Search results for ""Author Donna Leon""
Cornerstone Give Unto Others
'Crime writing of the highest order' GUARDIAN'Donna Leon has been giving unto us for all of the thirty years since Death at La Fenice introduced us to Brunetti' Val McDermidThe gifted Venetian detective returns in his 31st case - this time, investigating the Janus-faced nature of yet another Italian institution. Brunetti will have to once again face the blurred line that runs between the criminal and the non-criminal, bending police rules, and his own character, to help an acquaintance in danger.'Both tremendously enjoyable and deeply humane' JESSIE GREENGRASS, Costa-shortlisted author of The High House'Leon's elegant, witty prose . . . is a joy' AMANDA CRAIG
£9.17
Cornerstone Wandering Through Life: A Memoir
‘As the author reaches her 9th decade [this makes] for a fascinating insight into her life and world, albeit with discretion and leaving tantalising hints at what lies beyond. One for the fans (and friends).’ Crime Time'Leon's elegant, witty prose . . . is a joy. One of the best European novelists around' Amanda CraigIn a series of vignettes full of affection, irony, and good humor, Donna Leon narrates a remarkable life she feels has rather more happened to her than been planned.From a childhood in the company of her New Jersey family, with frequent visits to her grandfather's farm and its beloved animals and summers spent selling homegrown tomatoes by the roadside, Leon has long been open to adventure. In 1976, she made the spontaneous decision to teach English in Iran, before finding herself swept up in the early days of the 1979 Revolution. After teaching stints in China and Saudi Arabia, she finally landed in Venice. Leon vividly animates her decades-long love affair with Italy, from her first magical dinner when serving as a "chaperone" to a friend, to the hunt for the perfect cappuccino, to the warfare tactics of grandmothers doing their grocery shopping at the Rialto Market. Some things remain constant throughout the decades: her adoration of opera, especially Handel's vocal music, her advocacy for the environment, embodied in her passion for bees - which informs the surprising crux of the Brunetti mystery in Earthly Remains - and her eager imagination for crime as she watches unsuspecting travelers on trains. Yet as Leon inspects the cracks in the wall of a friend's bedroom, caused by the seven-story cruise ships making their way down Venice's canals, she admits regretfully that the thrill may be gone as mass tourism renders the city less and less appealing to its longtime chronicler.Having recently celebrated her eightieth birthday, Leon now confronts the dual challenges and pleasures of aging. Complete with a brief letter dissuading those hoping to meet Guido Brunetti at the Questura, and always suffused with music, food, and her fierce sense of humor, Wandering Through Life offers Donna Leon at her most personal.'Few detective writers create so vivid, inclusive and convincing a narrative as Donna Leon, the expatriate American with the Venetian heart' Washington Post
£16.99
Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press Uniform Justice
£13.26
Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press The Jewels of Paradise
£13.18
Cornerstone Unto Us a Son Is Given: Shortlisted for the Gold Dagger
'Atmospheric, clever, witty and amusing. If I were only allowed to read one crime series again it would be that of Donna Leon.' The TimesA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR THE CRIME WRITERS ASSOCIATION GOLD DAGGER AWARDAs 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.Not long after Brunetti and Gonzalo meet, Gonzalo passes away. Old and frail, his death goes unquestioned, until one of his closest confidantes is strangled in her hotel room after sending an email about the adoption. To find the killer and solve a murder most foul, Brunetti must rely on his instincts which lead him to untangling long-buried secrets from Gonzalo's past.'Leon's novels are unshowy and imbued with the humanist outlook that makes Brunetti such an appealing character.' Sunday Times
£9.99
Cornerstone Earthly Remains
'When she's writing about her beloved Venice, Donna Leon can do no wrong. And Earthly Remains, her new mystery featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti, is one of her best. It's also one of her saddest, dealing as it does with the seemingly unstoppable polluting of the great lagoon . . . Leon dares to try, once again earning the gratitude of her devoted readers.' New York TimesA New York Times BestsellerA New York Times Top Ten Crime Novel of 2017A New York Times Book Review Editors' ChoiceAn Amazon Best Book of the Month (Mystery)__________________________________Granted leave from the Questura, Commissario Guido Brunetti decides to finally take a well-earned break and visit Sant'Erasmo, one of the largest islands in the Venetian laguna. The recuperative stay goes according to plan until Davide Casati, the mysterious caretaker of the villa Brunetti has been staying in, goes missing following a sudden storm. Nobody can find him - not his daughter, not his friends, and not the woman he's been secretly visiting . . . Convinced that this was no accident, Brunetti feels compelled to set aside his holiday and discover what happened to the man who had recently become his friend.
