A new novel from this author is always most welcome! What I love about this series is not so much the mysteries, although those are well constructed, but the relationships among the characters and the ways in which the city of Venice is brought to life. Guido and Paola seem so real and affectionate with one another; they have a marriage that many would envy. Watching Guido and Paola with their children is a treat as is reading about their latest family dinner. Guido's relationships with his extended family and work colleagues are also brought vividly to life.

In this book, a friend of the family who is elderly wants to adopt an adult male to be his heir. Will you as the reader feel empathy for this lonely man? All around wonder if this adoption is a good plan but he is determined and undeterred. Is this what leads to his and one other's death? What are the reasons for what is happening? How are families constructed? They are not all like Guido's.

For fans of Donna Leon, the chance to spend time with her will be a delight. New readers will also enjoy the book and will probably then look to read others in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this good read. The opinions are mine alone.

Believe it or not, I had never read Donna Leon until now, but the praise I'd heard was deserved and accurate. In many ways this is a cozy in an exotic location with lots of food to add flavor, but it has a more sophisticated plot and set of characters than the average cozy. An openly gay man who wants to adopt his young lover dismays his friends and advisors, and then he's murdered. In some ways, the solution to the mystery is not a surprise, but Leon saves a twist for the end. Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the book is that the detective is such a kind, decent, and capable man who has a philosophical streak, but doesn't carry around the kind of dramatic baggage so many detective heroes drag with them. An enjoyable, low-keyed, traditional mystery.

With impeccable writing and fascinating plotting, Leon is as fresh as ever. This unusual story (but aren't they all?) centers around Gonazalo, an old friend of Commissario Brunetti's father-in-law, Count Falier. Gonzalo, a wealthy art dealer who has been a valued friend of the family for decades, has fallen for a much younger man - to the extent that he wishes to adopt him so that he will inherit everything. Naturally, his friends, including the Count, fear that Gonzalo is making a huge mistake. Brunetti finds himself reluctantly involved. Things escalate and the police are entangled, as well. Leon, as always, brings philosophical musings on society, friendship, and state to the story. Exquisitely done. A real treat for fans!

A little different theme to this Commissario Brunetti book. Book centers on the concept of love in all of its’ forms and its’ aftermaths. It was quite a moving tale for it focuses on an aging friend of the family. The frailties and longings of the elderly are disclosed in the investigation of the murder of a loved one. No matter what stage of life the reader is in, the book will appeal to their emotions.

I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing an ARC of this book to read and review.

Guido Brunetti is surprised when is father-in-law Count Falier asks him to meet him privately. The Count’s best friend is going to make a big mistake and he hopes that Guido could do something about it: the Spaniard Gonzalo Rodriguez de Tejada wants to adopt a much younger man. Even though nobody really is upset about his openly shown homosexuality, this seems to go too far for the upper society and is considered something absolutely inappropriate. But apart from that, Gonzalo’s friends fear that the chosen man, Attilio Circetti, Marchese di Torrebardo, is more interested in Gonzalo’s wealth than in the old man. When Gonzalo suddenly dies, the case isn’t abandoned but turns out to be much more complicated than expected.

Donna Leon’s 28th case for Commissario Guido Brunetti starts in a quite unique way since this time, no murder has been committed and Brunetti is not running after some evil criminal. It is a very personal story that reveals a lot about Venice’s society, especially the rich and noble and their very special views on the world. The actual murder case only appears after about two thirds of the novel which surprisingly does not reduce any suspense in it.

As the other novels before, the Guido Brunetti series lives on the special atmosphere of the Italian water city. Again, we get a glance behind the doors of the nobilità and how they resolve their cases. Brunetti’s has to do a lot of actually illegal work this time which does not seem to bother anybody too much. On the other hand, this is a very emotional and human story, it is the characters’ weaknesses, their longing for finding love and being loved that drives the story. It is much less about solving a crime than about revealing human nature and the core things of life. For me, definitely so far the strongest of Donna Leon’s novels since it goes far beyond just solving a murder case.

