It is always interesting to see what people from other countries think about Americans. When I read and come across descriptions of Americans, I confess to taking vicarious pleasure in seeing how Americans are often ridiculed and mocked for their sense of entitlement and their lack of curiosity about other cultures, languages and history-it’s as if Americans think they live in a separate world other than the one named Earth.  You will notice that I have taken myself out of the equation by saying “they” when in fact I am American, too. I hope that having lived abroad for 16 years in my formative years allows me some leeway and perspective, after all it took me years to get over my squeamishness and to finally self identify as an American. (Of course the Presidential Election a year ago didn’t help much, bringing back all of my ambivalence and resistance with a vengeance.)

Commisario Guido Brunetti, a detective in Venice’s police force doesn’t much like Americans. They are loud, obnoxious and have no manners, and they always cause trouble. So when a body of an American is found floating in the canal close to police headquarters he is not very happy. When it is determined that the man was stabbed, Brunetti’s boss is even more unhappy, since a murdered American could impact tourism and cause trouble with the mayor. “This must be Brunetti’s highest priority,” he insists. But when Brunetti begins to look into this strange death, he is stymied at every turn. The man turns out to have been a member of the US military working as a health inspector and overseeing the quality of the US military’s housing and food supply. He took his job seriously and was meticulous in his work. So it is with some surprise when Brunetti arrives on base to inspect the man’s apartment, that he finds a clumsily hidden stash of drugs that was obviously planted. Brunetti is intrigued. Who is trying to divert his investigation? What are they hiding and why? As he digs deeper Brunetti finds that there are forces beyond his power to investigate and he must find extrajudicial means to stop what might be a catastrophic disaster from killing even more innocent people.

Leon brings Venice to life! You can literally smell the coffee that Brunetti drinks incessantly. Grouchy and smart, Brunetti and his boss have a passive/aggressive relationship that is both humorous and oddly satisfying since Brunetti always seems to get the bettor of each encounter. Brunetti’s relationship with his wife and two children is portrayed with a graceful reality allowing us to see both the love and the tensions that exist in all families.  If you haven’t read one Leon’s Commisario Brunetti books yet, you are missing out!

Brenda’s Rating: ****(4 Out Of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Marian and Sharon

Book Study Worthy? Just enjoy.

Read in ebook format.