Prima Facie

Victor Gallo #1

by Mark Camilleri

Tfajla bla ħajja fil-konfini ta’ raħal ixxukkjat. Qtil brutali. Qtil bla preċedent. Qattiel li jirnexxilu joћloq inkubu ma’ Malta kollha. Qattiel mhux komuni. Uniku. Sfida oħra għall-Ispettur Victor Gallo, Kap tat-Taqsima tal-Omiċidji.

Kollox jidher sempliċi. Prima Facie.

302 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

Mark Camilleri twieled fit-30 ta' Lulju 1977 u trabba l-Mosta fejn gћadu jgћix sal-lum. Iggradwat fl-Istorja bil-Baċellerat tal-Edukazzjoni (1999) u għandu Diploma fil-Letteratura Maltija (2018) mill-Università ta’ Malta. Għal ħmistax-il sena kien għalliem fi skejjel primarji, u Assistent Kap ta’ Skola bejn l-2014 u l-2021.

F'Settembru tal-2021 huwa nħatar bħala l-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb, entità pubblika fi ħdan il-Ministeru tal-Edukazzjoni li taqdi l-industrija tal-kotba Maltija.

Kittieb tar-rumanzi tas-sensiela Gallo: Prima Facie (2010), Volens (2013), Nex (2016) u Alias (2021); tal-ktieb għat-tfal Mill-Istorja tal-Futbol Malti (2018) u bloggati fuq: http://spetturgallo.blogspot.com/.

Xogħol ippubblikat:

Gallo - f'45 (2009)

Prima Facie (2010)

Volens (2013)

Nex (2016) - finalist tal-Premju Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb

Mill-Istorja tal-Futbol Malti (2018) - finalist tal-Premju Terramaxka

Alias (2021)

Reviews

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kont rajt is-serje fuq it-televizjoni xi snin ilu... u minn dejjem xtaqt naqra il-ktieb ghalkemm dan m'huwiex il-generu li s-soltu naqra jien! Din is-sena xtaqt li naqra iktar bil-Malti kif ukoll li naqra kotba ta' generi li mhux soltu naqra. Habiba tieghi selfitni dan il-ktieb u bdejt naqrah mal-ewwel - xejn ma iddispjacini! Ktieb mexxej, deskrittiv u ghalkemm is-suggett tal-qtil m'huwiex wiehed pjacevoli u ta' gost, ir-rumanz huwa kif jghidu bl-Ingliz 'entertaining'. Ghogobni hafna (bhal ma kien laqatni fis-serje) il-karattru ta' l-iSpettur Victor Gallo, kif ukoll tas-Surgenti Piccinino u Casalleto. Xtaqt li kien hemm lok fejn il-karattri ta' dawn ta' l-ahhar kienu zvilupati tajjeb bhal ta' Gallo. It-tmiem tal-ktieb kien xokkanti ghalkemm kont diga naf kif tispicca l-istorja. Herqana biex naqra il-zewg kotba li jmiss - smajt li huma ahjar mill-ewwel ktieb. Ninsab certa li se niehu gost naqrahom bhal ma hadt gost naqra dan. Prosit Mark Camilleri! Il-Malti kellu bzonn kotba ta' dan il-generu!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always found the first book in a detective series awkward. I usually feel that the author is spending so much time trying to establish the character that the actual murder feels secondary. Obviously there are are exceptions. I still hold Petros Markaris’ The Late-night News as an example of the great first book in a series, while Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club is how NOT to start a series.

The plot of Prima Facie (Latin for first impression) is quite simple; A schoolgirl is found dead, suffocated with bodily fluids found on her, then it happens a second time to another victim. . It is up to Inspector Gallo to seek out the clues and find the serial killer.

The character of Gallo is revealed bit by bit; he has split up with his wife, has a daughter, likes moody music and craves takeaways. I found this a good move as it allowed the actual mystery to breathe and it gives time for the reader piece together clues in the process.

