I have loved and continue to love Leon's books - so wonderful, and this one is no exception. I love a writer who doesn't talk down to her readers, and I love a writer who so fastidiously maintains the integrity of a character's persona. I love everything about this series!

I really enjoyed this book! The characters are well fleshed out, out the storyline was interesting!! I will be reading more from this author!! I highly recommend this book to everyone!!

I really enjoy the way Donna Leon sets her stories. I enjoy the descriptions of Venice and surrounds, sprinkling of Italian (without translation), characters. Brunetti and his family and colleagues drawn so tangible one can sense their 3dimensional personalities.
However, Transient Desires left me unsettled. It ended so suddenly and abruptly, I did not understant why and what's for.
Transient Desires is a slow burning existentional narration of a crime covered by another crime to cover another crime. Reader gets a glimps into Italian 'connected' economy, bureaucracy and even law enforcement. One gets to observe Brunetti's every day life and his musings on life and people.
Even though, it is slow buring, it is not boring... it's growing on you.
However, once again, I did not understand why it ended so suddenly...

Two young American girls are dumped at the dock of the hospital. They are injured but who brought them and what happened? This book is missing on many plains because Commissario Brunetti doesn't really seem to that interested in "answering" the questions and the reader isn't given any reason to be invested in the outcome.

Terribly disappointing.

Commissario Guido Brunetti spends the 30th(!) installment in this beloved series investigating the case of two young women who were badly injured and then just left on the hospital dock. The two men responsible are quickly found, but their strange behavior leads Brunetti and his colleagues to uncover and investigate horrific ongoing crimes. As always, the case unfolds steadily but in a leisurely manner, with plenty of insight into human behavior and the hidden subtext of every interaction Brunetti has with all the people he encounters. Watching Brunetti disguise himself for an interview so as to assess the behavior of a suspect towards a perceived weakling was particularly amusing. This latest book from Donna Leon is a treat, as always.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital advance review copy.

Back to her best

I read the last book in the Guido Brunetti series and was slightly disappointed, not at the brilliant characters that pervade every one of Ms Leon’s books but that I thought the plot was slightly boring.
However, this book is one of the best of the Guido Brunetti’s that I have ever read and there is a lot of competition from all her previous novels.

Two young women badly injured are dropped at the doors of a hospital by two young men who disappear hurriedly in their boat. Their identities are soon discovered, and Guido gets involved because he wants to understand why this has happened. He soon discovers that the uncle of one of the young men runs a transport company which at first glance seems totally above board. Why then is Marcello Vio so frightened of his uncle, so much so that he drove the badly injured women slowly to the hospital because he was so afraid of getting caught for speeding? Guido, as always, is like a dog with a bone and does not stop until he finds out the real cargo that is being transported.

However, as is usual with these books the real stars are the characters that we have come to know and love throughout this series and Venice itself.

I love the descriptions of Guido’s family life with his wife Paola and his two, almost grown-up, children as they move through their lives. I never tire of the descriptions of the amazing food that Paola serves up for every meal and the obvious huge love between Guido and Paola. Their interests in reading are always diverse and their inherent goodness and need to do the right thing shines out like a beacon amongst all the corruption that exists in Italy. Having lived in Italy many years ago I have first-hand knowledge of this.

I also love some of the characters in the police force that Guido has daily contact with signorina Elletra Zorzi, the secretary who seemingly knows how to gain information on anything from anybody and her boss the self-seeking and lazy Chief of Police, Giuseppe Patta who is happy if everyone else does all the work and gives him the credit!

As always, the description of Venice and all the bars, cafes and areas is obviously written by someone who knows and loves the place intimately. Again, I am lucky enough to have been to Venice and know how beautiful it is if you avoid the obvious tourist places.

Long may Guido continue solving his crimes and eating his food!!

Dexter

Elite Book Group received a copy of the book to review

I have read nearly all of the Guido Brunetti series by Donna Leon. Her portrayal of Venice from the perspective of the residents (not the tourists) is genuine and I've learned so much. I love the characters, from the overbearing Vice Questore Patta to the clever Signorina Elettra to Brunetti himself, each lends a bit of realism to the story line. And, unlike so many long-running series, each new book is unique in plot and message. Each book makes the reader really ponder issues such as ethics and political issues. I will never tire of them. My only complaint of this book is that the ending was so abrupt. It seems to end at a peak, rather than have any follow-up to the climax. But, maybe that's not such a bad thing--again, it makes one think about whether we really need that reaffirmation of what happened. Thank you, Donna Leon, for such stimulating books!