I requested this book on Net Galley because I thought I had read other books in this series. But after reading this I realized that I had not and was a little surprised that this was considered a mystery or police procedural. It seemed more like a study of human emotion, love and friendship. The first half of the book was just the setup and introduction of characters and the one and only murder did not occur until half way through the book. I almost stopped reading because it just wasn’t what I expected, but in the end I am happy that I finished and that I read every word instead of just skimming. The author describes thoughts, time and place so effectively that you are really drawn into the story and can easily envision Venice.

The story is built around Commissario Guido Brunetti and his involvement in an unofficial investigation into his father-in-law’s friend, Gonzalo,who wants to adopt an adult male. But the real story is the interaction and thoughts of those people who love Gonzalo and cannot understand why he wants to do this. Ultimately the decision leads to murder and while I did have an inkling of how these people were all entangled I didn’t completely have the answer. I am always pleased when the author stumps me while still providing all the information that the character has.

I would recommend this book to readers who like police procedural but not all the gory details they sometimes include and to those who enjoy authors whose writing offers colorful descriptions that set the mood and the place but don’t overdo it.

Thanks to Net Galley and Grove Atlantic for allowing me early access to this enjoyable book in exchange for an honest review.

Consistently the best writing by anyone in this genre. Witty, humane, insightful and as thought-provoking as always.

Guido Brunetti and his family are ever interesting , while the quirky individuals of the Venetian Questura add piquancy- especially the inimitable Signorina Elettra.

Here we find insights into the nature of love and lust and the concept of family.

A wonderful addition to the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the privilege of reading the digital ARC

I would like to thank Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for an advance copy of Unto Us a Son is Given, the twenty-eighth novel to feature Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice Carabinieri.

When Brunetti’s father-in-law asks him to investigate his best friend’s plan to adopt an adult male and leave him his large fortune Brunetti is dismayed but makes some enquiries. When the friend, Gonzalo, dies prematurely his friends arrive in Venice for a memorial service but events take a strange turn when one is killed in her hotel.

I thoroughly enjoyed Unto Us a Son is Given which is more a study of human behaviour than a crime novel, especially as the murder doesn’t occur until about two thirds of the way into the novel. As ever the novel provides plenty of food for thought, like why Gonzalo wants the adoption, the adoptee’s motivation, the nature of love and friendship and many other themes. It held me spellbound as I pondered the same things Brunetti did. So many questions, so many possibilities and all discussed in Brunetti’s charming, thoughtful voice. The murder, when it comes, is definitely secondary to the human nature angle and yet, Ms Leon saves her best for last with an amazing twist - I loved it, what it is, the irony in it and the way it makes Brunetti question himself again.

Brunetti is his usual diffident self but with the novel featuring his life outside work it is a much more personal version of him that the reader sees as he ponders the nature of his relationships and family.

Unto Us a Son is Given is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Guido Brunetti, commissario of the Venice police, has just received a rather unusual request from his father-in-law, Conte Orazio Falier. It seems that il Conte’s oldest friend, Gonzalo Rodriguez de Tejada, is in failing health and he wants to adopt his much younger gay lover as a son before he passes. At stake is the nobleman’s considerable inheritance and Falier wants Brunetti’s help to prevent his friend from making a terrible mistake in judgment. After initially refusing, Guido does get involved in the affair but it is not until two people have died—one under sudden and unusual circumstances—that he is able to resolve the case.

So goes the basic plot of Unto Us a Son Is Given, the latest installment in Donna Leon’s long-running series of Italian police procedurals. For devoted readers of these novels, the pleasure of each new story is that it allows for a deeper dive into the everyday lives of characters who have become beloved fictional fixtures. (Indeed, the main reason why this series has reached its twenty-eighth volume is that the main protagonists are so compelling.) In the case of this novel, that is an especially good thing because the mystery itself is really quite thin and not particularly engaging. Further, a second storyline involving Guido’s attempt to help his boss deal with some unruly neighbors is mercifully forgotten almost as soon as it is introduced.

