by Donna Leon
Part of Commissario Brunetti, book 11
First published 2003
Commissario Brunetti's friend, an ecologist and scientist, voices concern about dangerous substances being released into Venice's lagoon. At first, the situation appears to be an environmental issue without criminal elements. But when the scientist suddenly disappears, Brunetti suspects more than a simple misunderstanding has occurred. His investigation uncovers traces leading to powerful industrial interests, political connections, and a silence that blankets everything. The case reveals how environmental crimes can remain unnoticed, unpunished, and even normalized when capital and influence intervene. For Brunetti, this investigation becomes more than a criminal matter. It transforms into an ethical journey where he must decide whether to resist the current or remain within the rules of the game that everyone else plays.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, contemporary, environmental-science, political-thriller
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: ethical-dilemma, investigation
Setting: Venice, Venice's Lagoon
349 pages · Paperback · Arrow