£9.99
Cornerstone Through a Glass Darkly
'Leon...has once again, apparently effortlessly, produced a wholly absorbing read.' Sunday TelegraphIt is a luminous spring day in Venice, as Commissario Brunetti and Inspettore Vianello take a break from the Questura to come to the rescue of Vianello's friend Marco Ribetti, who has been arrested while protesting against chemical pollution of the Venetian lagoon, only to be faced by the fury of Marco's father-in-law, owner of a glass factory on the island of Murano.But it is not Marco who has uncovered the guilty secret of the polluting glass foundries of the island of Murano, nor he whose body is found dead in front of the furnaces which burn at 1400 degrees, night and day. The victim has left clues in a copy of Dante and Brunetti must descend into an inferno to discover who is burning the land and fouling the waters of the lagoon...'As usual, Leon's witty portrayal of modern Venetian life, and Brunetti's model marriage, are as entertaining as the working out of the whodunnit. A joy from start to finish.' Evening Standard'A smart and stylish, fast-paced case of intrigue and corruption, written with wit, affection and authority. . . . Impressive.' Los Angeles Times
£9.99
Cornerstone A Noble Radiance
'Every detail on every page forms part of a succession of clues, planted with exquisite precision, to unravelling the mystery' Sunday Times In a small village at the foot of the Italian Dolomites, a grave is discovered by the owner of a deserted farmhouse, which has been untouched for decades. While the body is badly decomposed, a valuable signet ring is found close by, providing the first vital clue which will lead Commissario Brunetti right to the heart of aristocratic Venice, to a family still grieving their abducted son. 'Donna Leon can paralyse the reader with a joyful suspense' Mail on Sunday'Goes a long way to confirming Donna Leon's claim to have taken literary possession of Venice' Independent on Sunday
£9.99
Cornerstone Death at La Fenice
PRE-ORDER THE NEXT INSTALMENT IN DONNA LEON'S COMMISSARIO BRUNETTI SERIES, A REFINER'S FIRE, NOW. AVAILABLE JULY 2024.'A splendid series . . . with a backdrop of the city so vivid you can almost smell it.' The Sunday TelegraphWinner of the Suntory Mystery Fiction Grand Prize The twisted maze of Venice's canals has always been shrouded in mystery. Even the celebrated opera house, La Fenice, has seen its share of death ... but none so horrific and violent as that of world-famous conductor, Maestro Helmut Wellauer, who was poisoned during a performance of La Traviata. Even Commissario of Police, Guido Brunetti, used to the labyrinthine corruptions of the city, is shocked at the number of enemies Wellauer has made on his way to the top - but just how many have motive enough for murder? The beauty of Venice is crumbling. But evil is one thing that will never erode with age.'What a ripping first mystery, as beguiling and secretly sinister as Venice herself. Sparkling and irresistible.' Rita Mae Brown'Donna Leon has given fans of subtle, clever and literate mysteries something to cheer about. . . . A wonderful read.' Tony Hillerman
£9.99
Cornerstone The Jewels of Paradise
From the bestselling author of the Brunetti crime series comes The Jewels of Paradise, a gripping tale of intrigue, music, history and greed and Donna Leon's first stand-alone novel.Caterina Pellegrini is a young Venetian musicologist hired to find the rightful heir to an alleged treasure concealed by a once-famous, but now almost forgotten, baroque composer. Sworn to secrecy, Caterina can solve the mystery only by searching through the papers contained in two chests that have not been opened for centuries. As she delves into all quarters of his life, she is drawn into one of the most scandalous affairs of the baroque era. What dark secrets do these chests hold, and just whom can she trust?
£9.99
Cornerstone A Question of Belief
'Leon's books are a joy, and the 19th Venice-based Commissario Brunetti novel is well up to her consistently high standard.' GuardianA Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association BestsellerOne of Deadly Pleasures Best Novels of the Year__________________________________As Venice experiences a debilitating heatwave, Commissario Brunetti escapes the city to spend time with his family. For Ispettore Vianello, however, the weather is the last thing on his mind. It appears his aunt has become obsessed with horoscopes and has been withdrawing large amounts of money from the family business. Not knowing what to do, he consults Brunetti and asks permission to trail her. Meanwhile, Brunetti receives a visit from a friend who works at the Commune. It seems that discrepancies have been occurring at the Courthouse involving a judge and an usher with a flawless track record. Intrigued, Brunetti asks Signorina Elettra to find out what she can while he's away.When news reaches Brunetti that the usher from the Courthouse has been viciously murdered, he returns to investigate. But why would someone want a good man dead, and what might his death have to do with the Courthouse discrepancies?
