Willful Behaviour

by Donna Leon

Genres: Mystery

Unknown Binding

About the author

Donna Leon (born September 29, 1942, in Montclair, New Jersey) is an American author of a series of crime novels set in Venice and featuring the fictional hero Commissario Guido Brunetti.

Donna Leon has lived in Venice for over twenty-five years. She has worked as a lecturer in English Literature for the University of Maryland University College - Europe (UMUC-Europe) in Italy, then as a Professor from 1981 to 1999 at the american military base of Vicenza (Italy) and a writer.

Her crime novels are all situated in or near Venice. They are written in English and translated into many foreign languages, although not, by her request, into Italian. Her ninth Brunetti novel, Friends in High Places, won the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger in 2000.

Series:
* Commissario Brunetti

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Leon thriller! This tale seemed a little more complex. There were a lot of twists and turns. You need to read it in as short a period as possible to keep all the characters straight and to remember how they know and what they know of each other. Leon continues to grow the roles and characters of those around Brunetti who are the biggest help to him, such as the people he trusts at the Questra, his wife, and his father-in-law. We learn more about Brunetti's own father in this book. We also learn more about the division World War II has left in Italy and how issues of the war remain unresolved in their society. I've been left even more curious about the Venetian dialect and how even those who speak Italian aren't necessarily privy to the meaning of the Venetian pronunciations.

Reading Leon's books reveal just how deep she goes in researching Italian history as she demonstrates the role it continues to play in Venice in particular. One thing is for certain. I will be a very well behaved tourist if I ever have the chance to visit Venice again. The Venetians' disdain for tourists is well documented in her books and parallels what has been in the news recently.

Always engaging, I learn something new about Venice every time I read Leon's series. Recently I've tried watching the Brunetti television series that apparently was made in Germany. It's good, but rather amusing listening to actors portraying Venetians speak German.

[Roger Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable Brunetti story. Did anyone notice, tho, the change in the BBC narrator, for the audio version? A British accent? I enjoyed listening much less than all others (10 or more) I’ve listened to.

[Terry Simpkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

I generally enjoy this series, but this one is a clunker. I hardly ever try to “solve” the mysteries I’m reading, but culprit was telegraphed 2/3 of the way through, even though Brunetti, in an astounding display of thick-headedness, can’t seem to put 2 and 2 together.. Throughout this installment, he is quite possibly the stupidest detective I’ve ever encountered. Also, why is he always forgetting to bring his revolver or his latex gloves, etc, to the crime scene? How did this man become Commisario? As an aside, his “oh I’ll never understand this younger generation” schtick is beginning to wear on me. Throw in a few sentences with high-school level grammatical problems and I’d have to say Leon sort of rushed through this one.

2 stars for the continually fascinating Venice setting and for Signorina Elletra

[Margaret PRack · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book I’ve read in this series. Interesting story. Helps if you know basics for the Italian police system and a bit of pre through early WW2 history of the Italian monarchy and rise of fascism.
All the twists and turns about art are irreverent. Motive for murder is simple jealousy