Enjoyable mystery series set in Venice. Sometimes it’s hard for me to keep up with all the names of the characters. While I enjoyed the book, I found the ending extremely abrupt as if the author left her work to run an errand and forgot to come back and finish it. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I’m a long time fan of Donna Leon’s Inspector Brunetti series, and I was excited to get an early copy of the latest, Transient Desires. Like many of the books in this series, Brunetti is investigating a crime with connections to the darker side of modern Italy, in this case, human trafficking.

Brunetti is such a real character; long time readers will enjoy his time with his family, his interactions with his colleagues, and as always, his meals! Brunetti and Griffoni have a particularly interesting turn in their relationship in this book.

Another 5* entry in this long running series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Happy to include this title in the spring Thrills and Chills roundup, the list of notable new crime and mystery titles for Zoomer magazine’s Club Zed book section.

This is Commissario Brunetti number 30 and continues Ms Leon's meditation on the nature of love, this time with an added comic side step that considers what your spoken language tells others about you. To read Donna Leon is to understand that all Italians are linguistic gymnasts.

By now we know Commissario Brunetti and his family, his staff and colleagues and no time is wasted on introductions. Again the story unfolds on the waters of Venice. A boating accident exposes serious crime. Brunetti again is disgusted by human greed.

This is a short novel and while I liked it, as I like all of this series, I don't recommend it as your first taste, if somehow you have not sampled this series before. Start with the early, longer novels, not because they are better but because they are meatier and allow you to get to know Donna Leon and the Venice police on their own terms.

Being a fan of Commissario Guido Brunetti, I really liked this novel, thirtieth in the series. Before this one, I mostly read his first cases and I am happy there are more to read.

Although the main protagonist of this series is a police detective, in Brunetti novels, it's not all about the crime. The city of Venice also plays a major role with its narrow streets, waterways, cafes and restaurants. We also read about the way of life in a historic city full of tourists and the locals' sentiments about massive cruise ships.

Brunetti deals with the Venetians from all walks of life during his investigations. In this case, he has to find trusted partners from other agencies and work with them to solve the bigger crime behind the case in his hands. But it's like walking on thin ice for them and everybody has to play their part to carefully navigate in dangerous waters.

What I like most about this series is that Brunetti is a real person with a family and a social life. He still goes home for lunch, talks to his wife about his problems, worries about his children, and read Roman history. He also makes us feel the burden of being a police officer in a world full of indifference, greed and deceit.

I look forward to his next case.

Commissario Brunetti and his colleague Commissario Griffoni investigate a late-night boating accident on the Venetian lagoon which injured two young American women visitors. The Americans visitors were later dropped off at a hospital by two men who then fled the scene. This sets the stage for another brilliant Brunetti investigation set in his native Venice. In this case, Brunetti's investigation eventually leads him to a gang of human traffickers, a newsworthy circumstance in contemporary Europe.

The plot is set against the strong sense of place and character of present-day Venice and its people. His detective work competes with Brunetti's unique lifestyle, but allows him to meet interesting people. In that way, it's a lighter police procedural but strong on characterization. In this story, regional suspicions are explored as Brunetti, a native Venetian, sees a different side of Griffoni, a native of Naples, when she interacts with a fellow Neapolitan. Similarly, there's the under the radar homosexual relationship between the two young men involved in the boating mishap. Brunetti is affected by the fact that they are close in age to his own son.

It's a satisfying well-constructed story made charming by the Venetian locale and plenty of credible and interesting characters. It can easily be read as a standalone despite there being many previous books in the series.

Yet another excellent Comissario Brunetti episode. Every-time I read one of Donna Leon's books I am amazed how well they are written, with contemporary themes and references to literature.
I think this is one of the best so far, also because until halfway through the book it isn't even clear if a real crime is committed.
I've seen reviews saying that the first part of the book was rather dull and lacking in suspense but I don't agree at all. In contrary, I found it one of the best features of the book, the way the story is constructed.
Looking forward to the next episode.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Transient Desires
By Donna Leon
Reviewed by Stephanie Saxon Levine
What a treat it is to be able to visit, yet again, the fascinating city of Venice, especially in 2021. Readers can imagine casting travel restrictions aside to accompany Commissario Guido Brunetti as he solves a singularly disturbing case, in this thirtieth of Donna Leon's mysteries.
Brunetti delves into a crime committed outside his jurisdiction when two American young women, injured in a boating accident, are abandoned by the young Italian men who accompanied them. After the accident, the women are left on a loading platform outside the hospital.
With his colleague, Claudia Griffoni, Brunetti investigates, seeking to determine why the men had left the women. If an accident caused the injuries, why did the men flee?
Enlisting the help of the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Costiera, Brunetti learns of links between the young men and criminal activities in the Laguna at night.. At personal peril from organized crime, Brunetti is tested to new limits.
I have long been a fan of Donna Leon's excellent mysteries. Indeed, I am almost caught up with the whole series. In Transient Desires, Leon demonstrates once again that her characters are dynamic, ever growing and developing as a result of their experiences. She takes the reader right to the setting, making Venice a living character in the book.
For readers who yearn for armchair travel and a compelling mystery, Transient Desires is a perfect fit. Read It! Atlantic Monthly Press $27.00

