Massimo Carlotto books

Massimo Carlotto is an Italian crime fiction author and a leading voice in Mediterranean Noir, known for the Alligator series and for his own wrongful conviction and years as a fugitive.

Giorgio Pellegrini Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Goodbye Kiss 2001 Buy
At the End of a Dull Day 2011 Buy

L’Alligatore Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Master of Knots 2002 Buy
Bandit Love 2009 Buy
The Colombian Mule 2000 Buy
Gang of Lovers 2015 Buy
Il maestro di nodi 2002 N/A
For All the Gold in the World 2015 Buy
L’amore del bandito 2009 N/A
Blues for Outlaw Hearts and Old Whores 2020 Buy

Standalone Novels

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Fugitive 1994 Buy
Death’s Dark Abyss 2004 Buy
Poisonville 2005 Buy

Massimo Carlotto was born in Padua, Italy, in 1956. As a nineteen-year-old student, he stumbled upon a murdered woman and, in a panic, fled the scene instead of calling for help. He was charged with her murder. After being acquitted at first trial, he was convicted on appeal and sentenced to eighteen years. He became a fugitive, living in France and Mexico before being captured and extradited. In 1993, Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro granted him a pardon.

Carlotto began writing fiction in 1994 with The Fugitive, a fictionalized account of his years on the run. He went on to create his best-known character, Marco Buratti, a former blues singer turned unlicensed private investigator nicknamed the Alligator. The Alligator series is set in northeastern Italy and is known for its unsparing depiction of crime, corruption, and the darker side of Italian society.

His Giorgio Pellegrini books follow a very different kind of protagonist: a former left-wing terrorist turned amoral criminal. Carlotto is considered one of Italy’s most important crime writers and a major figure in the Mediterranean Noir movement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Massimo Carlotto written?

Massimo Carlotto has written thirteen books across three series.

What was Massimo Carlotto's first book?

Massimo Carlotto’s first book is The Fugitive, published in 1994.

What happened to Massimo Carlotto before he became a writer?

In 1976, Carlotto was wrongfully convicted of murder after he found a dying woman and panicked instead of calling police. He was sentenced to eighteen years, fled to France and then Mexico, and was eventually pardoned by the Italian president in 1993. His first novel, The Fugitive (1994), drew on those experiences.

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