Author: Donna Leon
Format: audio -approx 7 hours 256 page equivalent
Narrator:Anna Fields
Characters: Guido Brunetti, his wife Paola, Count
Subject: corruption, social classes,
Setting: Venice
Series: Commissario Brunetti
Genre: mystery - cold case police procedural
Source: public library audio download
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Author: Donna Leon
Format: audio - 15.7 hrs, 320 page equivalent
Narrator:Anna Fields
Characters: Guido Brunetti, his wife Paola,
Subject: women roles, spousal loyalty,
Setting: Venice
Series: Commissario Brunetti
Genre: mystery-police procedural
Source: public library
It's no secret I'm a great fan of Donna Leon's Commissario Guido Brunetti police series. One of the reasons is the character of Guido's wife Paola, and their relationship. Watching these two characters grow as the series gets better and better is as enjoyable as solving the well-crafted mysteries, or luxuriating in Leon's descriptions of everydaylife in Venice and the food.
In A Noble Radiance, Guido finds himself investigating a semi-cold case of kidnapping/murder when a body is discovered in a field, and identified as being the missing son of a Venetian noble. Leon has been gradually developing the ideological angst that Brunetti must endure when facing the social and class structure of the ancient city. This one is a bit shorter than previous ones in the series, but every bit as good.
In both of these Paola plays increasingly important roles. Especially in Fatal Remedies Guido finds himself between the rock and the proverbial hard place-- his beloved, fiery tempered, and morally impregnable Paola has been arrested for throwing a rock through the window of a travel agency well-known for arranging 'sex tours' for Italian men to travel to far off countries where young girls are forced into prostitution. Paola wants it stopped, and Guido is about to lose his job when he doesn't stop her!
These two just get better and better. I'm hoping to catch up on the rest of the series throughout the coming year. If you haven't read any of them, treat yourself to one (any one will do) in the next few weeks. A perfect de-stresser for the upcoming holidays.
Posts
I really must try this series. Paola sounds like a terrific character, actually a little like my cousin-in-law in Rome.
ReplyDeleteLoved the Burns quote about the Dead Sea. :-D
I must check Library Thing but for some reason I think I read a book in this series...but am not sure.
ReplyDeleteso many books...