The Whiskey Rebels was a great read. Now I’m back to the present era, but in a different country. My father, also a mystery reader, has lent me his Kindle so I can partake of the newest from Donna Leon, About Face.
This book features Commissario Guido Brunetti, a detective in the Venetian police. The series involves regular murders and crimes, not serial killers leaving trails of tortured victims. Brunetti has a boss who is more politician than crime-fighter, but the secretary to the boss, Signorina Elettra, is a beautiful, stylish, and idealistic computer nerd who can find almost any information needed to solve a crime. She can also work the Vice-Questore to get what she and her comrades need to solve each crime.
The books paint a beautiful, yet disturbing, portrait of life in Venice. Brunetti is married to the daughter of a wealthy count; of course, she is a communist who teaches literature and loves Henry James. They have two children who have grown up through the series. Leon details daily life in Venice, from morning espresso to after-dinner grappa. The disturbing part involves the corruption of Italian society and government. Bribery and abuse of power seem to figure in many stories, and may prevent the truth from surfacing.
I am only a couple of chapters into the present book, but the detailed characters have already drawn me back into the Commissario’s world. Once again, I will post an after-read review on my LinkedIn reading list. In the meantime, I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes mysteries.
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