Reviews

I've known Commissario Brunetti and his family for many books now, and they don't disappoint. Always well-plotted with believable characters, he introduces us to 'baddies' who aren't villains, but simply struggling with life, as well as the varied cast populating his Police HQ. And as is often the case, it begins with quite a low-key offence that turns out to have wider ramifications. As ever, I raced through this book, with considerable enjoyment.

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4.0

As I've said in prior reviews, Donna Leon never disappoints. Her Commissario Brunetti series of literary mysteries are well crafted and beautifully written. The sense of place and of character so well developed you feel and see the sights of Venice and are truely transported by her words. Her stories are complex, and The Temptation of Forgiveness definitely fits that bill. Brunetti is visited by a colleague of his wife, who fears her son is taking drugs. Later, that woman's husband is found beaten into unconsciousness (or did he fall?) at the foot of a bridge in the hours before dawn. The investigation into his attack/accident leads Brunetti and his fellow policia to follow leads on drug sales in schools, illicit pharmacy transactions, the victims strange work history as an accountant, and his elderly aunt, in the throws of Parkinsons and the beginnings of Alzheimers. Confused yet? Since I don't write nearly as well as Leon, I can't do a synopsis justice. Highly recommended read.

IF you are a fan of literary mysteries, such as those by Elizabeth George, PD James and teh like, I recommend you try any of the Commissario Brunetti series by Donna Leon.