Beastly Things – Donna Leon

The body of a mainland vet is found floating in a Venetian canal… a femme fatale materialises at the Meste slaughterhouse he worked at…. so far, so normal – but in Beastly Things Donna Leon brings a distinctly different tone to her investigations (contemplations?) of modern day Italian life compared to previous novels.

More cynical, jaded, despairing? I can’t quite decide. But for the first time we hear Commissario Brunetti muse openly on the awkward (il)legality of Signora Elettra’s computer hacking skills, acknowledge the envy of his colleagues in grittier cities, and – most disturbingly of all – see him fail to find comfort, joy and escape in good food and wine.

Amazon.co.uk link: Beastly Things – Donna Leon