Death in a Strange Country
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4.2 • 139 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
The New York Times–bestselling series continues with the murder of an American soldier in Venice: “This is definitely an author to watch (Kirkus Reviews).
Early one morning, Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice police confronts a grisly sight when the body of a young man is fished out of a fetid canal. All clues point to a violent mugging, but for Brunetti the motive of robbery seems altogether too convenient. When something discovered in the victim’s apartment suggests the existence of a high-level conspiracy, Brunetti becomes convinced that somebody, somewhere, is taking great pains to provide a ready-made solution to the crime.
Rich with atmosphere and marvelous plotting, Death in a Strange Country is a superb novel in Donna Leon’s chilling Venetian mystery series.
Praise for Donna Leon and the Commissario Brunetti Mysteries
“One of the best international crime writers is Donna Leon, and her Commissario Guido Brunetti tales set in Venice are at the apex of continental thrillers.” —Rocky Mountain News
“Leon’s books shimmer in the grace of their setting and are warmed by the charm of her characters.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Brunetti . . . long ago joined the ranks of the classic fictional detectives.” —Evening Standard
“Commissario Brunetti, most charismatic current Euro-cop, uncovers deadly ants’ nest of corruption. A highly accomplished, scary read.” —The Guardian
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The well-fed, muscular body fished from a Venice canal by police Commissario Guido Brunetti's men belongs to an American soldier killed miles away from his base by an expert knife thrust. In seeking motive and murderer, the phlegmatic Brunetti is forced to do end runs around his easily enraged, sycophantic boss Patta, who is more concerned with the tourist trade than with the truth. Patta's bluster increases when Brunetti looks too closely into the theft of artwork belonging to a wealthy and corrupt arms dealer. Stilted dialogue, predictable twists and obvious villains threaten to sink a reasonably intriguing plot linking the Mafia and the U.S. and Italian governments in a massive cover-up of toxic waste dumping. Fortunately, Venice looms large as a well-painted backdrop. Its damp, crumbling beauty and tourist-mobbed sites are as vivid in Leon's ( Death at La Fenice ) depiction as the rich tang of espresso boiling over or the chill of a morgue tucked away on the cemetery island of San Michele.
Customer Reviews
Death in a Strange Country
Riveting!
The Best Police Mysteries I’ve Read in Years
Great sense of place. Wonderful, fully developed characters. Compelling story, artfully told.