£9.99
Cornerstone Suffer the Little Children
'Donna Leon is keeping up an astonishingly high standard ... she achieves a perfect blend of characters, place, mystery and social issues. Her sixteenth Brunetti novel is also one of her best.' The Times__________________________________When Commissario Brunetti is summoned to the hospital bedside of a senior paediatrician whose skull has been brutally fractured, he is confronted with more questions than answers. Three men have burst into the doctor's apartment in the middle of the night, attacked him and took his 18-month-old son - but why? As he investigates, Brunetti finds infertility, desperation, and babies for sale. Meanwhile, Inspector Vianello uncovers a scam between pharmacists and doctors in the city. And certain information about one's neighbours can lead to all kinds of corruption and all sorts of pain...Donna Leon's new novel is as subtle and gripping as ever, set in a beautifully realised Venice, seething with small-town malice.
£9.99
Cornerstone Death in a Strange Country
'Brunetti . . . long ago joined the ranks of the classic fictional detectives' Evening StandardWhen the body of a young man is pulled out of a fetid Venetia canal, all clues point to a violent mugging. But for Guido Brunetti, Commissario of the Venice Police, robbery seems altogether too convenient a motive. Then something very incriminating is discovered in the dead man's flat - something which points to the existence of a high-level conspiracy. But who could be going to such great lengths to provide a ready-made solution to the crime? 'The characters of Brunetti and his family continue to deepen throughout the series ' The Times
£9.99
Cornerstone So Shall You Reap
'Donna Leon provides another delectable slice of the thoughtful policeman's life at work and at home... So Shall You Reap is as witty and wise as anything Leon has written. To read her is to restore the soul.' The TimesOn a cold November evening, Guido Brunetti and Paola are up late when a call from his colleague Ispettore Vianello arrives, alerting the Commissario that a hand has been seen in one of Venice's canals. The body is soon found, and Brunetti is assigned to investigate the murder of an undocumented Sri Lankan immigrant. Because no official record of the man's presence in Venice exists, Brunetti is forced to use the city's far richer sources of information: gossip and the memories of people who knew the victim. Curiously, he had been living in a garden house on the grounds of a palazzo owned by a university professor, in which Brunetti discovers books revealing the victim's interest in Buddhism, the revolutionary Tamil Tigers, and the last crop of Italian political terrorists, active in the 1980s.As the investigation expands, Brunetti, Vianello, Commissario Griffoni, and Signorina Elettra each assemble pieces of a puzzle-random information about real estate and land use, books, university friendships-that appear to have little in common. Until Brunetti stumbles over something that transports him back to his own student days, causing him to reflect on lost ideals and the errors of youth, on Italian politics and history, and on the accidents that sometimes lead to revelation.PRAISE FOR DONNA LEON'A splendid series . . . with a backdrop of the city so vivid you can almost smell it' Sunday Telegraph'One of the most exquisite and subtle detective series ever' Washington Post'Rich entertainment' Sunday Times
£19.80
Cornerstone Falling in Love
'Donna Leon's deft and descriptive words do for Venice what Canaletto did for this serenest of cities with his brushes and paint palette and bring it to life in all its reach and colourful gaiety...[An] intriguing tense thriller. The ending is to die for.' Daily ExpressA New York Times BestsellerA National Indie Bestseller__________________________________In Death at La Fenice, Donna Leon's first novel in the Commissario Brunetti series, readers were introduced to the glamorous and cut-throat world of opera and to one of Italy's finest living sopranos, Flavia Petrelli - then a suspect in the poisoning of a renowned German conductor. Now, many years after Brunetti cleared her name, Flavia has returned to the illustrious La Fenice to sing the lead in Tosca.As an opera superstar, Flavia is well acquainted with attention from adoring fans and aspiring singers. But when one anonymous admirer inundates her with bouquets of yellow roses - on stage, in her dressing room and even inside her locked apartment - it becomes clear that this fan has become a potentially dangerous stalker. Distraught, Flavia turns to an old friend for help. Familiar with Flavia's melodramatic temperament, Commissario Brunetti is at first unperturbed by her story, but when another young opera singer is attacked he begins to think Flavia's fears may be justified. In order to keep his friend out of danger, Brunetti must enter the psyche of an obsessive fan and find the culprit before anyone comes to harm.
