by Donna Leon
Part of Commissario Brunetti, book 13
First published 2004
Commissario Guido Brunetti walks through Venice's narrow streets to investigate a brutal murder. A wealthy elderly woman lies dead in her apartment, and police quickly blame her Romanian housekeeper. When the immigrant woman dies while running from arrest, the case seems closed. Weeks pass before a neighbor steps forward with information that clears the housekeeper's name. Brunetti stands alone in believing this alibi. His superiors want the investigation finished, but Brunetti works in secret to find the real killer. Signorina Elettra uses her computer skills to uncover strange bank deposits in the victim's account. The money's source remains a mystery. At home, Brunetti's wife reads to him about the Seven Deadly Sins as he puzzles over the crime. Brunetti must navigate department politics and moral questions while seeking justice for both victims.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, moral-dilemma
Setting: Venice
245 pages · Hardcover · Atlantic Monthly Press