4/26/10

Death and Judgment by Donna Leon


Read: April 22 - April 26
Format: Audio 8 CDs equivalent of 336 pages
Source: Public Library
Subject: Murder, prostitution,
Category: I Heard them!
Genre: Thriller
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, TIOLI, Audiobook, SYLL, Thriller
Stars: 3½


Death and Judgment is the fourth book in the Commissario Brunetti series. Commissario Guido Brunetti is assigned to the case when a well-known Venetian lawyer is found murdered on a train. Chiara, Brunetti's daughter, attended school with the murdered man's daughter and informs her father that the parents had warned Francesca to be careful so that she wasn't kidnapped making Brunetti think that the Mafia may have made a hit. When the murdered man's business partner is found dead, the connection is made to a sleazy bar outside of Venice. When the lawyer's brother-in-law, his accountant, is found murdered as well, Brunetti realizes that the connections must go far deeper. and may impact greater on Venetian culture.

In this book, Leon reveals the corruption surrounding the members of high Venetian Society and how money paid to the right people will produce just about anything. The storyline was, at times, very depressing and, in areas, frightening but the solution, though somewhat expected, was not unsatisfying. The actual ending leads the reader with the idea that Brunetti feels that though he solved the murder, he was not successful.

There were several bright spots in the book, where Guido is interacting with his wife and daughter which bring a smile to your face and these moments give the reader a feeling of normalcy in a frightening world.

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