£9.67
Cornerstone The Waters of Eternal Youth
'There is no one better than Donna Leon at showing the ripple effects of a single traumatic event . . . Leon has recast the city in her own venerable image: full of surprises and hidden beauty.' Evening StandardFifteen years ago the teenage granddaughter of the grand Contessa Lando-Continui was rescued at the last moment from drowning in the canals. But young Manuela's life was never the same again. Now aged thirty, she lives trapped in an eternal youth.The Contessa, certain that this was no accident, implores Brunetti to find the culprit she believes ruined Manuela's life.But once Brunetti starts to investigate, he finds a murky past and a dark story at its heart . . .'Brilliantly done, with a sense of place rarely matched in any fiction' The Times'A sparkling summer read.' The Tablet
£9.99
Cornerstone Beastly Things
'The book is written with that depth of thought about crime and humanity that characterises the best of Leon's work.' Jane Jakeman, IndependentMaclean's Magazine (Canada) National Bestseller__________________________________When a body is found floating in a canal, strangely disfigured and with multiple stab wounds, Commissario Brunetti is called to investigate and is convinced he recognises the man from somewhere. However, with no identification except for the distinctive shoes the man was wearing, and no reports of people missing from the Venice area, the case cannot progress.Brunetti soon realises why he remembers the dead man, and asks Signorina Elettra if she can help him find footage of a farmers' protest the previous autumn. But what was his involvement with the protest, and what does it have to do with his murder? Acting on the fragile lead, Brunetti and Ispettore Vianello set out to uncover the man's identity. Their investigation eventually takes them to a slaughterhouse on the mainland, where they discover the origin of the crime, and the world of blackmail and corruption that surrounds it. Both a gripping case and a harrowing exploration of the dark side of Italy's meat industry, Donna Leon's latest novel is a compelling addition to the Brunetti series.
£9.99
Cornerstone Doctored Evidence
'[Leon] has a wonderful feeling for the social complexities of Venice, where corruption is as old and deep and treacherous as the canals ... Like all the best detective fiction, Doctored Evidence not only solves a mystery, but also anatomises the setting in which the crime occurred' Daily MailWhen a wealthy Venetian woman is found brutally murdered, the prime suspect is her Romanian maid, who dies in a tragic accident while fleeing the city, carrying a considerable sum of money and forged papers. When the old woman's neighbour returns from abroad, confessing to have given the maid the money out of pity, questions begin to arise, and Commissario Brunetti decides to take the case on himself. But what could have been the true motive for the murder in such nebulous circumstances if not greed? Or is Brunetti thinking of the wrong sin altogether?
£9.99
Cornerstone Blood From A Stone: (Brunetti 14)
On a cold night shortly before Christmas, an immigrant street vendor is killed in Venice's Campo Santo Stefano. The nearest witnesses to the event are the tourists who had been browsing the man's wares before his death - fake handbags of every designer label - but they have seen nothing that might be of much help to the police.When Commissario Brunetti arrives on the scene, he finds it hard to understand why anyone would murder an illegal immigrant. They have few social connections and little money; in-fighting among them is the obvious answer. But once Brunetti begins investigating this unfamiliar Venetian underworld, he discovers that matters of great value are at stake in the immigrant community...
£9.67
Cornerstone Trace Elements
A woman’s cryptic dying words in a Venetian hospice lead Guido Brunetti to uncover a threat to the entire region in Donna Leon’s haunting twenty-ninth Brunetti novel.When Dottoressa Donato calls the Questura to report that a dying patient at the hospice Fatebenefratelli wants to speak to the police, Commissario Guido Brunetti and his colleague, Claudia Griffoni, waste no time in responding.‘They killed him. It was bad money. I told him no’, Benedetta Toso gasps the words about her recently-deceased husband, Vittorio Fadalto. Even though he is not sure she can hear him Brunetti softly promises he and Griffoni will look into what initially appears to be a private family tragedy. They discover that Fadalto worked in the field collecting samples of contamination for a company that measures the cleanliness of Venice’s water supply and that he had died in a mysterious motorcycle accident. Distracted briefly by Vice Questore Patta’s obsession with youth crime in Venice, Brunetti is bolstered once more by the remarkable research skills of Patta’s secretary, Signora Elettra Zorzi. Piecing together the tangled threads, in time Brunetti comes to realize the perilous meaning in the woman’s accusation and the threat it reveals to the health of the entire region. But justice in this case proves to be ambiguous, as Brunetti is reminded it can be when, seeking solace, he reads Aeschylus’s classic play The Eumenides. As she has done so often through her memorable characters and storytelling skill, Donna Leon once again engages our sensibilities as to the differences between guilt and responsibility.
