Greatly executed crime novel. I didn't expect anything less from Donna Leon. Another brill read with Guido Brunetti :)

Guido and Paola are enjoying a quiet Saturday at home when the phone rings. On the other end is Vianello telling Guido that one of their own has been arrested in a nearby town. The two officers go to rescue the fellow officer who was part of a Gay Pride demonstration.
Following soon after the incident Guido receives another call from Vianello. This time they are needed in response to a report of a body in the canal. The body is that of a Sri Lankan man Guido had meet a few days earlier when he had knocked on the door of a palazzo owned by a former schoolmate and her husband. The man had been caretaker for the couple.
This is where the story begins in Chapter 13! Guido in searching the man's small cottage finds a scrapbook documenting events from Italy's Years of Lead in which social and political turmoil occurred. During the 80s a respected professor had disappeared and never found. Information in the scrapbook spurs Guido to find a link between the dead Sri Lankan and the events of the past.
This is the 39th in the Brunetti series and I've read and like them all, albeit, some more than others. This one, in my opinion, is one of the weaker titles. Despite the fact that characters I like reappear the plot seems disjointed. It isn't until chapter 13 that the crime occurs - the previous chapters having been taken up with the gay police officer and ruminations between staff about sexual orientation and have no relation to the murder. The connection to the riots and terrorism of the 80s is meaningless unless the reader stops to Google the reference. The connections between the disappearance of the professor during that time period and the group of his former students is confusing. The solution to the murder of the Sri Lankan killing is muddled and hurried but does offer a charming interaction between Guido and a nun.
For readers new to the series, this isn't the book to start with.
Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to read this title.

Not up to Leon’s usual standards. I still don’t understand the purpose of the first part of the book. That plot line was never again revisited.

Venice, Italy, law-enforcement, politics, murder, murder-investigation, deceit, due-diligence, class-consciousness, family, multicultural, emigree, secrets, lies,*****

Commissario Brunetti is never boring.
Life among the bigots, fascists, extremists. In the course of investigating the murder of one man, Brunetti learns much about twentieth century Italian history and uncovers the answers to questions about this and a much older case. The characters are always interesting and the plot takes it's twisty road to some surprising answers. I love to learn as I solve with this series.
I requested and received an EARC from Grove Atlantic/Atlantic Monthly Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

I'll never miss a chance to hang out with Brunetti and friends, but this one didn't really do it for me. The setup was a little weird the selling of the palazzo and the art "dealer". The whole thing was a little too political for me and kept referring to events like I was supposed to know what they were and it just really pulled me out of the story. The ending was also really predictable and I was able to predict what happened once we learned the item in the pocket came from the garden. I'm also not sure that Alvise's storyline felt natural. It felt like a chance for the story to go 'see, I'm modern!'. With all that said though, I was happy to be back in Venice and I liked that we got to see Chiara a little more. As always, eagerly awaiting the next in the series!

really great - I love being in this world - there is a side issue going on, never fully explored - a kind of nod in direction of political correctness, i guess - about the pairing of a lovely , gentle gay cop and a thuggish one - and it goes well (I wonder if something wasn't edited out) - cliched presentation of what a gay policeman might be, but, okay - kudos for even bringing it up I guess - it all goes nowhere, but occupies time out from the narrative of the murder by an artisto ... several cliches are brought into play but Leon makes such convincing characters - from the diligent, prayerful nun to the obsequious and wronged servant, the loving but fearful wife etc etc - old italian stories of lefties - but, no matter - it's all gripping and readable and Brunetti's family are growing up well - the daughter's still a vegetarian - so it's coming into the 'modern' albeit slightly cliched world - I always look forward to her new ones ...

Who could resist Guido Brunetti? Kind and smart. In this installment, a body is found in the water. The murdered man is from Sri Lanka and by all accounts is a good man, trying to provide for his family in Sri Lanka. He lives on the grounds of a palazzo and found in his home is a scrapbook of clippings dating back to the Red Brigade days in Venice. Is there a connection between this death and the disappearance of a college professor from more than 30 years ago? As always the sense of place is part of the plot, as well as the history. I always look forward to a new Donna Leone.

I confess I love the Guido Brunetti series. I especially liked this volume. The story begins with the murder of an undocumented Sri Lankan immigrant. He was a gentle man who had no enemies and had been living on the grounds of a large palazzo. The investigation leads to the past - 1980s Italian politics, idealism and activism. the book becomes a meditation on youth, idealism, reality and evil.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing a review copy of this title.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for an advance copy of So Shall You Reap, the thirty-second novel to feature Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice Police.

A body is pulled from the canal and it is soon established that he is an undocumented Sri Lankan, Inesh Kavinda, living in the garden house of a local palazzo. Brunetti is puzzled by one aspect of the man’s eclectic book collection, articles and books about Italy’s history of domestic terrorism and wonders why that would interest a Buddhist.

I thoroughly enjoyed So Shall You Reap, which is another whimsical tale that starts as one thing and ends up as something completely different. It is also a leisurely stroll through Venice and its customs, told from Brunetti’s point of view.

