A Commissario Brunetti novel by Donna Leon
This is one of my favourite Brunetti novels because of the superb
plotting by Donna Leon. It is always satisfying for crime fiction fans to be
able to close a book at the end and think that everything makes complete sense
and the conclusion was inevitable. But it is even better if you haven’t worked
it out too soon.
This novel always leads the reader in the right direction but the
circumstances at the end throw up a surprise.
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| The Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal in Venice |
Brunetti is visited by a young man working for an office in Venice
investigating illegal building. He hits Brunetti with the news that his
apartment, just off the Grand Canal, does not exist officially and Brunetti is
unable to produce the original plans for his floor to prove the official wrong.
The young man later discovers Brunetti is a police officer and rings him
from his telefonino to say he is worried about something to do with his work.
Brunetti tells him he would be better speaking from a public phone, but the
young man does not ring back and it comes as no surprise to the reader that his
dead body is discovered soon afterwards.
Brunetti does not believe the young man died accidentally and sets out
with the faithful Sergeant Vianello to discover the truth.
Donna Leon frequently exposes the less savoury side of Venetian society
in her books and in this novel, both money lending and drug addiction play
their parts in the plot.
But, as always, her writing highlights the beauty of Venice as well and
allows the reader to enjoy it with Brunetti from far away. Food lovers can also
take pleasure in reading about the delicious meals Brunetti’s wife serves up
for her family, cooked with fresh ingredients bought at the food market at the
foot of the Rialto Bridge.
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