£7.99
Cornerstone So Shall You Reap
'Donna Leon provides another delectable slice of the thoughtful policeman's life at work and at home... So Shall You Reap is as witty and wise as anything Leon has written. To read her is to restore the soul.' The TimesOn a cold November evening, Guido Brunetti and Paola are up late when a call from his colleague Ispettore Vianello arrives, alerting the Commissario that a hand has been seen in one of Venice's canals. The body is soon found, and Brunetti is assigned to investigate the murder of an undocumented Sri Lankan immigrant. Because no official record of the man's presence in Venice exists, Brunetti is forced to use the city's far richer sources of information: gossip and the memories of people who knew the victim. Curiously, he had been living in a garden house on the grounds of a palazzo owned by a university professor, in which Brunetti discovers books revealing the victim's interest in Buddhism, the revolutionary Tamil Tigers, and the last crop of Italian political terrorists, active in the 1980s.As the investigation expands, Brunetti, Vianello, Commissario Griffoni, and Signorina Elettra each assemble pieces of a puzzle-random information about real estate and land use, books, university friendships-that appear to have little in common. Until Brunetti stumbles over something that transports him back to his own student days, causing him to reflect on lost ideals and the errors of youth, on Italian politics and history, and on the accidents that sometimes lead to revelation.PRAISE FOR DONNA LEON'A splendid series . . . with a backdrop of the city so vivid you can almost smell it' Sunday Telegraph'One of the most exquisite and subtle detective series ever' Washington Post'Rich entertainment' Sunday Times
£15.99
Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press Wandering Through Life: A Memoir
£18.99
Cornerstone So Shall You Reap
PRE-ORDER THE NEXT INSTALMENT IN DONNA LEON'S COMMISSARIO BRUNETTI SERIES, A REFINER'S FIRE, NOW. AVAILABLE JULY 2024.'Donna Leon provides another delectable slice of the thoughtful policeman's life at work and at home... So Shall You Reap is as witty and wise as anything Leon has written. To read her is to restore the soul.' Mark Sanderson, The Times'Like all of Leon's novels, it ultimately feels like a glorious invigorating holiday.' Daily Express---On a cold November evening, Guido Brunetti and Paola are up late when a call from his colleague Ispettore Vianello arrives, alerting the Commissario that a hand has been seen in one of Venice's canals. The body is soon found, and Brunetti is assigned to investigate the murder of an undocumented Sri Lankan immigrant. Because no official record of the man's presence in Venice exists, Brunetti is forced to use the city's far richer sources of information: gossip and the memories of people who knew the victim. Curiously, he had been living in a garden house on the grounds of a palazzo owned by a university professor, in which Brunetti discovers books revealing the victim's interest in Buddhism, the revolutionary Tamil Tigers, and the last crop of Italian political terrorists, active in the 1980s.As the investigation expands, Brunetti, Vianello, Commissario Griffoni, and Signorina Elettra each assemble pieces of a puzzle-random information about real estate and land use, books, university friendships-that appear to have little in common. Until Brunetti stumbles over something that transports him back to his own student days, causing him to reflect on lost ideals and the errors of youth, on Italian politics and history, and on the accidents that sometimes lead to revelation.
£9.99
Cornerstone Transient Desires
Chosen as Star Pick in the Sunday Times Crime Club Chosen as a 'Best New Crime Novel' in the Sunday Times'The series that has shadowed Brunetti for three decades is an epic achievement' The Times 'Leon's books are a joy' GuardianWhen two young American women are badly injured in a boating accident, Commissario Brunetti's eye turns to the two young Italians they were with, who abandoned them in the hospital. When one of the young men is found to be involved in more sinister night-time activities in the Laguna, Brunetti has to enlist the help of Italian institutions to get to the bottom of the mystery. But can Brunetti trust unfamiliar colleagues? Could there be another motive behind this horrible crime? 'She is a truly fine novelist, period, and should be acclaimed as such'TLS
£9.99
Cornerstone The Temptation of Forgiveness
'Donna Leon has a wonderful feel for the hidden evils that lie below the façade of the magical city' The TimesImportant information is leaking from inside the Venetian Questura, and Commissario Guido Brunetti is tasked with uncovering the culprit. But before Brunetti can begin his investigation, a friend of his wife's comes asking for his help, fearful that her son is using drugs.A few weeks later, the woman's husband is found unconscious at the foot of a bridge.With only contradictory leads to follow, Brunetti navigates his way through Venice's underworld in an attempt to understand who is responsible for the vicious attack. But as he gets closer to discovering what happened, Brunetti is faced with a difficult truth: sometimes, it's the best intentions that lead to the darkest of consequences . . .'Enchanting . . . drolly amusing . . . it's the living, bleeding humanity of the characters that makes Donna Leon's police procedurals so engaging' New York Times Book Review
£9.99
Cornerstone Wandering Through Life: A Memoir
