I like these books. As a middle-aged man, I understand what Montalbano is going through as he sees himself getting older, possibly less desirable to women, and still putting up with a bureaucracy that gets in the way more than anything else. The criminal aspect of this book is weak, and the story has more to do with Montalbano's attraction to a young harbor official. As I read it, my attention strayed from the the whodunit aspect to the rhythm of the language and the musings of an aging worker. One of the problems for us older guys is that, while we know our bodies are getting older, our brains are still 25 years old. Young women are still attractive (but so are the older ones, now, too). Paperwork seems to creep up and take up a bigger part of life. And rituals, like a regular lunch place, become more important. Like all these stories, there is not a neat, tidy ending. There are questionable police tactics, poor decisions, complete disregard of protocol. There are moral questions that go unanswered. But at the same time, there's a gentleness there, a heart behind the badge. If you're a fan of these stories, read this one. If you haven't read any of them, start at the first one. The Age of Doubt. I read it in English, of course, but there was no Goodreads entry in English. This is another masterful Camilleri mystery starring the wonderful Inspector Montalbano with all the trimmings. I feel that I am really there, in Sicilly, tasting the food, feeling the breeze, listening to Catarelli mangle his sentences, getting inside the head of the introspective hero. I've read every book in the series and this is probably the best. Touches issues of immigration from north Africa, war diamonds, diamond smuggling and, naturally, the Mafia.
What do You think about La Edad De La Duda (2008)?
more great Montalbano. For fear of spoiling, I'll say no more!
—Wendy
