by Donna Leon
Part of Commissario Brunetti, book 3
First published 2005
Commissario Guido Brunetti watches his mountain vacation disappear when investigators find a corpse in Marghera. The victim's face has been destroyed beyond recognition through savage beating. Brunetti walks through Venice searching for anyone who might identify the body. He encounters complete silence wherever he turns. No one will speak about the dead person. A contact calls with a promise of useful details. Brunetti agrees to meet. Before morning arrives, he stands over a second corpse. This death appears as brutal and pointless as the first. Two murders connected by violence and secrecy pull Brunetti deeper into Venice's hidden currents. The wall of silence grows thicker with each question he asks. Someone wants these deaths to remain mysteries.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigation, wall-of-silence
Setting: Venice, Marghera
343 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Penguin Group
Content warnings: violence