‘As the author reaches her 9th decade [this makes] for a fascinating insight into her life and world, albeit with discretion and leaving tantalising hints at what lies beyond. One for the fans (and friends).’ Crime Time'Leon's elegant, witty prose . . . is a joy. One of the best European novelists around' Amanda CraigIn a series of vignettes full of affection, irony, and good humor, Donna Leon narrates a remarkable life she feels has rather more happened to her than been planned.From a childhood in the company of her New Jersey family, with frequent visits to her grandfather's farm and its beloved animals and summers spent selling homegrown tomatoes by the roadside, Leon has long been open to adventure. In 1976, she made the spontaneous decision to teach English in Iran, before finding herself swept up in the early days of the 1979 Revolution. After teaching stints in China and Saudi Arabia, she finally landed in Venice. Leon vividly animates her decades-long love affair with Italy, from her first magical dinner when serving as a "chaperone" to a friend, to the hunt for the perfect cappuccino, to the warfare tactics of grandmothers doing their grocery shopping at the Rialto Market. Some things remain constant throughout the decades: her adoration of opera, especially Handel's vocal music, her advocacy for the environment, embodied in her passion for bees - which informs the surprising crux of the Brunetti mystery in Earthly Remains - and her eager imagination for crime as she watches unsuspecting travelers on trains. Yet as Leon inspects the cracks in the wall of a friend's bedroom, caused by the seven-story cruise ships making their way down Venice's canals, she admits regretfully that the thrill may be gone as mass tourism renders the city less and less appealing to its longtime chronicler.Having recently celebrated her eightieth birthday, Leon now confronts the dual challenges and pleasures of aging. Complete with a brief letter dissuading those hoping to meet Guido Brunetti at the Questura, and always suffused with music, food, and her fierce sense of humor, Wandering Through Life offers Donna Leon at her most personal.'Few detective writers create so vivid, inclusive and convincing a narrative as Donna Leon, the expatriate American with the Venetian heart' Washington Post
£20.00
Cornerstone Fatal Remedies
'Leon is a skilful plotter . . . Brunetti is a nicely shaded creation, a moral man who is also all too human' The ObserverA sudden act of vandalism has been committed in the chill Venetian dawn and Commissario Guido Brunetti soon finds out that the perpetrator is no petty criminal. For the culprit waiting to be apprehended at the scene of the crime is none other than Paola Brunetti, his wife.As Paola's actions provoke a crisis in the Brunetti household, Brunetti himself is under increasing pressure at work: a daring robbery with Mafia connections is linked to a suspicious death and his superiors want quick results. As his professional and personal lives clash, Brunetti's own career is threatened and the conspiracy which Paola has risked everything to expose draws him inexorably to the brink . . .'Donna Leon has established Commissario Guido Brunetti as one of the most engaging of fictional detectives' Sunday Times
£9.99
Cornerstone A Sea Of Troubles
'Donna Leon goes from strength to strength ... This is her tenth novel but it's as fresh and entertaining as the first' ObserverWhen two clam fishermen are murdered on the island of Pellestrina, Commissario Brunetti is called to investigate. He has his work cut out for him - the people of Pellestrina are tight-knit, bound together by a code of loyalty and suspicious of outsiders. To break through, he enlists the help of his boss' secretary Signorina Elettra, who visits the island as an undercover agent. Soon, Brunetti finds himself torn between his duty to solve the murders, concern for Elettra's safety, and his not entirely straightforward feelings for her . . .'A splendid series . . . with a backdrop so vivid you can smell it' Sunday Telegraph
£9.99
Cornerstone Friends In High Places
'Leon tells the story as if she loves Venice as much as her detective does, warts and all. The plot and subplots unfold elegantly; beauty and the beast march hand in hand, and the result is rich entertainment' Sunday TimesWinner of the Crime Writers Association Macallan Silver Dagger Award for FictionCommissario Guido Brunetti gets into trouble when Franco Rossi, a young bureaucrat, pays him a visit. Rossi is there to determine whether Brunetti's apartment was built with official approval, and when Brunetti is unable to provide any documentation, he faces the prospect of both fines and the dismantling of his home. But when Rossi rings Brunetti at work, clearly scared, and is then found dead, Brunetti is drawn into an investigation that unveils a world of corruption, drug dealing and moneylenders.'All Donna Leon's novels are excellent in their evocation of place, while in Brunetti she has created a character who becomes more real in each book' Evening Standard
£9.99
Cornerstone Give Unto Others
'Crime writing of the highest order' GUARDIAN'Donna Leon has been giving unto us for all of the thirty years since Death at La Fenice introduced us to Brunetti' Val McDermidThe gifted Venetian detective returns in his 31st case - this time, investigating the Janus-faced nature of yet another Italian institution. Brunetti will have to once again face the blurred line that runs between the criminal and the non-criminal, bending police rules, and his own character, to help an acquaintance in danger.'Both tremendously enjoyable and deeply humane' JESSIE GREENGRASS, Costa-shortlisted author of The High House'Leon's elegant, witty prose . . . is a joy' AMANDA CRAIG
£9.99
Cornerstone By Its Cover
'The multiple award-winning Leon has lost none of her talent for weaving intrigue, and the atmosphere of Venice is as beguiling as ever.' Living NorthA Washington Post BestsellerA New York Times BestsellerA Seattle Times Best Mystery and Crime Novel of 2014__________________________________By Its Cover is the much anticipated twenty-third instalment in Donna Leon's bestselling crime series, where Commissario Brunetti is better than ever as he addresses questions of worth and value alongside his ever-faithful team of Ispettore Vianello and Signorina Elettra.When several valuable antiquarian books go missing from a prestigious library in the heart of Venice, Commissario Brunetti is immediately called to the scene. The staff suspect an American researcher has stolen them, but for Brunetti something doesn't quite add up.Taking on the case, the Commissario begins to seek information about some of the library's regulars, such as the ex-priest Franchini, a passionate reader of ancient Christian literature, and Contessa Morosini-Albani, the library's chief donor, and comes to the conclusion that the thief could not have acted alone.However, when Franchini is found murdered in his home, the case takes a more sinister turn and soon Brunetti finds himself submerged in the dark secrets of the black market of antiquarian books. Alongside his ever-faithful team of Ispettore Vianello and Signorina Elettra, he delves into the pages of Franchini's past and into the mind of a book thief in order to uncover the terrible truth.
