La tentación del perdón

Commissario Brunetti #27

by Donna Leon

Rare book

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Italy, Crime, Audiobook, Procedural, Mystery Thriller

336 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 2018

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

[Andrew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 27th book I’ve read in this delightful series, so by now I know what to expect. The usual cast will be present and there will be a crime – of course, it’s a crime fiction series – and there will be social comment too. The crime sometimes plays quite a small part in the overall piece and at other times it’s at the forefront of the tale. Here I was over half way through and I still wasn’t sure if a crime had actually been committed. In time it became clear that one had, but here the illegal act itself is really just a backdrop to the author’s thoughts and ruminations on a whole host of issues facing people living in the Veneto region today.

The regular cast comprises Guido Brunetti (Commissario of Police in Venice), his family, his boss and his secretary and Guido’s long time henchman and colleague Inspector Lorenzo Vianello. In this episode, Guido is visited at the Questora by a colleague of his wife (a professor at the university) who expresses concerns regarding her son. His behaviour is worrying her and she believes he may be taking drugs. She wants to know if Brunetti can look into the matter and, if it turns out to be what she suspects, apprehend the drug dealer(s) responsible. A little later the professor’s husband is found injured at the foot of a bridge, late at night. Are these matters related?

It seems that in Venice there’s always time for a coffee and a wonder around the city, so Guido engages himself in both activities whilst he contemplates the situation and asks a few questions of people who may know a thing or two about what might be going on. All of this takes some time and the story is slow to develop. In the meantime, Leon engages us on a range of topics that clearly trouble Venetians today. For example:

1. The MOSE project (short for Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico) which seeks to provide a barrier to prevent Venice from flooding. I happened to see a documentary on this a little while ago and it’s a truly massive project that’s been in progress for years. But there does seem to be some scepticism that it will actually achieve what it’s designed to - and the cost has run into billions of Euros.

2. The feeling that the public no longer trusts the police – the feeling, in fact, that the contract with the state has been broken. Brunetti himself seems to be struggling with this thought, even to the extent that he is having doubts regarding the efficacy of some of the laws he’s employed to enforce.

3. The fear that tourism has totally taken over the city, with giant cruise ships passing through the lagoon and local shops now selling cheap glass imports from China as opposed to locally made products. Guido’s wife is prone to ask where can someone now buy a zip as a demonstration of the sort of practical issue exposed by these changes.

I do like the time I spend with my Venetian friends each year, as the next episode in this series is released. This may not be the most gripping book Leon has released but it is intelligent, thought provoking and heart warming. Long may the series continue.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been very fond of this series, but this was not up to par in my estimation. The characters seemed flawed, the mystery was somewhat chaotic and confusing, and the ending was abrupt. Some parts of it were rather boring while others were less amusing or interesting than the Leon I know and love. It still kept my attention and Brunetti found his answers, but it seemed as though everyone involved was a bit cranky and/or argumentative. It was an average, but not redemptive, read.

[EAK · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a Brunetti addict, but sometimes the endless detail is just padding. I think Leon wants the reader to proceed at the same measured. thoughtful pace as Brunetti, hence the noting of every hand movement, sideways glance, sitting posture for every character.

Furthermore, while I once found Elettra’s hacking clever and comical, we are now living In a world where it’s all too close to home. To me, she has become sinister, not a dea ex machina.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenging device in use while out of country, but must note this may be a favorite of the series. How beautiful it can be to enter the thinking of a loved character as well as the serenity and security of his personal life.
Can not conquer itsy keyboard. Update after return home. Great read!

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the characters as always and the lovely descriptions of Venice. BUT, the series seems to be wearing out.

Where would Brunetti be without Signorina Elettra and her computer skills?

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guido Brunetti is following the most usual police work for any city. It's an assault with resultant severe to possibly fatal injury to a man who has fallen over a railing and down a bridged overpass. He (the victim) is a husband too to one of Paola's teaching co-workers, the Professor of Architect Design. Other than a domestic (and could this BE one)- it's the most common thieving grab or revenge or drunken brawl type of occurrence. How did he fall? Why are there marks on his wrist as if from finger nails-those grade of scratches? This victim's history is straight arrow and the most diligent type of family man and working citizen. His wife and two children are stricken with worry and grief.

