Growing up in New Jersey, Leon was the kind of conscientious kid who finished her homework before she went out to play (as an author, she delivers manuscripts on time or even early). But as she grew older, she realised she was completely devoid of ambition. "I just wanted to have fun." After finishing university, she accompanied an old schoolfriend to Italy and found an entire nation in tune with her philosophy. "I was just blown away by it," she says. "By the food, by the coffee, by the people. By how pretty the people were. They're the most beautiful people on the planet."

Set during an oppressive Venetian August, Leon's masterful 19th Commisario Guido Brunetti mystery (after 2009's About Face A conductor succumbs to cyanide at the famed Venice opera house, in the first mystery in the New York Times –bestselling, award-winning series.In Italy, there is still a strong impulse to help the person in difficulty," she says. "The farther south you go, the stronger is the impulse. So if this had happened in Naples, or Palermo, there would have been screams at the driver: 'What did you do?' There would have been a competition to help me to my feet. Somebody would have asked me if I needed a glass of water. Nineteen people would have offered me their seats to lie down on." Mid-morning, Brunetti might pop out for a glass of prosecco. At lunchtime, he goes home for a meal of, say, sea bass baked with fresh artichokes, lemon and rosemary. The family's apartment is at the top of five flights of stairs, with views over the Grand Canal from the terrace. Brunetti, who relaxes by reading Greek and Roman history, discovered after he and Paola bought the place that the previous owners had built it illegally, simply adding another floor to an existing building. The one blot on his happiness is the niggling fear that someone in the city administration will find out about it: "The bribes would be ruinous." The first to talk were the players in the orchestra. A second violinist leaned over to the woman next to him and asked if she had made her vacation plans. In the second row, a bassoonist told an oboist that the Benetton sales were starting next day. The people in the first tiers of boxes, who could best see the musicians, soon imitated their soft chatter. The galleries joined in, and then those in orchestra seats, as though the wealthy would be the last to give in to this sort of behavior. Death at La Fenice (1992), the first novel by American academic and crime-writer Donna Leon, is the first of the internationally best-selling Commissario Brunetti mystery series, set in Venice, Italy. The novel won the Japanese Suntory prize, [1] and its sequel is Death in a Strange Country (1993). In this stunning novel, the 14th to feature the dogged, intuitive Venetian police detective Guido Brunetti (after 2004's Doctored Evidence

Intelligent and charming Guido Brunetti, the commissioner of police in Venice (seen before in Death at La Fenice and Death in a Strange Country), continues to confront corruption in his fifth Continue reading » Tagged with: ★ Not Rated, 1990s, Narrative, North American, Police Procedural, Suntory Prize, Venice While a bit too slow to rank among her best, Leon's 13th atmospheric Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery (after 2003's Uniform Justice 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 Continue reading »In Leon's 16th Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery, at once astringent yet lyrical, two rival police forces—Brunetti and his Venetian colleagues and the carabinieri—are both Continue reading » Death at La Fenice is Donna Leon’s first novel in her Guido Brunetti series, set in the beautiful city of Venice. Guido Brunetti is a commissario (detective) for the Venetian police and investigates the the death of world-famous conductor Helmut Wellauer, who was poisoned in his dressing room during an opera. The novel is written in 3rd person limited, describing Brunetti’s thoughts to the reader throughout. Brunetti must investigate Wellauer’s death as he discovers the genius had more enemies than he initially suspected. Venice is the perfect setting for this modern cozy, as Leon emphasizes the smallness and interconnectivity of the Venetian community, limiting the list of suspects to the music world of Venice. A world-famous German opera conductor has died at La Fenice, and Commissario (Detective) Guido Brunetti pursues what appears to be a murder investigation without leads.

What a ripping first mystery, as beguiling and secretly sinister as Venice herself. Sparkling and irresistible.' Rita Mae Brown If you have ever been to Venice or if you have ever read about that city and wanted to go, then this is the series that will make you want to go or go again. Leon has a flair for the atmospheric in her descriptions of the life and surroundings of her adopted city. You savor the Baroque architecture, enjoy the aromas of the Venetian cooking, and relish the sounds of Dante’s language. And there are two books that have been published that will help you appreciate Leon’s love of Venice even more: a walking tour book based on the Brunette novels and a cookbook based on the meals conjured up by Guido’s wife Paola. As consuming as her characters and plot are in these novels, Leon is also after bigger game than just writing about murder mysteries or producing a travelogue of Venice. She takes an opportunity to condemn those Italian political and social institutions that are sacred cows: the government, the media, the church, the cognoscenti, and even the police, to name a few. She steps on many toes with her withering criticisms, which is why her books are not published in Italian. Guido is her courageous conscience as he uses whatever powers he possesses to go up against the powers that be, sometimes ridiculing them but mostly incarcerating them, and to recognize when the moral dilemma is beyond his ability or would be a Pyrrhic victory (losing all your forces to win). Leon, 73, is published in 34 languages and has millions of fans around the world – among them Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. When asked on ABC TV what he liked to read on summer holidays, Turnbull said: "My favourite books on the beach are about Venice. So either John Julius Norwich's histories or Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti detective books." The lights dimmed, the hall grew dark, and the tension created by an ongoing performance mounted as the audience waited for the conductor to reappear on the podium. Slowly the hum of voices faded, the members of the orchestra stopped fidgeting in their seats, and the universal silence announced everyone’s readiness for the third and final act.The third in Leon's richly evocative mysteries set in Venice and starring police Commissario Guido Brunetti reveals several flaws in Brunetti's character--some endearing, some disquieting, all Continue reading » I am a big fan of series and am glad I began with Book #1. I have already started Book #2, Death in a Strange Country. I think I have many hours of enjoyable reading ahead of me!

PW: In Uniform Justice, both Venice and the San Martino Military Academy are "closed worlds"—one surrounded by water and the other by "tradition" and a code of silence. Are you Continue reading » Leon's fine 20th Commisario Guido Brunetti mystery (after 2010's A Question of Belief) explores violence against women and the treatment of the elderly. The Venetian medical examiner has ruled that Continue reading »The series’ popularity has also led to the publication of a cookbook, a tour book of Venice based upon Brunetti’s own walks, and a walking tour of Venice authorized by Donna Leon. Overall Reaction: Forget about solving all these crimes; the signal triumph here is (spoiler) the heroine’s survival.