£9.99
Cornerstone The Golden Egg
'The familiar characters and Venetian location are described with remarkable freshness and, as always, the edifying result is both amusing and thought-provoking.' Sunday TelegraphA New York Times Bestseller__________________________________Celebrated by The Times as one of the 50 Greatest Crime Writers, Donna Leon brings Venice to life in the twenty-second Brunetti novel of this bestselling series, where our detective must uncover the mystery surrounding a mute man's murder.When making routine enquiries into a possible bribery case that could embarrass the mayor - a humiliation Vice-Questore Patta is very keen to avoid - Commissario Brunetti receives a call from his wife, Paola, who is evidently very upset. The middle-aged deaf mute with the mental age of a child who helped out at the Brunetti's dry cleaners has been found dead - an 'accidental' overdose of his mother's sleeping pills - and Paola is distraught by the news. To the neighbourhood he was just the 'boy' who helped out, but nobody knew much about him - not even his name. That a soul could have lived such a joyless life is too much for Paola to bear, and she asks Guido if he can find out what happened. It is a surprise to Brunetti just how little was known about this man-child - there are no official records to show he even existed. The man's mother is angry and contradictory when questioned about his death, and Brunetti senses that there much more to the story than she is willing to tell. With the help of Inspector Vianello and the ever-resourceful Signorina Elettra, perhaps Brunetti can get to the truth and find some measure of solace.
£9.99
Cornerstone Drawing Conclusions
[Leon's] portrait of Venice and modern Italy is, as always, captivating...The lively conversations between...characters, displaying Leon's sly humour, are a delight. Evening StandardA Kirkus Reviews Best Mystery 2011A Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Bestseller__________________________________A young woman returns from holiday to find her elderly neighbour dead on the floor. A heart attack seems the likely cause, but Commissario Brunetti is not so sure and decides to take a closer look. Soon he discovers that she was part of an organization that cares for abused women and that her apartment was a safe-house. Convinced that this is the lead he has been looking for, Brunetti begins his search for answers. But as he sets out to discover the truth behind her death, he is drawn into a decades-old story of lies and deceit that has blighted love and ruined lives - and has claimed this innocent woman as its newest victim. Brunetti's investigation takes him deep into the dark heart of his beloved Venice.
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Cornerstone Uniform Justice
'Complex and thought-provoking and lingers in the mind' Sunday TimesNeither Commissario Brunetti nor his wife Paola have ever had much sympathy for the Italian armed forces, so when a young cadet is found hanged, at Venice's elite military academy, Brunetti's emotions are complex: pity and sorrow at the death of a boy close in age to his own son, and contempt and irritation for the arrogance and high-handedness of the boy's teachers and fellow students.The young man is the son of an ex-politician, a man of an impeccable integrity all too rare in Italian politics. But as Brunetti - and the indispensable Signorina Elettra - investigate further, no one seems willing to talk. Is this the natural reluctance of Italians to involve themselves with the authorities, or is Brunetti facing a conspiracy of silence?'Silken prose and considerable charm . . . an unlovely story set in the loveliest of cities' Washington Post
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Cornerstone The Girl of His Dreams
'In The Girl of His Dreams, Donna Leon is writing at her fluent best.' The Independent2008 Washington Post Book World Best Book of the YearIndependent Mystery Booksellers Association Bestseller____________________________________________One rainy morning Commissario Brunetti and Ispettore Vianello respond to an emergency call reporting a body floating near some steps on the Grand Canal. Reaching down to pull it out, Brunetti's wrist is caught by the silkiness of golden hair, and he sees a small foot - together he and Vianello lift a dead girl from the water.But, inconceivably, no one has reported a missing child, nor the theft of the gold jewellery that she carries. Brunetti is drawn into a search not only for the cause of her death but also for her identity, her family, and for the secrets that people will keep in order to protect their children - be they innocent or guilty.From the canals and palazzi of Venice to a gypsy encampment on the mainland, Brunetti struggles with institutional prejudice and entrenched criminality to try to unravel the fate of the dead child.