The novel opens with Brunetti and his friend/right hand man, Inspector Vianello, rescuing one of their own from a neighbouring police station after being arrested at a protest. The nods, winks and blatant self interest in the negotiations give the reader a taste of the dangerous waters Brunetti swims in. Then it’s on to the discovery of the body, where, again, nothing is clear cut. Inesh was not a man who welcomed murder, so there is no hint of a motive or a perpetrator and Brunetti is left to potter around in his life and find links, with the help of Signorina Elettra who works her computer magic (or so he views it), between the players. This is not a novel where A leads to B. Brunetti is never sure and works a lot of disparate leads and angles till he finds the right one. I was amazed at what he came up with and loved the irony of the conclusion.

As ever there is an issue in this novel, although in this case it is not a current one that needs attention, but rather it illuminates the idealism of Brunetti’s youth and allows him to reminisce and then reflect on his changing values. It’s interesting.

This is a novel which is as much about character as about crime solving. Brunetti’s family, and especially his wife, Paola, are part of the narrative. It brings a warmth and humour to the novel as Paola never lets him away with sloppy thinking or rewriting the past.

So Shall You Reap is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Brunetti is still as awesome as ever…

It’s hard to believe that Donna Leon has been writing her Guido Brunetti series since the early 1990s, and although there’s a little bit of variability from title to title (some stand out a little more than others), I’ve read each and every one, and all are excellent. And Leon’s thirty-second title, coming in March, 2023, is just as engaging as the previous thirty-one have been.

So Shall You Reap opens with one of those scenes that pulls me into a Brunetti book: although it’s a rainy, cold Saturday, and Brunetti would rather be culling his crowded bookshelves, he and Inspector Vianello instead end up heading off to the nearby mainland to retrieve one of their policemen, who’s somehow been caught up in a protest march that turned violent. And as they thoughtfully and sure-footedly navigate the somewhat tricky circumstances, and bring Alvise safely back home, I fell in love with Brunetti (and Venice) all over again.

The “real” mystery starts later, though, when a man’s body is found in a canal, and Brunetti realizes he has met the victim – a Sri Lankan man, Inesh, who seemed to act as a sort of factotum for a large palazzo near the Campo Santi Apostoli. Of course, as might be expected in the small-town atmosphere of Venice, not only has Brunetti met the man, but he was in school with the owner’s wife, and his father-in-law had recently expressed interest in the property too. What follows is a delightful mix of clues and investigation. Venetian real estate is a cut-throat business, and there are rumors that the rather large property is for sale. If so, does that have anything to do with the murder? Or might the scrapbook with articles about terrorism, found among Inesh’s books, give a clue to the crime? Why in the world would the Sri Lankan be interested in Italy’s “Years of Lead”, way back in the 1970s? Or could the owner’s efforts to reclaim his family’s disputed title have been involved? As Brunetti and his team investigate, they figure out piece after piece of the puzzle, and eventually the entire solution.

As usual with a Donna Leon book, there’s an underlying theme beyond the mystery itself, and So Shall You Reap is no exception. And although at some point that theme pretty much gives away the solution to the murder, the book is still a delight to read. Scenes in the Brunetti apartment, with Paola and the children, are some of my favorite moments of any Brunetti book, including this one. I'm in awe of Paola's/Brunetti's parenting skills, and would happily sit down to any meal at their dining table. (Leon has co-authored a cookbook with recipes...) And on a micro level, I, for one, really appreciated learning more about Brunetti while he was young, including the origin of his dislike of leather patches on the elbows of jackets – which turns out to be because these tended to be on the jackets of men who were rivals for Paola’s attention at university! Finally, although Leon is known for sometimes “tough-to-take” endings (see her earlier book, Transient Desires), this one is relatively mild, but still ties everything up.

All-in-all, So Shall You Reap is another truly awesome Brunetti mystery, and it gets five stars from me without a moment’s hesitation. And my thanks to the publishers, Grove Atlantic, and to NetGalley, for the review copy.

Donna Leon provides another enjoyable meander through Venice post pandemic while we are engrossed with Commissario Guido Brunetti working to solve a crime that takes him back to his past life as a student during turbulent times and the present where he still faces changing beliefs and perceptions.

This short novel is not the most exciting of the series but, as always, Brunetti's moral insights and his accute observation of people and places continue to please me. Officer Vianello is at Brunetti's side through the book, while, Commissario Griffoni, and Signora Elettra play only small roles. It's worth reading but I don't think I would buy it.

