For those of us who love Venice, every Donna Leon novel is a pleasure. It is La Serenissima who is the star of this series and Guido Brunetti is a close second. The descriptions are wonderful and the writing is excellent and erudite. However, as crime novels they lack the tension and excitement one normally associates with the genre even though they are enjoyable reads. Crimes against the environment give this book a contemporary feel and I look forward to number 30.

Donna Leon does it again with Trace Elements! A dying patient asks to talk with the police, and Commissario Guido Brunetti takes the call, along with his colleague Commissario Claudia Griffoni. Her mysterious words send the two off on a search to find out what happened to her husband, who had been killed in a motorcycle accident just a week before. But was it an accident, or was it something more? And what did the dying woman mean when she said her husband was murdered over bad money? Does it have something to do with his job? Was he on the take? Was it a woman scorned, or a corrupt co-worker? Brunetti, Griffoni and the incomparable Signorina Elettra follow the leads to where the case takes them, at time causing Brunetti to bury himself in the reading of Greek tragedies.

Every book I've read of Donna Leon's has been an interesting and suspenseful read, and this book is no exception. Her descriptions, the step by step building of the case, the reader's inability to figure things out on their own (well, my inability at least!) all keeps you the turning the pages. And the one sentence ending is one of the best ever! Don't miss this book!

There's something fishy about the Venetian water system and a young woman on her deathbed feels the need to bring it to Commissario Brunetti's attention.
Overall, I found Leon's 29th installment a pretty good mystery with a few red herrings thrown in to keep readers on their toes.
Jaded? Brunetti? Yeah, seems the years have shown him some all to true facts about the judicial system and acts, for him, accordingly.
The conclusion, in my opinion, was rather lackluster but, still, who doesn't enjoy a trip through the streets and canals of Venice with Brunetti and company.
Thank you NetGalley, Leon and her publishers for granting me approval to read this ARC.
#TraceElements #NetGalley

I’ve read many of Donna Leon’s detective novels set in Venice and starring the erudite police inspector Brunetti. While I’ve really enjoyed many of them I think they are very varied in quality and for me, this latest book (the 29th) was a little disappointing. The story proceeds very slowly in the oppressive heat of a Venetian summer and just this once I was underwhelmed by the setting and the characterisation. The joy of these books is usually based largely on the setting, the sense of revisiting old friends and Brunetti’s interaction with his family, but there was little of that in this book, not much of Paola and the children and no appearances at all from Paola’s aristocratic parents. Most detective book are to some extent formulaic but this time the story felt like it barely emerged from the usual mix of ‘Leonesque’ concerns about Roma thieves, tourist hordes, corruption and environmental issues. My other concern is with each of Leon’s books there is less detective work being carried out in between the coffees and boat taxi trips. It seems that all the case are now solved almost entirely by the police chief’s secretary being able to hack any computer system and obtain the most information about any company or individual. Indeed it seems that Signora Elettra’s hacking skills are so comprehensive and that the information available on-line so extensive that this is all that is needed and most of the Venetian police force could be retired without any obvious detrimental effects.
It most be hard to keep a series fresh and evolving through 29 novels especially as readers want to be treated to the comforting familiarity of the Brunetti we know and love but I really think in order to keep our interest, Leon needs to develop some new threads, to evolve her characters ( how about some Brunetti grandchildren?) inject some surprises and tension and show some genuine detective work being carried out without everything relying on computer hacking.

Where I live, the weather is currently cold and the days are short.  When Trace Elements takes place during  a summer in Venice, it is as hot as hot can be.  Clothes are sticking, meals need to be light and our detective, Guido Brunetti is mystified by the tourists who want to be in Venice at this miserable time.  I could feel the heat and the need to drink mineral water.  All of this is to say that Ms. Leon is a master at creating her scenes and characters.  When Brunetti was eating his cheese and salad,   I salivated.  When I followed this essentially good man throughout the story, I wanted to know him and his colleagues as real people.  When Brunetti was with his wife, Paola, I wanted a marriage like theirs.  All of this adds verisimilitude to a novel that, in parts, is deeply tragic.