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Ebury Publishing Give Unto Others
''Crime writing of the highest order'' Guardian__________________________________Once again, Commissario Guido Brunetti is willing to bend police rules for an acquaintance, even though Elisabetta Foscarini, the woman who asks the favour, is not really a friend. But her mother was good to Brunetti''s, so he feels he has no choice but to repay the debt and agrees to look into the matter ''privately'', rather than as a police official.Her son-in-law has alarmed his wife by telling her they might be in danger because of something he''s involved with. Because Enrico Fenzo is an accountant, Brunetti suspects that the likely reason must be the finances of one of his clients. Brunetti takes a look and finds little: one client is an optician, another Fenzo`s father-in-law, whom he helped establish a charity, another the owner of a restaurant. He is about to tell his friend that he can find no reason for preoccupation when her daughter''s place of work
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Pan Macmillan The Anonymous Venetian: The Atmospheric Murder Mystery Set in Venice
The Italian detective Commissario Brunetti has to cut short his holiday as he takes on another tantalizing case in Donna Leon's The Anonymous Venetian, an atmospheric murder mystery filled with the sights and sounds of Venice.Commissario Brunetti's hopes of a refreshing family holiday in the mountains are once again dashed when a gruesome discovery is made in Marghera – a body so badly beaten the face is unrecognizable.Brunetti searches Venice for someone who can identify the dead man. But he is met with a wall of silence.Then he receives a telephone call from a contact who promises some intriguing information. And before the night is out Brunetti is confronting yet another appalling and apparently senseless death . . .The third novel in the Commissario Brunetti Venetian crime series, which also includes Acqua Alta and So Shall You Reap.'A splendid series . . . with a backdrop of the city so vivid you can almost smell it' – Sunday Telegraph
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Pan Macmillan A Venetian Reckoning
A lorry crashes on one of the treacherous bends in the Italian Dolomites, spilling a terrible cargo . . . A prominent international layer is found dead in the carriage of an intercity train at Saint Lucia . . . Can the two tragedies possibly be connected? Commissario Guido Brunetti digs deep into the secret lives of the once great and good for the answer. For in a seedy Venetian bar lies the clue to an evil crime network reaching far beyond the laguna. But it will take another violent death in Venice before the forces of justice can even begin to proceed . . .
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Pan Macmillan Acqua Alta: Another Intriguing Murder Mystery in the Venetian Crime Series
The Italian detective Commissario Brunetti takes on another intriguing, but personal case in Donna Leon's Acqua Alta, an atmospheric murder mystery filled with the sights and sounds of Venice.Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice Questura is shocked to hear that his friend and art historian, Brett Lynch, has suffered a savage beating.The attack, in the beautiful palazzo home of Flavia Petrelli, reigning diva of La Scala, had come with a message: 'Don't keep that appointment with Dottor Semenzato.'Then, with the storm clouds gathering fast over the city, a man's body is found . . .The fifth novel in the Commissario Brunetti Venetian crime series, which also includes The Anonymous Venetian and So Shall You Reap.'A splendid series . . . with a backdrop of the city so vivid you can almost smell it' – Sunday Telegraph
£9.99
Pan Macmillan The Death of Faith
Commissario Guido Brunetti is kicking his heels, pondering the recent lack of crime in Venice, when a beautiful young woman appears at his office door. Now calling herself Maria Testa, his visitor is more familiar to Brunetti as Suor’lmmacolata, the nun who once cared for his mother at the casa di cura in Dolo. But Maria has recently left her convent after the unexpected deaths of five patients. Brunetti offers to make some enquiries, but finds now obvious cause for concern. Is Maria simply creating fears to justify abandoning her vocation? Or has she stumbled on to a deeply rooted, far more sinister scenario - and put her own life in very grave danger . . . ?
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Cornerstone Wilful Behaviour
'A classic example of detective-book murder . . . Leon whips up a brilliant narrative storm' Sunday TimesWhen Commissario Brunetti receives a visit from one of his wife's students with a strange and vague interest in investigating the possibility of a pardon for a crime committed by her grandfather many years ago, he thinks little of it, despite being intrigued by the girl's intelligence and moral conscience. But when the girl is found stabbed to death, Claudia Leonardo is no longer Paola's student, but instead becomes Brunetti's case.Claudia seems to have no discernible living family, but lived with an elderly Austrian woman. When she in turn is found dead, the case begins to unlock long buried secrets of collaboration during the war, secrets few in Italy are happy to explore . . .'Wholly engrossing' Evening Standard
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