Italy is staging a special programme of events to mark the centenary of the birth of the hugely popular Sicilian writer Andrea Camilleri, who died in Rome six years ago. Although he penned more than 100 books - selling 30 million copies - Camilleri will be best remembered for the Inspector Montalbano detective novels which have been translated into almost 40 languages and were adapted into a popular television series shown in Italy and around the world.

Events planned for his centenary include the publication of around a dozen books by and about Camilleri, as well as meetings, concerts, awards, conferences and performances centred on the writer's personality and work.