It's not my favorite Brunetti but it is also far from the most twisted and bizarre or other rather "out there" couple of episodes somewhere in the middle of this long series which seemed manufactured for fiction and improbable all the way to upmost impossibly. This November placed sequence seems like it could very well occur. It also holds some delicious quotes and context for the fixed "knowledge" of what Italians connote as their government, its purpose, and the actual, real every day, effectiveness of its role actually playing in modern individual life. It sets a stage in which all are actors. And no less than within the posturings of the accountants, lawyers, teachers, police, doctors and pharmacists. All of these professions are represented with sublime personal individual characterizations in this Brunetti #27.

Leon has some extremely sharp two or 3 word phrasings too. Just delicious. One of them was about a psychic smile. I'd add a few but I had to bring the book back earlier, another was waiting for it.

Paola cooks and reads in bed a lot in this one but also holds some interesting conversations. Some include the kids. And Raffi is eating all the time- do I remember that phase! In fact, both of the kids have time to add some opinions about having the 2nd or 3rd home for vacations. Seeing their entire lifestyle and travel with grandparents etc.- I thought that those were 4 to 5 star additions. Paola/ Leon gets in her usual anti-religion blips- but also seems more patient with Guido's schedule than the usual. Maybe it is because she is going to lunch or out for a meal instead anyway?

But Scarpa and Patta are prime from the get-go in this one. Patta is even NICE to Guido. Watch out! Elletra has more than turned a corner on "permissions". I note in other books' reviews for this series how all think she is so feisty but good will/ high relativity to what's kind of a tech guru "good" guy. And I always disagreed with that view. Here I see her for herself. She's sneaky yes, but she is also shifty. Her loyalty shifts, all shifts. And I have never viewed her as always being on Guido's "point man" spot. I think Elletra is always out for Elletra. This book shows how deep that goes. Can we say "leaker" and "illegal"? If you can manage it, she will- rules little bother her. Everything is relative- the "eyes" of majority Italian gone the most flowing to individual purposes may be most represented within our flower loving secretary's example. Under a demure smiling facade, at that. Whereas Guido is a "rule of law" man and barely admits any exceptions to resultant earned consequences for crossing them. Here especially, with regrets at times and here it will be large regret, it's STILL to the authorities /prison that the perp is ultimately delivered. Regardless of "empathy"!

90% of the book is interviews with suspects, witnesses, or back history information suppliers. Who is undermining the government's tax shares or profit shares from the RX or the illegal drug or high end cosmetic trade? Are they all entwined. Which are underground economies and free from the government "control" entities? Or are all? And why does no one report cheating or "on the side" issues of supply lack or being robbed to the police?

Some of the meals sound scrumptious- especially near the beginning of the book with the cauliflower based dinner.

It's a good case path. The plotting is excellent and I had no idea that the real perp was who it turned out to be. That's unusual. It was also quite the enjoyable read. Pages and pages of Venice directional movements (and A VERY DICEY FOG), and locale remarks of its birth to now citizens' "eyes". Plus we have a Naples born and raised to parry those observations as Guido's police partner. And she is forever stating how inferior Venice's coffee etc. are. and making snappy quips. Loved it. She does the "good cop" sublimely. Also Guido reads the papers more than usual (while on watch) and there is ultimate Italian comment upon the monstrosity in the lagoon which is never going to work for the purposes it was built.

There is a 5 star portion about the inherent quality of GREED that describes what is cored in the Venetian psyche for centuries re material things for "ownership" and money. And some priceless comparisons to family importance too as compared to the "family as idol" Southern Italian paradigm.

Very slow moving book but exactly how I want a Guido book to be- and ALL ARE ACTORS. Guido is especially in this one. He plays the "bad cop". The only thing I felt was missing was the animals. None in this book. Hand gestures and eye glances with chin pointing - twice more than average.

Best series around for the locale / emotive sense/ sharp intellect of the "unsaid". Absolutely.

[Elizabeth (Alaska) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad I found myself in front of another in this series. As I recall, some in the series have more than others of Brunetti, the family man. This was one with more and I was happy for that. Coming home from work, Guido found his wife fixing one of his favorite dinners. ‘If I promise to clean my plate, will you run off to Tahiti with me for a week of wild excess?’ he asked as he put his arms around Paola and nuzzled at the back of her neck.

The case for the novel involves a man who has either fallen or been pushed from a bridge. He is found unconscious with a bloody head wound. The man does not have any ID on him, but as it happens Brunetti recognizes him. He is the husband of a woman who came to see him about the possibility that her 15-year old son might be involved in drugs.

Brunetti finds himself reading Antigone over several days while he is working on the case. I will confess that I have not read any Sophocles, but I think it is possible that some would characterize this as a retelling. Brunetti wrestles with the question of whether it is right to break the law to do that which you think is morally right. This is certainly a heady dilemma for a policeman.

