by Donna Leon
Part of Commissario Brunetti, book 6
First published 1998
A Catholic sister arrives at Commissario Guido Brunetti's office with a disturbing story. Five elderly patients at her nursing home have died within weeks of each other, all unexpectedly. The deaths troubled her so deeply that she abandoned her convent, but she cannot explain exactly why they seemed wrong. Brunetti begins investigating in the canals and campos of Venice, questioning doctors, administrators, and fellow nuns. He finds bureaucratic obstacles and evasive answers, but no clear evidence of wrongdoing. The deaths could be coincidence, medical incompetence, or something darker. Meanwhile, the nun who brought him the case grows increasingly frightened. Brunetti must decide whether she is a troubled woman using conspiracy theories to justify abandoning her religious vows, or whether she has uncovered a genuine threat that now puts her own life at risk. The investigation forces him to navigate the intersection of faith, medicine, and mortality in a city where secrets flow as freely as the tides.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, investigation
Setting: Venice, Italy
Period: Contemporary
310 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Penguin Books