What is left, though, is more than enough to make this a satisfying reading experience. I loved the sense of place that the author was able to create throughout the novel. She has a great talent for making it feel as if we are walking the streets, dining in the restaurants, or moving through the canals of one of the world’s truly remarkable cities. I also enjoyed the frequent glimpses into the hearts and minds of Brunetti and his wife Paola, who is an independent and fully developed character in her own right. This is a novel in which relationships, rather than the whodunit aspects, are placed front and center and I think that was a good decision.

I had not read Donna Leon for quite awhile, this book whilst set in our time, is good, which made me wonder why I hadn't read more of these books. There has been some changes and some things have stayed the same. so much so that I really want to go back and read the books that I have missed in between this book and the last I read.
The people are really brought to life and the storyline is very real and current. One can almost see and feel the sights and sounds around the city.
A good, well written book from a master.

Bravo Donna Leon once again a wonderful atmospheric read.Old characters revisited these books draw me right in there are so many layers so much charm full of culture perfection.
#netgalley #groveatlantic.

AAAAnd...she's back! This is a great story about our favorite man in Venice. I love the atmosphere she creates and the way she tells a story. One of her best yet!

Guido Brunetti returns to solve another mystery that is really just an excuse to spend time absorbing the atmosphere of Venice and following the day-to-day lives of favorite recurring characters. An old man wishes to adopt an adult son, and Commissario Brunetti is asked by his father-in-law, the old man's friend, to undertake some discreet inquiries. We know that violent death will eventually follow, but it takes its time. The style is genteel, with plenty of references to the books our hero is reading and the food his wife, Paola, prepares for the family. I made the mistake of reading the publisher's summary, which describes aspects of the plot that would appear in the introductory chapters of a typical fast-paced thriller, but which in this leisurely novel don't happen until well into the second half of the book. (According to my Kindle, one tidbit divulged in the summary occurred 78% of the way through the book! Really??) This is a book to be read and savored; slow down and enjoy immersing yourself in Venetian life with Donna Leon's familiar characters.

Leon once again delivers a nuanced, atmospheric, and surprising read. Always a pleasure to revisit her world.

I have read quite a few of Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti series and have found them very enjoyable. In fact, enjoyable enough to keep reading when I ought to be doing other things. This one was no exception. I read it from beginning to end in one sitting, and I felt a sense of loss when the book ended. Donna Leon can really write. She assumes that her readers are intelligent and insightful. She doesn’t just deliver a story, she includes bits of history, philosophy, and general musings on life. Along with all this, she also gives you a great mystery.

The continuing characters in the series are multi-faceted and you find out a bit more about them on nearly every page. They grow and change, and you begin to think you really know them. Brunetti and his family feel like friends. This book even made me feel a little compassion for the Vice-Questore Patta. Generally he arouses exasperation, dislike or anger in me.

These books are set in Venice and the setting is described in such a way that you really feel like you are getting a glimpse of this wonderful place.

I whole heartedly recommend this novel for those who enjoy police procedurals, mysteries, and also for anyone who just likes to read beautifully written fiction.

I received an advance copy courtesy of NetGalley and Grove Atlantic--thanks.

Full disclosure: Donna Leon and John Julius Norwich fostered my deep love for Venice. I’ve enjoyed the Brunetti novels for many years. I use the authorized cookbook and have walked the Venice tour. I am a devoted fan.

I found this novel’s musings on the complexities of love, friendship, inheritance, murder and of course real estate in Venice to be completely satisfying. I cherish the ambiguities in Leon’s plots and their resolutions. Savor this latest addition to her series with a chilled glass of prosecco and warm cichetti.