The title of this Brunetti novel is important with that background. Further comments would wander smack into spoiler territory. I'll just say that Donna Leon gives us more to think about than is usual for a mystery. That, the good writing and characterization has me placing this in the strong 4-star category, which is pretty much the top of my ratings for mysteries.

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Sentence: Having left the apartment smack on time so as to arrive at the Questura on time for a meeting with his superior, Brunetti found himself seated toward the rear of a Number One vaporetto, glancing idly through a copy of that morning’s Gazzettino.

Commissario Guido Brunetti is approached by a co-worker of his wife asking his help in stopping the people she thinks may be selling drugs to her son. Unfortunately, there is really nothing he can do. When her husband, Tullio Gasparini, is found at the foot of a bridge with a severe head injury, it opens the way to a possible connection. But nothing is simple. It takes the help of his colleague Commissario, Claudia Griffoni, his boss’s secretary, the remarkable Signorina Elettra, and the reading of Sophocles’ Antigone, to reach a solution.

A map! All gratitude goes to publishers who include a map. It not only orients the reader but helps one feel part of the story.

It takes no time at all to be reminded why Leon is such a popular and successful author. No prologue here. Instead, one is sitting next to Brunetti in what quickly goes from a normal commute to one filled with tension. But there is still that touch of the familiar with which we can all identify—“Brunetti turned and looked at the man sitting on his right, but saw that he was so rapt by whatever showed on the screen of his phone that he would not have noticed seraphs had they descended and flown in close formation on either side of the boat.”

Leon’s introduction of Brunetti’s boss is familiar to most who have worked in the corporate world—“He seemed busier than he was; he never missed the opportunity to claim for himself any praise given to the organization for which he worked; he had a black belt in shifting blame or responsibility for failure to shoulders other than his own.” While it is his bosses’ secretary, Signorina Elletra Zorzi one can’t help but truly admire, it is Brunetti himself who makes loyal fans of her readers—"Why are you always so kind to him, Signore?’ Signorina Elettra asked. Brunetti had to consider this: He had never given conscious thought to how to respond to Alvise. ‘Because he needs it,’ he said.”

Leon’s metaphors are to be savoured, and Brunetti’s definition of the law makes one think—'“It’s not important what either of us thinks about the law.’ ‘Then what is important?’ ‘That innocent people be protected. That’s what laws are meant to do,” he said.”’ Every word is a gift.

It is nice, though sad, to learn more about Brunetti’s background. It also clarifies the way by which he reached one of his views. The scenes of Brunetti, especially those with his family, are so relatable and real. He is a cultured man who comfortably uses words such as “metonym,” and reads Antigone. How refreshing is his attitude toward guns, and how radical a cultural difference. Being in Italy, there is always food such as a simple lunch of celery root soup and veal meatballs wrapped in speck [a dense, ruddy ham].

Inspector Claudia Griffoni is a wonderful addition and, in some ways, foil to Brunetti. As opposed to his wife Paoli, Griffoni shares his world but sees it from a woman’s perspective—“…men explaining their violence towards women and expecting people to believe they really didn’t have a choice. …And, if I might add, only men are stupid enough to believe it because they feel the same desire to control women…”

Leon’s descriptions are exacting, taking one beyond a sense of place, to a sense of being there. She provides small life lessons, her humor subtle and unforced. It is not easy to convey emotion, to truly make one feel that which is felt by the characters, yet Leon has the ability to do just that without going over the top.

The differences between Italian and US law is remarkable and eye-opening. In some ways, it is difficult to say which is better. Leon makes you think, feel, and question.

“The Temptation of Forgiveness is a mystery, yes. But more so, it is about relationships, desperation, and greed. There are no winners here.

THE TEMPTATAION OF FORGIVENESS (Pol Proc-Comm. Guido Brunetti-Venice, Italy-Contemp) - Ex
Leon, Donna – 27th in series
Atlantic Monthly Press – March 2017

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many tourists in Venice. The Italian government is corrupt and ineffectual. Billions of euros wasted on flood control gates that will never work. Cruise ships in Venice. These are the things that Leon doesn't like this time. Not exactly the Donna Leon of twenty years ago, who aimed her guns at the mafia, at fascists, at polluters, at the military. At least we can be grateful that she doesn't suggest that Lega Nord maybe has a point, as she did in the previous novel.