Tue story begins when Brunetti and a female colleague go to visit Benedetta, a women in hospice care, who is dying a miserable death from cancer.  Readers will feel great sympathy for this character's suffering.  Before she dies, Benedetta presents Brunetti and Claudia Griffoni with something to investigate.  They learn that Benedetta's daughters are about to become orphans as Benedetta's husband recently died in a crash.  Was his death an accident? If it was murder how, if at all, does it relate to his job?


In Trace Elements (an apt title), the crime as it relates to Venice feels all too plausible.  Ms. Leon has done her research and written a believable and sad tale of human corruption and its consequences.  Wrong actions happen but the reasons for them differ.


This title is the latest entry in Donna Leon's long running series about Guido Brunetti.  It is a most excellent novel and I recommend it highly.

Words of a dying woman

Brunetti and Griffoni visit Benedetta Toso, dying of cancer in a Venice hospice, who has asked to speak to the police. Signora Toso suggests, with her dying breaths, that her husband, Vittorio Fadalto, was mixed up in something shady, implying that his fatal motorcycle accident was murder. Brunetti is deeply moved by Signora Toso's death. He takes up the inquiry and follows the trail back to the firm where Fadalto worked as a water quality tester. The murder plot, as you can read from the publisher's blurbs, is whether Fadalto was involved in falsifying the safety of the region's drinking water. But, as we expect in these recent offerings from Donna Leon, the story is more about Brunetti's relationship to his world.

This short book is not the strongest Commissario Brunetti story, but it speaks again of Ms Leon's very Venetian concern about water, and to her ruminations on moral ambiguity.

I love Donna Leon’s characters. They are so real and true. Over the course of her books the reader really gets to know them. Each one is an individual with their own qualities and quirks. I really appreciate how she keeps their actions true to who they are. This book takes us on a ride to moral dilemmas and the eternal problems of money and corruption vs the public good. Guess who loses. Thank you for another transportation to Venezia, the real Venezia.

This is the 29th Brunetti novel. As with all of her previous novels Donna Leon not only gives us a crime drama, but we see the social changes which are happening within the world at large. Leon looks at climate change and the consequences of tourism in Venice.

So, lets look at the novel. Brunetti and his colleague Claudia Griffoni are asked to visit a local hospice. A dying patient wishes to speak to the police about her husband who has recently died in a road accident. However, she believes her husband was involved in something suspicious and his death was not accidental. Brunetti and Griffoni promise the dying woman that they will investigate. They find themselves looking into a private company who are involved in measuring the contamination levels of Venice's water supply. As I mentioned earlier there is always so much more to a Brunetti novel, Leon uses Brunetti to comment upon the problems and issues Venice faces, the over tourism, how the city can be protected for future generations, the social consequences of the free movement of Europeans, the rise in crime and his reflection upon what the past.

What I do notice with more recent Brunetti novels is that he has become more world weary and we don't always get a a satisfactory ending, which is after all what life is like! I can't recommend the Brunetti novels enough, they remain a treasure within the crime genre.

The author describes the city beautifully. Though part of a series, could be read as a stand alone. The plot is guessable with the title and the direction of the police investigation. But in the end justice is not served. The author argues about this one character and one investigation, but not about preventing future incidents. I am unable to put forward my point without giving away the plot.

Each Commissario Brunetti adventure is like reuniting with an old friend. Through the years, readers have been able to get to know Guido Brunetti, his thought process, his family, and his beloved Venice. Each investigation reveals more of his personality and his city, through the marvelous writing an dbeautirul descriptions of art, architechture, food, people, and, of course, crimes. Delightful addition to this beloved series.

I've been a huge fan of Commissario Brunetti's for decades. In my view, he is one of the truly great characters in the whole history of crime fiction. But Donna Leon's Brunetti titles have been growing more and more commonplace over the last few years and with TRACE ELEMENTS she seems to have finally hit bottom.

This book is simply dull beyond belief. All of the lovely detail that normally fleshes out her Brunetti novels -- what he reads and what he eats and where he lives and how he interacts with his family -- are about the only thing of any substance or interest here. The narrative that is supposed to drive any novel is laughably insignificant. I respectfully suggest that the publisher needs to put an end to this series before Leon's reputation for fine crime fiction is destroyed.

I am a huge fan of Donna Leon’s Guido Brunetti series and have read and loved all 29 of them. As is often the case in this series, Leon’s writing is at its best when it is concerned with the domestic affairs and exchanges of the Brunetti family or Guido’s interaction with the colorful supporting characters in his Questura. And, one always learns something from these books; in this case, it is the testing of the water system serving the Veneto.

