Leon, Donna. Transient Desires
I have read a number of Donna Leon’s thirty books that
feature the quiet and cerebral presence of her detective Commissario Brunetti, his
colleagues, and his family. By the time you are finished with any one of them,
you feel as though you have had a grand tour of every nook, cranny, canal, and
bridge in Venice. You will also have eaten your way through many cups of coffee, morning snacks, and various gourmet offerings of pastas, meats, and fishes.
Would I be remiss if I now say that there was an engaging mystery
here as well. Two young men pull up at the boat dock of a local hospital and
abandon two injured women to start Brunetti on the case. It does not take long,
however, to get a glimmer of even more serious ventures happening far out at
sea. It takes some intricate maneuvering, a cooperation from other agencies,
and some very modern surveillance devices to find and nail the real culprits.
Things develop a bit slowly at first, but as the pieces come together there is a fine development of suspense. If you like intricate local color, a philosophical detective, and
subject matter that thrusts you into criminal activity and emotional
entanglements that are as up to date as today’s newspaper, you will find Ms.
Leon’s book a fine read.
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