Whatever. We all get old. "Too many tourists in Venice" is just Leon's way of saying "stay off of my lawn."

It is pointless to reiterate the plot: like Brunetti, it wanders around somewhat aimlessly until, at the end, everything comes together rather neatly.

There is the now usual side plot involving signorina Elettra and her astonishing ability to break into every imaginable database - this time there are consequences with both legal and ethical repercussions. This is left unresolved, for some reason.

Patta (Brunetti's boss) is acting strangely human, almost decent, in fact. Why? We don't find out.

I don't know. This just seems like a good workmanlike police procedural, with a few ignorable flaws. I almost feel that I should go back and reread Death at La Fenice or Acqua Alta to see if my recollection is correct; that the early novels in the series were spectacularly better than the more recent ones.

[Holly Socolow · Rating 3 out of 5]

At one point in this tale, Commissario Brunetti and his wife, Paola, are speaking about the folly of fiction. How it has pat endings that don't happen in real life. Brunetti quips that "fiction is fiction," which Paola thinks is hilarious. I'm wondering if that was the structure of this book, as I found the ending unsatisfactory. The story itself was meandering, with many loose ends, and it seemed like Leon was making it up as she went. One plot line was never resolved at all. I was waiting for it to tie together, and it never did.

[Kenneth Iltz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read EARTHLY REMAINS last year and was reminded how much I liked Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti books. My opinion changed after reading THE TEMPTATION OF FORGIVENESS.
I thought that the book (#27 in the series) was a patchwork put together to meet a publishing deadline. The plot wound around issues and people unrelated to the plot. The pharmacy scam that is central to discovering the culprits was a little thin and bizarre. Let's hope that Donna Leon does a better job on her next book.

[Jim Angstadt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Temptation of Forgiveness (Commissario Brunetti #27)
Donna Leon

The subtitle: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery

This is a very enjoyable series. Not so much as a mystery, but more about life, it's meaning, our ruminations about it. When good or bad things happen, how do/should we deal with it? The title speaks to this question. When something is "wrong" but it was done for a "right" reason, we can be uneasy about our path forward.

[Vera 4theloveofwords · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read all 26 earlier Commissario Brunetti novels and I've loved them all. So when number 27 came out I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Imagine my dismay when I discovered I didn't get along with it at all. It bored me almost to death. It felt greyish and chaotic. Too many issues remained unresolved. Next to a likeable sympathetic and clever Brunetti Venice, the Brunetti family and delicious Italian food are what make this series great. However in this novel these extras seem to be hovering in the background, never clearly there. Paula isn't her feisty self nor is Signora Elettra. I even missed Paula's parents and their Palazzo. What I did like were Brunetti's thoughts on Sophocles' Antigone. Here's hoping that the next one will suit me better!

[Roman Clodia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Leon's sleight of hand here as we think we're going to be in one kind of investigation but actually it turns out to be quite another crime. Brunetti is reading 'Antigone' so we know there's going to be some debate about whether or when it's ok to defy the law, though there's no doubt about the conclusion by the end. There's perhaps less of the Brunetti family that in some books, but his Questura colleagues fill that space very nicely.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vídeo review aquí https://youtu.be/TloP1gGQXCY el 23 marzo 2018 :)

[Inés · Rating 3 out of 5]

3'5 ⭐

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been a solid fan of Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti books; until this one, I’ve loved them all. This book seemed a departure from the others. The plot line was fuzzy, involving a scheme to take advantage of elderly dementia patients. Leon’s typical laments about corrupt government, tax evasion, the reputation of the police force, etc became repetitious whines. As with some other recent novels in this series, the ending was not “complete”—no indication whether justice was finally served or not. It was still an enjoyable-enough read, thus the 3 stars and not lower, but compared to the other novels, it was a disappointment. However, I will continue my mission to read all of the series in order, with the hope that the following novels are more in line with her earlier books.

[BOOKLOVER EB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guido Brunetti is a thoughtful, compassionate, and even-tempered man, who is well-read and curious about human behavior. Even he might admit that his job as Commissario di Polizia in Venice is not particularly taxing. Brunetti relies heavily on the expertise of the incomparable Signora Elletra Zorzi, who apparently can hack into any database at will. When Brunetti needs medical, employment, or financial records, many of which are confidential, the commissario asks Signorina Elletra for help, and she is more than happy to comply. In Donna Leon's "The Temptation of Forgiveness," Brunetti investigates an assault on Tullio Gasparini, who is married to a colleague of Guido's wife.