I also liked the fact that we are given the killer’s perspective, in fact we readers know who committed the crime long before Gallo does so it is interesting to see how he figures it all out. One thing Mark Camilleri has a knack for writing a great simile and Gallo’s slovenly attitude does make one laugh now and then. Plus there’s some graphic descriptions to balance out the more humorous sections. More importantly as the mystery takes place in various areas around Malta, it was fun to read about certain landmarks or Mark Camilleri’s depiction of Maltese attitudes, especially with Gallo’s colleagues on the police force.

One the whole Prima Facie is a solid first entry (at the time of writing there are four books in the series) . Maybe the amount of pop culture references can be a bit tiring but this is a debut novel. As introductions go this is a fine one and it did make me want to read the rest ( which I should be doing over the next couple of months)

[Jesmond Sharples · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ktieb li ssodisfa l-aspettativi tiegħi - inħobb dal-ġeneru u naħseb li fil-kitba Maltija ma tantx hemm kitba ta' dan it-tip. Għoġobni l-protagonist Gallo u kif ġie preżentat il-karattru lill-qarrejja. La darba l-ktieb taqbdu f'idek ma tkunx trid terħih minn idejk.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rumanz dettaljat u modern ghal ahhar, b'kemmxejn lingwagg vulgari li jirifletti l-istill modern tieghu. Storja nteressanti li sahansitra qrajtu fi tlett ijiem, hafna drabi sibt ruhi nqabbel dan ir-rumanz mal-istejjer ta' Montalbano ta' l- awtur Siciljan Andrea Camilleri.

[Mark Anthony Bugeja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prosit Mark :)

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ktieb tajjeb, deskrittiv u mexxej li jzommok imwahhal mal-pagni.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan l-ewwel ktieb pulizjesk miktub oriġinarjament bil-Malti li qatt qrajt u għoġobni. L-istorja mexxejja u avolja forsi stat kienet ftit iktar kumplessa għal gosti tiegħi, għanda biżżejjed twists biex tħallik fuq ix-xwiek sa l-aħħar. Gallo għandu karattru tipiku tal-eroj pulizjeski moderni; mimli bi problemi personali imma fl- istess ħin abilissimu f'xogħol.
Opra tajba ferm u nħares bil-quddiem biex naqra it-tieni ktieb.

[Rowena · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, a well-thought triller.
Couldn't get used to Gallo's character though, too cynical and brusque, but maybe that's just my opinion.
Also, I found the Maltese very strange. Words like "bla hedu" instead of "bla heda", "bilġri" instead of "bil-ġiri", "tallara" instead of "tellara" and many others.

[Glen Farrugia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading the book. The story is fast paced and a thriller that keeps you hooked up till the very end with some twists in the story line. Also loved the humor in the book by the author especially the character of Victor Gallo!
Can't wait to start book #2

[Monalisa Vella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this book. The story kept me hooked up till the very end. Loved the character of Victor Gallo. Looking forward to read the other two books in the series. A definate must read. Well done Mark Camilleri.

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not my genre but it kept me hooked till the very end. Looking forward to reading Mark Camilleri's new installment.

[Maudy Sammut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ili naqra li qrajtu imma l-istorja kienet ghogbitni. Ma tantx naqra stejjer Maltin is-soltu. Li qrajt dan u Volens ifisser hafna ghalija

[Michela · Rating 5 out of 5]

nice book

[Helga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ktieb mexxej li jwahlek mal-pagni; l-uzu tal-Malti ipekkabli. Qrajtu ghat-tieni darba, u ikolli nammetti li ergajt damdamtu fi ftit sieghat.

[Joe Pace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kept me interested all the way but it's not really my genre.

[Ryan Scicluna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a feeling that Camilleri is a big fan of Andrea Camilleri and his Montalbano series. I like the fact that the writing is fast paced and very direct. Overall, a very interesting piece of fiction from a Maltese author whose stories would definitely make for some good TV police procedurals.