The following article focuses on Chief Inspector Montalbano, the protagonist of the famous series of books written by Andrea Camilleri which has enjoying uninterrupted success since its first appearance in 1994. The novels—written in a hybrid language that is half Italian and half Sicilian—are set in the imaginary town of Vigàta and follow Montalbano’s investigations of local crime and international trafficking. Summing up the collections of novels and short stories, the series today totals thirty titles. Furthermore, the Italian public television company RAI produced an incredibly successful adaptation of the series in 1999. What do the readers and audience love about this character? What does Montalbano do exactly in a marginalized area of Southern Italy? What has made him so popular?