What does the mafia represent in the novel, A Voice in the Night?

The mafia symbolizes power and control and how difficult it is for someone to defeat it. Montalbano and others assume that the mafia is involved in business and political fronts. The mafia control is accepted as part of the culture. This gives Montalbano something to fight against to illustrate what is right is more important that having power and control. Montalbano struggles to defeat the mafia because the mafia’s violent reputation allows for control without direct involvement.