by Donna Leon
Part of Commissario Brunetti, book 9
First published 2001
Commissario Guido Brunetti needs building approval for his Venice apartment. He considers which contacts might pressure the right government office. Then the official handling his case calls, frightened and ready to share crucial information. The man dies in a scaffolding fall before they can meet. Brunetti realizes the death connects to something far bigger than his housing problem. His investigation pulls him into Venice's darker corners: drug trafficking and illegal lending. Two young addicts die. Police arrest a suspected dealer, then release him. Each turn reveals how powerful connections shield the guilty. Brunetti discovers that in Venice, having the right friends changes everything. The case forces him to navigate corruption that reaches from street-level crime to government offices. Justice depends on whom you know.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: abuse-of-power, corruption
Setting: Venice
326 pages · Paperback · Arrow Books