The novel by Orso Tosco, published by Rizzoli and featuring Inspector Gualtiero Bova, is the best Italian noir novel of the year
L’ultimo pinguino delle Langhe by Orso Tosco, published by Rizzoli is the winner of the 2024 Giorgio Scerbanenco Award. The jury, headed by Cecilia Scerbanenco and made up of Valerio Calzolaio, Liborio Conca, Luca Crovi, Isabella Fava, Cecilia Lavopa, Sergio Pent, Alessandra Tedesco, Sebastiano Triulzi, and John Vignola, turned in a majority vote for Tosco’s “Penguin”, issuing the following statement:
“For the clever use of language and the skilful fleshing out of the main character, the investigator, against the backdrop of the Langhe region, with its references to a long-standing Italian literary tradition. The author succeeds in exorcising the gloomy atmosphere of his tale thanks to an ironic, surreal style that catches the reader off guard.”
As well as the winning novel, the shortlist included: Il sangue non mente by Cinzia Bomoll, La montagna nel lago by Jacopo De Michelis, Meccanica di un addio by Carlo Calabrò, and a Una morte onorevole by Paolo Roversi.
The Readers’ Prize – Città di Lignano Sabbiadoro was bestowed on Mantene s’odiu – Ricordati di odiare, by Elias Mandreu, the pen name of three authors: Andrea and Mauro Pusceddu and Eugenio Annichiarico.
