by Donna Leon
Part of Commissario Brunetti, book 7
First published 2003
Construction workers digging near Venice make a grisly discovery when they unearth human remains in an unmarked grave. The badly deteriorated corpse offers few clues, but investigators find a ring that connects the death to an old kidnapping case involving one of the city's most prominent aristocratic families. Commissario Guido Brunetti takes charge of the investigation, navigating Venice's web of political connections and corruption to piece together what happened. As Brunetti digs deeper into the patrician world of Venice's elite, he must penetrate the secrets of a grieving family still haunted by their son's abduction. The case forces Brunetti to balance his pursuit of justice with the delicate politics of a city where power and influence often trump the law. His investigation leads him into the private heartbreak of parents who lost their child and the hidden dynamics of Venice's upper class.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: investigation, secrets
Setting: Venice
277 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Penguin Books