The age of doubt (edition 2012)

Inspector Montelbano is feeling his age and finds himself entranced by Lieutenant Belladonna in this new addition to a series set in Sicily. All of the books in this series are very good reading and the descriptions of the food the Inspector eats are icing on the cake. ( )

The latest from Andrea Camilleri, who is always a joy to read. In this, the arrival of a yacht in the harbour with a dead body in tow engages Montalbano's curiosity, it stirred further by the parallel appearance of a woman who may not be all she appears. And then of course our famed police Inspector meets Coast Guard official Laura, and 'besotted' only just begins to describe the effect on him! But what of long time girlfriend Livia?? Therein for me is the only weakness of this book - not enough of Livia. But plenty of Sicilian cuisine and plenty of humour and intrigue to grab your interest. May Camilleri live and write forever, this I read in less than three days such was my joy in reading it. ( )

Montalbano tiene que resolver el misterioso asesinato de un hombre que aparece muerto en una barca en el puerto. La investigacion esta relacionada con un yate de recreo que acaba de llegar al puerto. El detective tiene la oportunidad de conocer a varias mujeres interesantes que consiguen sorprerderlo. Una novela facil de leer y bastante amena. ( )

Salvo Montalbano is now 58 years old and beginning to wonder if he's going to live to be 59.  Bones creak, he forgets things, and his wonderfully irascible personality is becoming even more crusty.  In this 14th episode of Camilleri's amusing, entertaining and well-written series about crime in Sicily, Salvo finds himself totally head over heels enamored (he would never admit to LOVE!!!) of a young naval lieutenant as they work together to solve the murder of a washed up body.  In addition, there's a huge and luxurious pleasure yacht tied up at the town pier with an elegant and notoriously promiscuous owner aboard and Montalbano smells a rat.  The crime solving evolves with the usual antics from Fazzio, Catarella, Mimi Auguello, and the gang.  Several times, the Inspector even takes exceptional  risks that appear somewhat out of character.  His temper often gets the better of him, and he's not having much luck with the famous Sicilian cuisine either. 
The missing link in this one is Livia. Although by now, readers of the series are becoming used to her cameo appearances by phone from Genoa, they are few and far between in this one.  Salvo spends a lot of time and energy on his new infatuation, and Livia looks like she's going to get short shrift.

NO SPOILERS......you'll have to read this one on your own.  Like all the books in this series, it is a quick enjoyable, well-crafted mystery with a carefully developed cast of characters, a heavenly setting, and plots that keep us guessing.  The translations by Steven Sartarelli are spot on, evoking all the passion and nuance of the original Italian. The audios of this series are incredibly fun listening.  I've gotten through many a water-aerobics session painlessly because I had these enjoyable stories to accompany me. ( )

I usually enjoy Inspector Montalbano's escapades, but this particular one I found less believable. ( )

It is always a treat to have a new Chief Inspector Salvo Montalbano novel to devour, and The Age of Doubt, the 14th in the series by Andrea Camilleri, is no exception. After an unsettling dream in which Montalbano is dead but Livia can't make it to the funeral, our Chief Inspector is summoned to the port, because a body in a dinghy has been towed in by a visiting yacht. At the same time, a cruiser is pulling in to port because of engine trouble, and the crew of that cruiser seems a bit...odd. The body intrigues, the yacht's owner is voracious, and the Navy officer in charge of the port, Lieutenant Belladonna, is the most beautiful woman Montalbano has ever seen - and she seems to like him, too! Or maybe she doesn't; she seems to blow hot and cold, and Montalbano is helpless in responding to her moods. But there is serious business going on here, one murder and then another, and although they seem unrelated, there must be a connection, if only Montalbano can find it in time.... I've always enjoyed Camilleri's books, they are terrific windows into Sicilian life (and food; he's an author who loves describing the food that Montalbano loves to eat). I enjoyed this one too, although I found Montalbano being a bit more baffoonish than usual, a little bit more, well, comedic I suppose. His attitudes toward women have always leaned more toward the neanderthal than the modern, but here I found the women's reactions to him just a bit less believable than usual. So I'm a little conflicted with this entry into the series; overall, I love the Montalbano books immensely; this particular one is not the best among them, though. I would recommend any reader who hasn't met Chief Inspector Montalbano yet to start with the first novel (The Shape of Water) and proceed from there; and I would recommend any long-time reader to, of course, read this one too, but possibly with a slightly jaded eye. ( )

Can you still fall in love? Can you still let your heartbeat break your brains? Are you ready to forget your history and dive into a precarious future? Can her hair let you forget your life delusions? And the rage that burns you after her refusal, is that really love or is it just your proud? Montalbano is 58, and he keeps asking this questions to himself. The detective is questioning himself. In the meanwhile life goes on like melting snow; only the cold remains, when everything is useless. ( )

http://solounaltroblog.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/leta-del-dubbio/ ( )