Mini-mention: Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon

I'm a huge fan of this Commissario Brunetti series. Most of them I listen to in audio format, and have even watched a few on DVD that were recorded in German with English subtitles. However, I'd never read this one - the first of the series. I've had a print copy sitting on my shelf for years, and have a copy on my e-reader also, but still kept pushing it aside to read newer books in the series and then just other ones not even related to Venice, crime and this wonderful travel/mystery/sociological treatise.

Last month, I decided this would be one that I would read on the trip we took to attend my son's wedding.  The book was small, the characters were familiar, and it would be a comfort read. Most of that was true. However, I forgot that in a good series, not every character is introduced in book #1, and I found it endearing to see how many of my favorites were still a twinkle in Leon's eye.

Often, if I start a series in the middle, I'm somewhat disappointed if I go back to read the first one.  Authors sometimes take a while to get going and the writing is not always top notch.  However, this was a great start, and now I not only want to spend a huge chunk of time in Venice, but I definitely want to re-read this series someday just as I'm doing with the Louise Penny books right now. In fact, I'm pouring over travel pages online looking at Venice, Quebec and also the Azores (another dot on the bucket list).

Title: Death at La Fenice
Author: Donna Leon
Publisher: HarperTorch (1995), Mass Market Paperback, 288 pages
Genre: mystery - police procedural
Subject: murder, police corruption
Setting: Venice Italy
Series: Commissario Brunetti mysteries
Source: My own shelves
Why did I read this book now?  It's the only one in the series I hadn't read.