypical and, therefore, unbelievable, greatly distracting the listener.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good stoty spoilt by narration

I have long enjoyed the Inspector Montalbano stories in books and on film, but found the narration of this one distracting and, at times, irritating. I do not think I will be listeningto them again after the ones already in my library.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story, narration beyond awful

Book 15 of the superb series which I have listened to back to back. Mark Meadows who is excellent as are the books. However this is the first one without Mark Meadows and the first I have had to comment on. I almost stopped reading the narration is that bad. Only the strength of the story line kept me going.

The narrator is ok reading the book straight but decides to use accented Pigeon English when the characters speak. It is beyond horrific. In particular the scenes with Caterella which are standout excellent with Mark Meadows are reduced to worse than Allo Allo accents. Most of the books have been read but there is one left, the final book. Only Mark Meadows can be asked to read it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!