Late one night, Commissario Guido Brunetti receives a call that a body has been found in the canal. Coincidentally it is an undocumented Sri Lankan man Brunetti had spoken to recently. Who would murder this peaceful Buddhist? And could his interest in 1980's terrorism be relevant to the case? With the invaluable assistance of Signorina, Elettra, Vianello, and Griffoni, Guido is determined to see that justice is served. This series continues to be one of my favorites--I just couldn't put this book down. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of the latest Donna Leon book, So Shall You Reap. Inspector Brunetti must solve the murder of a Sri Lankan immigrant, while musing over political terrorism, vegetarianism, used bookstores, and LGBTQI rights. As always, the author ties up all of the threads while giving readers a lovely glimpse of Venetian daily life,

I discovered Donna Leon books from the former New York Times Book Review crime columnist, Marilyn Stasio. It took me a while to begin reading Leon's Guido Brunetti books, but once I started I was hooked. So with great anticipation I began reading "So Shall You Reap." The beginning chapter illustrates the deeply caring personally of police Commissario Brunetti and the vivid Venice setting that are hallmarks of all of these novels. Sadly, about half way through the story gets overly complicated with the introduction of several characters. I was so confused that I went back about 20 pages and reread the story, trying to figure out what was happening.. Leon takes Guido back to his rebellious student trying to tie the story to the present occurrences. A lovely scene of Guido talking with a nun clarifies the story. Suddenly the crime is solved, the killer arrested, and the book ends.

The ending feels hurried and the events of the first chapter are never brought back to a satisfying conclusion. I was disappointed. But, Leon is 80 and has written many wonderful books set in Venice with Guido and his family, so, a not so good book is forgivable.

Commissario Guido Brunetti wouldn't be a true Venetian if he were not interested in Venice real estate market. When his father-in-law's friend is curious if an old palazzo is for sale, Brunetti finds himself knocking on the palazzo's door. He doesn't know that the person who opens, a Sri Lankan man, will soon be found dead, his body floating in one of Venice's canals. And that Brunetti, helped by Inspetorre Vianello, Commissario Griffoni, and Signora Elettra, will be in charge of the investigation.

There is always a deeper issue, a political or a social one, that Donna Leon tackles in her books. This time is the political terrorism in the 80s. Brunetti muses on his own youthful enthusiasm to change the world. He used to have long discussions about what should be done to improve the working-class condition, just like many people were doing at the time. But, as Cicero said, "as you have sown, so shall you reap," the consequences of one's youthful fascination can often result in unpredicted future events. Today's Venice distinguished professors and lawyers may have more skeletons in their closets than the public can suspect. Will everybody be held accountable?

I've been enjoying this series for years. Once more, it's a pleasure to follow Brunetti around Venice, which is not postcard perfect but a real place. For example, Brunetti complains about the slowness of the Venetian vaporettos (water buses), although he admits that tourists may find it more enjoyable to discover Venice at a slower pace. He has his favorite routes, going around the city, and his wife Paula reminds him to dress warmly since it's already November… These little details and conversations around Brunetti's dining table - the simple charm of Brunetti's everyday life, marred with crime but showing humanity underneath - make me return to the series.

We are back to the old detective stories, the ones where there is a "real" story and the culprit, at least, has to be looked for a little bit even if not too much. As usual Venice remains an undisputed protagonist and Commissioner Brunetti a worthy inhabitant of it. Leon's view of such a period known as the lead years in Italy, in which we are reminded in detail of Dozier's kidnapping, but Aldo Moro is remembered as "a senator," is peculiar.

Siamo tornati ai vecchi gialli, quelli in cui c'é una storia "vera" e il colpevole, quanto meno, va cercato un pochino anche se non troppo. Come al solito Venezia resta una protagonista indiscussa e il commissario Brunetti un suo degno abitante. Particolare la visione della Leon su un periodo come quello degli anni di piombo in Italia, in cui ci si ricorda nei dettagli del rapimento di Dozier, ma Aldo Moro viene ricordato come "un senatore".

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

What begins as an innocent stop at a palazzo to pose a question as a favor to his father in law ends up enmeshing Brunetti in a mystery that takes him back to his young, idealistic self. With Venetian neighborhoods, a palazzo falling to ruin, and cafes as a backdrop, we learn about Italy in the 1970’s, when students wanted to erase ancient class differences. I found it interesting to read about Brunetti and what he learned from his mother, and was happy to have Signorina Elettra involved, wearing, at one point, a sweater the color of hazelnut buds. She is one of my many favorite characters in this wonderful series. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this quiet but thoughtful book, I always love Brunetti and the writing about Venice.

I never miss Donna Leon's Guido Brunetti books! Another good one, with a heavy dose of Italian history, terrorism from the 80's. I've come to appreciate those around him - his family as well as those at work. Also touches on prejudice of gay and minorities, always handled well!

I've been a bit disappointed in the last few titles in the series. It felt like Donna Leon had simply run out of interesting ideas. Oh, the characters and the settings were still wonderful, but character and setting alone isn't enough to make an involving novel. The first thing every screenwriter learns is that the stakes for those wonderful characters moving through those wonderful settings must be high enough to tie people to the story. The fate of the world doesn't have to be in doubt in every narrative, but something big must be at stake. Sadly, the plot elements in this series had become so trivial in the last few titles that they were approaching the downright silly

I am happy to report that Donna Leon has returned to form in SO SHALL YOU REAP. At last something important is at stake again and we keep turning the pages to find out what eventually happens with it. Still great characters, still great settings, but at long last they again have something worthwhile to do.