by Donna Leon
Part of Commissario Brunetti, book 30
First published 2021
Commissario Guido Brunetti encounters a disturbing case when two young American women suffer severe injuries in a boating accident on the Venetian Laguna. The women were out with two Italian men who brought them to the hospital but then disappeared without explanation. Brunetti finds their behavior suspicious. Why would they flee if the incident was truly accidental? Working with his colleague Claudia Griffoni, Brunetti learns that one of the Italian men works for someone connected to criminal activities on the water at night. The investigation forces Brunetti to collaborate with the Carabinieri and Guardia di Costiera, agencies he rarely works with. He must decide how much he can trust these new partners while pursuing perpetrators who combine technological skill with ruthless organization. The case pushes Brunetti beyond his usual boundaries and tests his ability to uncover truth in a web of deception.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, investigation
Setting: Carabinieri, Guardia di Costiera, Venetian Laguna, Venice
288 pages · Kindle Edition · Atlantic Monthly Press