The author takes us on a tour of Venice's sights, including the city's fog-bound canals, picturesque cathedrals, and vaporettos or waterbuses. In addition, Leon describes in delectable detail the meals that Guido's wife, Paola, prepares for her husband and two children. On a more serious note, there is social commentary about corruption among government officials and the inducements that lead people to engage in illegal activities.

To Leon's credit "The Temptation of Forgiveness" reveals Brunetti's flaws as well as his strengths. No one would accuse him of being a workaholic. He takes time from his workday to enjoy a stroll, read the local newspaper, eat a leisurely lunch, or gaze out the window. He also makes an uncharacteristic error in judgment that leads him to misread the evidence and jump to an erroneous conclusion. By far, the most compelling scenes of the novel take place during its final pages, when Guido confronts a felon for whom he feels a measure of sympathy. This latest installment in Leon's long-running series is not particularly compelling or fast-paced, but it is worth reading for its varied cast of characters, wry humor, atmospheric descriptive writing, and insight into the decisions we make for good or ill.

[Dorothy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars for a Brunetti novel? Unthinkable! But I'm afraid Ms Leon is not on her usual form.

I am so fond of Commissario Brunetti that I would read a book about him eating a tramezzini, but the first half of this novel pushed me to the limit. Scene after scene where every hand gesture and head tilt is documented, Brunetti is given deep philosophical thoughts about Antigone, and not much else. Too much of it was either padding to reach the word count, or Ms Leon wanting to get on her hobby horse about something. The pharmaceutical scam seemed bizarre and I'm not sure I ever fully understood it.

I think if someone new to the series started with this one, they'd give up halfway through and never read another - which would be a pity, as the earlier books are so delicious.

The structure of the novel is the same as usual - yes there is a crime to solve, but other elements are just as important. Brunetti's home life with his wife and children, the backdrop of the society and scenery of Venice, the research skills of Elettra and the corruption of Italian bureaucracy are all there, but the balance feels all wrong. Brunetti's home seems to have lost its warmth. When Venice is mentioned it's mainly to criticise its current condition. Elettra has turned into a full-scale computer hacker (in earlier books, she gleaned her information from a network of contacts in government departments as well as her own efforts) and Brunetti seems to sit back and rely on her to do everything. Disappointing.

[Biblio Files (takingadayoff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would not recommend this one for someone who isn't already familiar with the Commissario Guido Brunetti series. For those who know the stately pace of Donna Leon's mysteries and the often inconclusive endings, this is still a novel that might get very different reactions. I enjoyed it, but I also wonder if there's some kind of reckoning in the near future, regarding the increasing dependence of Brunetti's team on the extra-legal computer hacking by Signorina Elettra.

Brunetti seems unusually lazy and sloppy in this case. Leon even highlights it in one scene, when he has alienated one source of information and since the source is a colleague of Paola's, he's possibly created a rift between the two, all to no end. Meanwhile, his reliance on Elettra's hacking skills has resulted in the unauthorized release of a suspect's name, with unfortunate results. And it emphasizes the risk that Elettra is taking should she be caught, as well as Brunetti. Many times the information he wants is information that he probably has access to, but doesn't want to wait for a warrant or to go through the inconvenience of the normal bureaucracy. But he certainly doesn't seem to be much of a detective if he can't be bothered to respect the law or the privacy rights of the people of Venice.

In Leon's novels there are no heroes.

[Bebe (Sarah) Brechner · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, the incomparable Donna Leon provides another satisfying mystery and general commentary on life, Venetian and otherwise, featuring her longstanding protagonist Commissario Guido Brunetti. Leon writes with a philosophical, wry, dark tone that well suits the intricacies of Italian life, politics, and culture. Where else will you find a police commissioner reading the plays of Sophocles and musing about their meaning or commenting on Argumentum ad Absurdum at work? These stories (this is the 27th!) are always deeply interesting and a bit unsettling. Each one is perfectly readable as a standalone, but for those of us who have followed Brunetti and family throughout the years, each story gets richer and more powerful. Highly recommended!

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/7/18 Full review tk. I wanted to like this a lot more than I ultimately did.

9/2/18 Ha, wow, I didn't realize I'd get this many likes from a one-line review, so here's the full thing I wrote for work, if you're interested: https://www.criminalelement.com/revie... My main criticism otherwise had to do with the undertones of xenophobia I felt in the text, which made me uncomfortable enough to not want to read more of the author. Perhaps if I need to for work, perhaps it will be better. Here's hoping.