It almost doesn’t matter what the case involves, for Brunetti’s charming approach to solving it and his unique, albeit cynical view of the concept of justice as it applies to the Italian legal system is foremost.

For anyone new to Donna Leon, this certainly can be read as a stand alone, but why deprive yourself? Go back to the beginning of the series and enjoy getting to know all of her memorable characters. It is a joy to read such a literate writer.

In her 29th book featuring Guido Brunetti, Commissario of police in Venice, Donna Leon has once again provided a storyline in which for the most part it’s not actually certain that a crime has been committed. Brunetti and his colleague Claudio Griffoni are asked to attend the hospice bedside of a 38-year-old woman, Benedetta Toso, who is suffering from cancer. Not only is she certain to die soon but her husband, Vittorio, was just recently killed when his motorcycle went off the road and he drowned in a ditch. Benedetta has two daughters who are being cared for by her sister. It’s clear that the dying woman is severely distressed and trying to get a message across to them, but she’s barely able to talk and they can only really pick up a few sentences. It seems that Vittorio had recently required some ‘bad’ money and Benedetta believes that this was somehow the cause of his death. It’s not much to go on, but its all they have.

Often in this series, apart from the case or cases being investigated the focus has been on the people associated with Brunetti – his family, friends and colleagues – and long standing readers (like me) have become familiar with a small group of characters who regularly pop up. In this instalment we become more acquainted with Griffoni who is a relatively new character in the life of these books but a person with whom Guido has become professionally close to in the past few years. To this point I'd found her to be something of an enigma, a private person with a keen brain and strong interpersonal skills but somebody who is really all business, with little known of her life outside of the police department. Here her personality is fleshed out somewhat and we find that she can be charming but she has a quick tempered prickly side too. She's able to put Brunetti on edge and few people are able to do that.

As the story develops we learn that Vittorio worked for a company charged with maintaining the integrity of Venice’s water supply. He was a collector of samples that he delivered to the company’s lab for testing. There’s no clear evidence from the case file that his death was anything but an accident and no witnesses have come forward to add to the little knowledge the police have regarding the incident. But we’ve been here before with Brunetti and we know that his intuition, clever questioning and nose for deception will dig up the truth, if indeed there is anything more to be found. It’s summer and everyone is suffering from the extreme heat, Guido more than most. He cogitates on the detail and regularly retreats to one of the local bars for a coffee and a glass or two of mineral water, escaping both the heat and the crowds.

In truth, I’m not altogether satisfied with the way this episode ultimately plays out. It’s not that I don’t give credence to the actions described but more that I wonder at the morality of the solution. I’ll say no more and allow readers to draw their own views on this point. But that’s always a side issue for me. The characters and the city of Venice bring me back to this series time and again. Donna Leon has created a world in which I can disappear and go with the flow, enjoying the atmosphere and even the taste and smell of the place as I imbibe the descriptions so deliciously drawn. I really love these books. Hurry back, Guido – I want more!

