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Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions  By  cover art

Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions

By: Mario Giordano, John Brownjohn
Narrated by: Matt Addis
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Publisher's summary

Auntie Poldi, sassy, brassy, and 60, moves to Sicily for a quiet alcohol-fuelled retirement. A murder spoils her plans.

This is the first novel in a charming new mystery series set in Sicily and laced with Italian sensuality and humor. It features an amateur sleuth, the sassy and foul-mouthed Auntie Poldi. Recently widowed Poldi moves to Sicily in order to quietly drink herself to death with a sea view, but fate intervenes. When she finds the corpse of a young man on the beach, his face blown off with a sawn-off shotgun, she becomes a potential suspect in his murder case.

Poldi soon falls for the gorgeous Commissario Montana who has been assigned to lead the case. They form an investigative - and romantic - partnership. The delightful details of this romance, and the extreme awkwardness of Poldi's retelling it to her mortified nephew, are some of the novel's many high points.

Sicily, a vivid backdrop, is an island of people obsessed with food. They talk passionately about which remote village produces the best olives, pistachio ice cream, oyster mushrooms, mandarins, and marzipan, and about which restaurant serves the best pasta al nero di sepia or canolli a la crema di ricotta. And there is never a direct reference to the mafia ("an invention of those fascists in the North"), even when confronted with murders committed with sawn-off shotguns.

©2015 Bastei Lubbe AG, Koln; Translation: 2016 John Brownjohn (P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

What listeners say about Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions

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Auntie Poldi Rocks!

Would you consider the audio edition of Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions to be better than the print version?

The narrator did an excellent job. I enjoyed the audio version because the pronunciation of the different languages and accents was on point.

Any additional comments?

It was a fun, smart and and sweet murder mystery, great for spring break listening. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I cannot wait for the other books in this series to be translated into English.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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A Fun Romp!

I really enjoyed this fun romp with the eccentric Auntie Poldi, and the narrator made me believe he was her nephew. Wonderful descriptions of Sicily! Then I discovered Audible had several of the the series in the original German and loved those even more, because Poldie could truly be Bavarian -- All versions lift your spirits and at times you want to -- and do -- laugh out loud!

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

We must have more!

More books please, fun and a good story, hope there are many in this series

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6 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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So much fun!

This was a light-hearted, fun book thinly veiled as a murder mystery. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The narrator, Matt Addis, was absolute perfection - my new favorite narrator! He had a smooth silky European voice and did every voice wonderfully. I’m looking forward to any sequels because Aunt Poldi has won my heart.

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5 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Could have been better

I forced myself to listen to the entire book. There are a few things that I think would have made it much better. First, the person actually reading the book should be a female. I didn't feel like Matt Addis was really able to add life to the main character. It seemed a little flat to me. Also, the narrator in the story itself should have been a woman. I think the story was missing that female connection. Lastly, there were several Italian and German words in the story and sometimes it seemed like he was reading it too fast to understand, especially at the beginning.

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4 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Did Not Finish

After awhile I felt I wasn't getting into this one, but decided to soldier on. At around 2/3, I fell asleep finding the book at the end when I awoke. I just didn't care enough to go back and listen - moving on. The gimmick of the narrator nephew was okay, but I think one has to be "Bavarian" (NOT just German) to appreciate it Poldi and her background.

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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I actually enjoyed Auntie Poldi.

I actually enjoyed Auntie Poldi. It was a bit over the top but in a good way.

I especially like books that involve travel and foreign countries and tells you about local foods and customs. Auntie Poldi is a real person with real problems, feelings and needs. I appreciate it. She does not live in some fantasy world. She struggles with her past and works hard to make a new life for herself all while still caring for people around her.

I will be reading more Auntie Poldi!!!

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3 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Not good

I was very disappointed the story was mundane, the performance garbled and oversaw not good

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great fun in Sicily!

This book was such great fun!! Auntie Poldi is such a fun & bawdy character! Just the kind of gal I'd like to hang out with or eve be one day and even better that she lives in Sicily! I found the first chapter a little hard to keep up with all the names but once the mystery started, I was hooked! I loved Poldi and her family and friends and her blossoming relationship with the police inspector! The narrator was good too. More than once I wondered if I were listening to Sean Connery in character when he was reading the police inspector. I can hardly wait for more to be recorded!! Bravo!!!

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1 person found this helpful

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loved it

Auntie Poldi is awesome. What a fun read. I highly recommend this book. It's written in such a fun way and I love that we're getting this through her imaginitive nephew. Bravo.

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1 person found this helpful