[Linden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Venetian Commissario Guido Brunetti has another puzzling case, this one involving drugs. Is someone selling drugs in an exclusive local private school? Is there some irregularity involving the drugs sold at a certain pharmacy to elderly Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients? And what really happened to the man found with severe head injuries on a bridge at the dead of night? Donna Leon crafts another well-written mystery, a must-read for fans of both the series and of Venice.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one from Donna Leon. No repulsive villains here...just "ordinary" people doing their best to live, one way or another, in the swamp of Italy. As long as there is football on television, no one pays much attention to the swamp. Brunetti "glanced at the headlines on a copy of the Gazzettino and was puzzled by how familiar it all sounded until he glanced at the date and saw that it was yesterday's edition. He closed it, wondering how it was that every issue could contain at least eight pages with headlines that blared news of profound schisms and new formations that would completely change the face of national politics at the same time as nothing changed and nothing happened."

A person in financial trouble because of a handicapped son and an unhelpful ex-husband discovers how to use the swamp to survive. Another person decides that this must be punished. The plot unwinds with Leon's usual deliberate precision and we are forced to admit that given the situation, we too would probably use the swamp. No matter our point of view about justice, abstract or concrete.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have bought every one of Donna Leon's Superintendent Brunetti books and have never regretted a purchase. In this book, once again, our hero solves a crime or several crimes while enjoying the beauties of his home city Venice along with food and his family. Once again too, we are confronted by the corruption of the Italian government as well as many of its citizens.
I was struck by the following passage - I don't think quoting it gives anything away:
The contract's been broken, between us and the state, or been dissolved, but no one wants to make the news public. We know there's no contract any more, and they know we know. They don't care what we want our have any real interest in what happens to us or in what we want... And there's nothing we can do.
I felt this expressed how many of us, in our separate countries, feel now we are living in the post-truth era.

[Andra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Temptation of Forgiveness in the 27th book in Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti series.

The commissario is surprised at work by a visit from a colleague of his wife, Paola. Since her son has started his second year at the liceo, he has started acting in a manner that suggests he is doing drugs. She expects Brunetti to do something about it. To investigate who is selling the drugs and arrest them. Some time after, her husband is found badly concussed at the foot of a bridge, after midnight. At first glance it looks like he fell, but the doctor found marks on his body that suggest he could have been pushed down the bridge. Who would have wanted to do this to such an ordinary guy? With his colleagues, commissario Griffoni, ispettore Vianello and information gathered by signorina Elettra, Brunetti tries to discover what happened. Has it got anything to do with the drugs thing? With his work? Did he do or say anything unusual in the past few weeks? Had anything suspicious happened to him recently?

Brunetti is reading Sophocles' play, Antigone. Antigone defies king Creon and buries her brother, Polynices. She does it because she believes that is the right thing to do and doesn't care about the consequences. At the same time, Ismene, her sister, although loving her brother, thinks they shouldn't go against the laws of the state.

I enjoyed reading this Brunetti novel. The story was interesting and it maintained my attention. Like usual, I was entertained by the descriptions of Venice and Venetian life, scams and petty crime in Venice, low level Italian corruption and office politics at the Questura. It was a very relaxing book to read.

[Rafa Sánchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Los seguidores del comisario Brunetti estamos encantados cada año de encontrarnos con nuestro viejo amigo, nos da un poco igual de qué se trate cada ocasión, sabemos que leyendo a Donna Leon vamos a pasar buenos momentos de satisfacción. La serie de novelas del comisario Brunetti te permite ser espectador del desarrollo de trabajo como investigador, de sus ideas sobre la sociedad o la familia y siempre te compensa, Brunetti es un tipo que cae simpático. En las últimas novelas, la escritora tiene el acierto de mostrar a la comisaria Claudia Griffoni, que le da un contrapunto femenino a la trama policial. Cada vez me gusta más esta serie.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

The joy in the series is the fundamental goodness of our commissario and his allies in a world that appears fundamentally bad.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glad I went back to this series -- the character of Brunetti feels a little fresher. He makes a mistake in his character analysis and then the solution to the crime takes him down an unexpected and morally ambiguous path. Brunetti is reading Sophocles's Antigone & it gives him some insight and comfort at the end.

[Frederick (Ted) and Barbara K. Hecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read with an ambiguous denouement

The first half or so is excellent. A simple but strong story. Then with three suspects, the narrative hits first a dead-end, then backtracks to a solution that implicates the other two suspects.
The denouement is ambiguous, as is often the case in the Donna Leon/Guido Brunetti canon.