The Donna Leon series on Commissario Guido Brunetti and life in Venice has enthralled me for years. I look forward to every installment in what is, for me, a continuing novel. Trace Elements is a slice of life in Venice, where we rub elbows with real Venetians and watch the tourists from afar.. We see a bit of police work, not that much until the later half of the novel. Then the author takes it up a notch and brings us a really good criminal novel. Trace Elements involves death and water. Life-sustaining water could also lead to death in the wrong hands. It's those hands that Ms. Leon uncovers as a scandal is brought to light. Very enjoyable!
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This is the latest in Leon’s Venice police procedurals – so expect Guido Brunetti older but substantially the same – native Venice born – still with wife Paola and family. He is still deeply embedded in his city and community as it moves into the 21st century with all the challenges of multi-culturalism, and local economy heavily dependent on massive international tourism that is having major impacts on both the locals and the environment both. He also knows how to “play” the internal politics of the police system and the complex Italian administration system – or should one say nightmare. In this tale he will work with Commissario Claudia Griffoni, transferred from Naples and finding it hard to cope with the heat of the city – or is it global warming. But the “old guard” of police from previous novels - Vianello, Secretary Elettra and the problematic Vice Questore Pata who still needs to be managed will also re-appear as he explores a possible “crime”.
He has been asked to speak to Benedetta, 38, a woman dying in a local hospice – she enigmatically talks about “bad money”. Her husband who worked in a company providing water to the City and area under a seemingly illegal contract has been killed in a motorbike “accident”. Following the trail of the tale that he is told and trying to untangle the realities of what is really happening Brunetti will have to consider the implications of death, the cost of medical expenses that are way beyond many and have serious implications for the ill and their families at the same time as he has to determine whether a crime has been committed.
The husband was employed monitoring water quality in the Venice hinterland – following procedures there should be fail safes and overlarge concentrations of toxic chemicals should be reported to the government for action. The novel allows the exploration of these procedures – and of course how they can be avoided and corrupted. But Brunetti will be aware of the scale of any failings against the wider environmental degradation that is occurring around him every day – not least set against the wider growing awareness of the scale of human impact on the planet – its dangers to all ecosystems and ultimately to people themselves. The underlying tropes will be are the systems we have suitable or responsive enough to deal with the issues assuming that they are even admitted. But also who is responsible for overall environmental degradation and at what scale and will they act or not to change destructive behaviour.
Without giving away the plot it is difficult to discuss this further – but Brunetti will have to make decisions as to whether he will take action/actions as a policeman and if so which and what. But behind that – presented through his thoughts - is the wider discussion of whether a person can or will act in a way to protect us from the greater “crime” of allowing the world to go into environmental or economic meltdown – with the most serious impacts on the poorer and more vulnerable of our communities. So yes this is a police “procedural”, but is much more than that. Is it despondent, or is it a wakeup call. Perhaps very much dependent on your beliefs and whether you think the actions of an individual are significant and can change things for the better. Brunetti can stand as the filter or enhancer of your own concerns and thoughts on the need to act.

Trace Elements by Donna Leon is book , hold your horses, nr 29 in the Commissario Brunetti Series. Every book is a stand-alone. You don't have to read the previous books to understand this one.
I always wanted to read a Donna Leon book, but somehow it always slipped by, til now. And oh boy, I'm happy to report I was glad I gave this book a try.
Trace Elements tells Claudia Griffon and Guido Brunetti's newest adventure, set in Italy. I will not spoiler here, sorry not sorry, only so much- Trace Elements is an excellent written and beautifully thought out and beautifully written, touching story that gave me all the feels. I read the book in one sitting, I had to know what happens to the characters. Trace Elements is gripping and unputdownable, 4 Stars.

This is another book in the series about a detective set in Venice, I always enjoy the information about Venice as it is a place I really enjoyed visiting. This book focuses on the quality of the water and the heat of the summer. The sad truth about the number of tourists resulting in the destruction of the city is once again highlighted, the investigation focuses around the vague discloses of a dying woman who suggests her husband’s death want an accident, In most police departments there wouldn’t be the time to investigate this, but Brunetti is able to focus fully on this case. The characters involved are well drawn and the result is believable. If you’re a fan of the series, you will enjoy this one too. Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Maybe not quite as good as her best Brunetti novels, but it was still a pleasure to read. Donna Leon knows how to weave some very worrying topics into the story, such as the quality of the water we drink and the effect of mass tourism on the local living environment and the air. Even more so, though, through Brunetti she raises the reader's awareness of the decisions that have to be taken when it comes to punishing criminals. Deciding who to punish and who to ignore for the greater good of society can be a difficult ethical decision. It is one that Brunetti has to make by the end of the book. An interesting read.

If you've ever considered a vacation in Venice in mid-summer, the newest Donna Leon procedural will dissuade you. The weather is so hot even Guido Brunetti, Leon' s affable, literate, reflective police detective, can't stop thinking, feeling ,and describing it; it; in fact, the heat and humidity are practically characters in this unusually slow and torpid novel. The case involves a dying woman's last declarations about the death if her husband, a chemist with the largest water distributor in the Veneto, and the "bad money" that led to his death, which she insists with her final breath was a murder.. It has to do with falsified water samples that lead directly to the money, the murder, and the difficulties in punishing the environmental crimes that toe them together..
It's usually a pleasure to spend time with Brunetti, his clever and understanding wife, and his wonderful Secretary, as well as the minor characters Leon is so skilled at creating. But the heat must have gotten to her while she was writing this, one of her lesser novels.