Arcadia Public Library

Exhaustive research and interviews detail the story of the rise and fall of the Sicilian Mafia and its links with the Cosa Nostra in America.

Set on and around a summer tourist island off the coast of Sicily, TERRAFERMA tells the story of two struggling, yet disparate families, whose members become fatefully intertwined. A well-intentioned, but illegal rescue of immigrant "boat people" forces the individuals of the indigenous family to choose between their economic survival and doing the morally right thing.

"A poignant and transporting cross-cultural love story set against the lush backdrop of the Sicilian countryside, where one woman discovers the healing powers of food and family in her darkest hour. It was love at first sight when Tembi met professional chef, Saro, on a street in Florence. There was just one problem: Saro's traditional Sicilian family did not approve of him marrying a black American woman, an actress no less. However, the couple,...

Discovering the murdered body of a young woman, Sicilian detective Salvo Montalbano finds suspects in the victim's aging husband, a famous doctor, a missing admirer, an antiques dealer, a close friend, and a reclusive violinist.

Two seemingly unrelated deaths take Inspector Montalbano deep into a secret world of illicit trafficking in human lives, and the investigation tests the limits of his physical, psychological, and moral endurance.

Still recovering from his gunshot wound, Inspector Montalbano is feeling the weight of his years, and of his solitude. He's getting softer, more introspective, and critical of his life choices. But if withdrawing from society has become natural of late, he'll soon be forced to interact with others, compelled to intervene as a web of hatred and secrets threatens to squeeze its victims to death. This is Montalbano's most unusual and challenging case...

"Vigàta is bustling as the new filming location for a Swedish television series set in 1950. In the production frenzy, the director asks the locals to track down movies and vintage photos to faithfully recreate the air of Vigata in that time. Engineer Ernesto Sabatello, while rummaging in the attic of his house, finds some films shot by his father from 1958 to 1963, always on the same day, March 27 and always the same shot; the outside wall of a...

In line with the recent wave of acclaimed mob dramas from Italy such as Gomorrah and the Oscar® Nominated Il Divo, The Sicilian Girl recounts the true crime story of mafia daughter Rita Atria, who took her life into her hands to break the code of silence and testify against "The Family" in 1991.

"On her sixtieth birthday, Auntie Poldi retires to Sicily, intending to while away the rest of her days with good wine, a view of the sea, and few visitors. But Sicily isn't quite the tranquil island she thought it would be, and something always seems to get in the way of her relaxation. When her handsome young handyman goes missing--and is discovered murdered--she can't help but ask questions. Soon there's an investigation, a smoldering police inspector,...