by Donna Leon
Part of Commissario Brunetti, book 18
First published 2009
Commissario Brunetti attends a dinner party at his in-laws' home where he encounters Franca Marinello, wife of a wealthy Venetian businessman. Her classical education delights him, though her physical appearance disturbs him deeply. His wife Paola warns he may be too taken with the woman. Days later, Carabinieri Maggior Filippo Guarino arrives from Marghera seeking Brunetti's help. Guarino investigates Mafia infiltration of regional businesses, focusing on a trucking company owner murdered in his office. The dead man's trucks transported illegal refuse and darker cargo. Brunetti finds Guarino's suspicious behavior puzzling despite knowing how Italian police departments compete and distrust each other. Guarino promises to send a suspect's photograph by email, but dies before Brunetti receives it. His death raises urgent questions about what he discovered. The case takes an unexpected turn when Franca Marinello becomes connected to the investigation. Brunetti must uncover whether Guarino died because he learned too much and determine how the charming woman from the dinner party fits into a web of murder and organized crime.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, investigation
Setting: Venice, Marghera
Period: Contemporary
278 pages · Hardcover · Atlantic Monthly Press
Content warnings: violence