another solid story form this author. Well written well paced and a great story! She never loses the mark and her books are always well written.

Donna Leon takes us into the soul of Venice. She is so good at showing us the city and the reality of life in Venice - beyond the pretty tourist view. It all starts when two injured young women are left on the loading dock of the hospital one night. Then we follow along as Guido Brunette keeps picking at the case which just doesn't seem quite right. Why didn't the young men ring the emergency bell? Why did they rush off? what are their connections?

Another wonderful outing for Guido Brunetti and his Venetian accomplices. Like most of the books in the series, this begins slowly, gradually gaining speed. Although in this case there is a crime to start with-- two American girls have been dropped at Pronto Soccorso (the emergency room) with grievous injuries.

It turns out there isn't much of a crime, but Brunetti's keen interest in human nature keeps him digging until he understands the reasons the actions of that evening, and that draws him to a very dangerous crime with a big emotional payoff.

First Sentence: Brunetti slept late.

Two young American women were found injured and abandoned on the emergency dock of the hospital. A surveillance camera finally identified the boat and the men who left them there. But why dump the women if the injuries were caused by a boating accident? An investigation by Brunetti and his colleague, Claudia Griffoni, lead to far darker activities involving one of the men's uncle. Although Brunetti is uncertain how much he can trust them, he needs the assistance of the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Costiera against an enemy much greater than he imagined.

One of the best things about Brunetti is how real and normal he is. No superhero he. He procrastinates and indulges in self-pity as he feels the passage of years. His empathy for others and the inclusion of his home life makes him a fully developed character. Yet, one wonders whether Brunetti is suffering from ennui and thinking of retirement?

As usual, the magnificent Signorina Elettra saves the day by pointing him to a new case, but it's Leon's wry assessment of charity events, especially those for environmental issues where the attendees fly in on their private jets, that remind us how good Leon is at incorporating current issues into her stories including that while Brunetti is appreciative of the women with whom he is in contact, he is also very aware of what is appropriate. The addition of Claudia Griffoni as Brunetti's second, and a Neapolitan demonstrates that bigotry comes in many forms. Still, she makes the point; it is often those who are invisible to others who see the most. There is so much packed into this story. Brunetti is always willing to grow and learn which adds to his strength as a character.

Leon expands the story in a logical manner, often with well-placed, but not overused, plot twists. She also increases one's knowledge of Italy's different law enforcement branches by including the Carabinieri, or the military branch, and the Guardia Costiera, which is equivalent to our Coast Guard. Including these branches expands the story and increases its suspense. There is nothing more effective or suspenseful than a setup where one thinks one knows how things will go, yet desperately hopes to be wrong.

"Transient Desires" is timely, relevant, and suspenseful. This ranks high among Leon's books; perhaps as her very best, with implications and an ending that is emotionally impactful.

TRANSIENT DESIRES (PolPro-Comm. Guido Brunetti-Venice-Contemp) Ex
Leon, Donna – 30th in series
Atlantic Monthly Press, Mar 2021, 288 pp

This is the thirtieth title in Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti series, all of which i have read. I visited Venice for the first time in early March 2020; but I felt like I knew it so well because Venice is as much a character in the series as Brunetti, his family and colleagues. And yes, I went on a self-guided tour of some of the of the key landmarks. So, with this visit still fresh I was thrilled to receive a review copy from the publisher and NetGalley. It did not disappoint!
This is one of the 'quieter' instalments in the series - for a long time the reader is not really sure what the crime is. Brunetti and Claudia Griffoni are perplexed by the discovery of two badly injured young women on the dock of the city hospital. The contrasting of their Venetian and Neapolitan cultures was a fascinating backdrop to the investigation. As the dreadful truth emerges, the finale is both dramatic and shocking. It ended so abruptly, I initially wondered if there were some pages missing! I hope this means there is another instalment in the wings!
Recommended - a 3.5 star read