A very old and deeply despised lady, is found gruesomely murdered by her doctor as he makes his regualr house call to the hugely obese, but otherwise completley healthy patient. Thereafter the crime is quickly "solved" with a tragic twist of events. After a neighbour volunteers some contradictory
evidence to a narrowminded and abusive policeman at the local police station, Commisario Brunetti gets involved. We then follow Brunetti, a happily married middle aged Venetian detective, as he negotiates office politics and less than legal means of procuring evidence, in his attempts to
solve this "already solved" murder. I loved the foray into the Venetian cultural peculiarities that this book affords. It is a story rich in atmosphere, culinary tastes and "village " gossip. We are treated to the mouth watering descriptions of our
detectives homecooked meals and lunches "out" coupled with the ever present glass of chilled white wine. His wifes' interest in their daughters religious instuction text books, lends us an added layer to the background, as an on/off discussion of the seven deadly sins takes place between the couple. This train of thought contributes to Brunettis solving of this crime. Intriguing about this book is the extent that the good
cop has to outwit the bad cop and the corruption enbedded in the Venetain society to solve the crime. It is both a
murder mystery and a social commentary on the ancient and slowly corroding Venice, set during a sweltering and sticky summer. Add to this the probelm of illegal refugees and their miserable plight. Brunetti and his colleagues pull together in a realisticly portrayed team of cross generational dynamics and sometimes tense moments to "work " the system to their advantage. I
enjoyed this aspect of the book, the fancy footwork of the detectives, the innuendos and unspoken rules they operate by. I enjoyed his relationship with his wife , described in both a tender and yet not idealistic manner. We are left guessing right to the very end. A worthwhile weekend read.
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