So Shall You Reap

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There’s no denying that Donna Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti mysteries_ Are well written in a manner that eliminates the extraneous without becoming showily stoic.” —Charles Taylor, Bloomberg On the positive side, the ending was closed and it did not leave any loose threads, which have not always been the case in some of the latest books in the series. What is unsettling is that Guido spoke to the man only the day before his death, while trying to do his father-in-law a favour. Those who know Inesh Kavinda well pronounce him a good, kind man, so Guido is puzzled to find “the books he’d seen on the shelves: they were morally at odds with the man described to him” on topics like the Tamil Tigers and the Italian terrorists of the 1980s. To Guido's surprise, he recognises the murdered man, he had met him the previous day, the undocumented Sri Lankan, Inesh Kavinda, a peace loving Buddhist who did various job's for the Palazzo's owners, a Italian academic Professor Renato Molin and his wife, Gloria Forcolin, who he had met previously. There seems to be no motive for Kavinda's killing, accounts seem to bear out that he was a good man, although there are papers in his home that make no sense. They relate to Italy's turbulent political and violent history, with its kidnappings and disappearances, but why would the Sri Lankan man be interested in this? Guido follows a number of threads, aided by the able Signorina Elettra, who refines a method she learns of at a conference, along with Vianello and Commissario Claudia Griffoni. and there is a certain Netflix conversation with a colleague that cleverly disguises the real subject of their discussion from unwanted listeners. Leon throws in distractions and red herrings and leads the reader not at all where they thought they were going. Bound to appeal to those who love Venice, this is intelligent crime fiction at its finest.

But otherwise this is both more of the same (the Falieris, as usual, know everyone) with Brunetti's little team of Elettra, Vianello and Claudia rallying round to do an off-the-books investigation, and not enough of the ingredients we have come to love. Sadly, Paola hardly appears and says very little and we don't even see Brunetti's family, usually a source of much warmth and light-heartedness. I’m in awe of their parenting skills, and I would happily sit down to any meal at their dining table. One of the most popular crime series worldwide . . . Leon’s vivid evocation of the city of Venice is, of course, part of the appeal . . . While the Brunetti books, with their abundance of local color and gastronomic treats, appeal to the fans of the traditional mystery, Leon has something darker and deeper in mind.” —Glenn Harper, Life SentenceWhat a joy to read such a literate writer; and I think this may be her best. Yes, this is her 31st, and I have looked forward to and read all of them. Sensitive, incredibly colourful social portraits, close-ups of a splintered, encrusted society. But finally it is probably Guido Brunetti who makes the novels so successful. The reader follows him with pleasure through the narrow, winding streets of Venice.” — Der Spiegel (Hamburg) While I can understand why Leon preferred to write about a mostly post pandemic time, I think she missed out on a golden opportunity. As I mentioned in my review of last year's book, I really wanted to know how these characters were managing during the pandemic, and a Brunetti book about 2020 in Venice could have been really fantastic. Leon has written a good deal in recent years about how Venice has been drowning literally and figuratively due to tourists and climate change, and seeing Venice during this period would have been a wonderful contrast. Donna Leon is the ideal author for people who vaguely long for a good mystery. That Leon is also a brilliant writer should only add to the consistently comforting appeal of her Venetian procedurals featuring Commissario Guido Brunneti. Leon allows her warmhearted detective to take what solace he can from the beauty of his city and the homely domestic rituals that give him the strength to go on.” —Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

En una fría noche de noviembre, Brunetti recibe una llamada del Inspector Vianello comunicando que ha aparecido una mano en uno de los canales de la ciudad. Poco después es encontrado el cuerpo, y se asigna a Brunetti la investigación de la muerte del hombre, un inmigrante de Sri Lanka con un sorprendente interés en el terrorismo italiano ocurrido durante los años 80. La investigación transportará a Brunetti a su etapa de estudiante y a aquellos ideales perdidos y errores de juventud en los que podría encontrarse la solución al caso. And now, here she is, with her 32nd book (her latest) showcasing Commissario Guido Brunetti, as always.What role can or should loyalty play in the life of a police inspector? It's a question Commissario Guido Brunetti must face and ultimately answer in Give Unto Others, Donna Leon's splendid 31st installment of her acclaimed Venetian crime series.

