Unlike previous novels in the series, this mystery lacks many instances of the refined palate enjoyed by Commissario Guido Brunetti’s life. There is some, but not much, of his charming home life. Instead in this, the 20th entry in the series, we have a deep study of the man and his ethics drawn into a mystery he informally investigates.
It all begins when a retired school teacher is found dead of an apparent heart attack by a neighbor who calls the police, and Brunetti and his assistant respond. The medical examiner rules it a natural death, but the detective is disturbed by bruises on the woman’s body, so he continues unofficially to look into the circumstances of the death. This leads to a philosophical judgment on his part, quite unlike the stickler for the law that he usually is.
Each book in the series is an enjoyable read, and this one certainly is no exception. The descriptions of Venice, its buildings and churches, continue to warm the heart of one who fell in love with the city years ago (and is about to renew the friendship in September). Let’s hope we can continue to recommend the series well into the future.