As a favour to his wealthy father-in-law, the Count Falier, Commissario Guido Brunetti agrees to investigate the seemingly innocent wish of the Count's best friend, the elderly and childless Gonzalo, to adopt a younger man as his son. Under Italian inheritance laws, this man would become the sole heir to Gonzalo's substantial fortune, something which Gonzalo's friends, including the Count, find appalling. For his part, Brunetti wonders why they're so intent on meddling in the old man's business. So overall this felt rather slight to me even though the 'crime' speaks volumes - and I found the plotting rather holey, not least the perpetrator and their actions. Still, it's always fun to be in Brunetti's company even if this isn't a showcase book in the series. El misterio sirve de excusa para echar un vistazo a la historia política reciente de Italia, desde una perspectiva más personal, mostrando el idealismo de la juventud y la naturaleza problemática inherente al mismo. Filosofía, política, historia o justicia, son temas recurrentes en sus obras, mostrando una gran perspicacia a la hora entrar en la psique humana, en las motivaciones, pensamientos o sentimientos de sus personajes. El misterio se presenta como un elemento con múltiples capas en el que la satisfacción final viene dada no solo porque se resuelve el caso, si no por la forma en que se ha resuelto. I think it would have been much more interesting to read about Venice during the pandemic, as it would have made great contrast to the usual descriptions of the city, plagued by tourists. Aside from some small details about masks, people keeping social distance or some hospital restrictions, it was all business as usual, and I feel like it was some missed opportunity to do something different. The beginning was the most fast pace and one of the sweetest parts of the book. They were called to the gay pride parade because there this year was a fight. Times are changing. Acceptance of people’s preferences and differences are opening up. The bulk of the time there was about a peaceful and kind undocumented Sri Larkin immigrant named Insen who was living in a guest house on a mansion’s property. And about his dog Sarah. There was a female Benediction monastery behind it on the compo who had a lovely garden with fruit trees. The garden by the mansion was overgrown and the mansion itself was very rundown. The couple who lived there were very badly matched. It was sad. A hand was found first in the water and that led to the finding of Insen’s body. Who is he? What’s he doing in Venice? Why undocumented? Was he a Tamil Tiger? And other questions were raised.Give Unto Others as the 31st book of the Commissario Brunetti series is unlikely to be filmed, as the long running German TV series wrapped up after 26 films with the episode Stille Wasser (Quiet Waters) (2019) based on book #26 Earthly Remains (2017). At one stage I just thought that some of the writing was a little poor compared to the other books in the series. Brunetti’s Cookbook, recipes by Roberta Pianaro, culinary stories by Donna Leon (Published previously in the United Kingdom as A Taste of Venice: At Table with Brunetti, William Heinemann, London, April 2010; Atlantic Monthly Press, New York, hardcover, May 2010) Each visit with Guido is different. Sometimes it’s about the shop owners or residents or elderly or theft of art or government or political or navy

Mindful of the past, Brunetti has much to ponder. Meanwhile one of his officers runs into trouble at a Gay pride parade. The past and present are on a collision course. The modest building on the Fondamenta San Lorenzo which houses the Questura is likely to become as much a tourist attraction as the Quai des Orfèvres.” — Times Literary Supplement (London) In this story, an old family acquaintance of Brunetti seeks his assistance. Leon writes in such a vividly descriptive manner that you feel you are actually in the room with characters. Interwoven throughout the story is the pandemic, along with Leon’s typically sharp observations. An illustration: Brunetti’s musing as to whether this “disease” infects all of our thoughts.I had started listening to the audiobook on Thursday, then on Friday I had a free evening, so I decided to go on listening through my activities, enjoying a quiet night in. I listened for hours remaining engaged the entire time. I appreciate how Donna Leon skillfully builds the story slowly, adding new characters and laying out the state of play. Give Unto Others is the thirty-first book in the Commissario Brunetti series by award-winning American-born author, Donna Leon. Venice, in the pandemic’s tail end, and the Questura is not overrun with criminal cases, so Brunetti agrees to look into a private matter, off the books, for a former neighbour. March is one of my favorite months because that is usually when Donna Leon’s latest Commissario Guido Brunetti book is published. I was fortunate enough to read an #ARC of 2023’s book. SO SHALL YOU REAP is a novel full of secrets. The larger case in this story involves a murder investigation of a Sri Lankan man who had been living in Venice for many years. His body is found in the canal and there are no immediate suspects or motives for this apparently senseless murder. The man named Inesh had lived in the garden house of a wealthy older Venetian couple for eight years. All they knew about him is that he was nice, quiet, and a devout Buddhist. Inspection of his small residence confirmed this as Brunetti did not find much more than a small statue of Buddha that he worshipped at and a number of novels, mostly crime fiction.