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Commissario Brunetti #12
Uniform Justice
For more than a decade Donna Leon has been a bestseller in Europe with a series of mysteries featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti. Always ready to bend the rules to solve a crime, Brunetti manages to maintain his integrity while maneuvering through a city rife with politics, corruption, and intrigue.
In Uniform Justice, a young cadet has been found hanged, a presumed suicide, in Venice's elite military academy. Brunetti's sorrow for the boy, so close in age to his own son, is rivaled only by his contempt for a community that is more concerned with protecting the reputation of the school, and its privileged students, than with finding the truth. The young man's father is a doctor and former politician. He is a man of an impeccable integrity who inexplicably avoids talking to the police. As Brunetti pursues his inquiry, he is faced with a wall of silence. Is the military protecting its own? Or has Brunetti uncovered a conspiracy far more sinister than that of a single death?
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First published January 1, 2003
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About the author
Donna Leon
107 books2,923 followersDonna 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 650 reviews
August 24, 2024
A Weak Ending.
Another story of Commissario Brunetti is here, and he is solving the case of a military student’s death.
Although it looks a lot like suicide, Brunetti is suspicious that the boy has been murdered.
He goes on an extensive investigation into the incident. Blaming his lack of progress on the lack of support he receives.
For example, he receives a lot of, “I don’t know what happened.” “It seems like a suicide to me.” “I didn’t see what happened.” He gets a lot of this.
Brunetti is thinking hard as he walks amongst the calls. He is trying to find the connections that he usually finds himself in a mystery.
The fact is he has only a few friends who he can talk to about his own suspicions of the mystery. But he puts his friends to good use.
The author, Donna Leon, takes Brunetti on a walk through the city of Venice, where he is exploring his life and options.
She takes him all the way to the back of the school to see if he can find what he wants. And he gets it. But he doesn’t have the ability to get it done and he doesn’t know how to do so.
Four stars. 💫💫💫💫
Another story of Commissario Brunetti is here, and he is solving the case of a military student’s death.
Although it looks a lot like suicide, Brunetti is suspicious that the boy has been murdered.
He goes on an extensive investigation into the incident. Blaming his lack of progress on the lack of support he receives.
For example, he receives a lot of, “I don’t know what happened.” “It seems like a suicide to me.” “I didn’t see what happened.” He gets a lot of this.
Brunetti is thinking hard as he walks amongst the calls. He is trying to find the connections that he usually finds himself in a mystery.
The fact is he has only a few friends who he can talk to about his own suspicions of the mystery. But he puts his friends to good use.
The author, Donna Leon, takes Brunetti on a walk through the city of Venice, where he is exploring his life and options.
She takes him all the way to the back of the school to see if he can find what he wants. And he gets it. But he doesn’t have the ability to get it done and he doesn’t know how to do so.
Four stars. 💫💫💫💫
February 3, 2024
Book 12 of the series may be one of my favorites. There's not a lot of action, but rather a lot of contemplation and discussion about the political and military classes in Venice and Italy. The book centers around the death of a 17-year-old boy in a Military Academy in Venice. Everyone is sure it was a suicide, but there was no suicide note, and, the boy had given no external indication of being unhappy or dismayed leading up to his death. Inspector Brunetti is on the case and something just does not seem right to him, so he keeps looking into possible external reasons for the boys death. Brunetti ponders the fate of Venice, Italian politics, the military, and these military academies, that aremtraining of young people, to think and act the same way as their forefathers. All the students in this Academy are children of either rich politicians or military leaders so they continue to create a class of individuals who feel they are above and beyond regular citizens as well as the law. as the book goes on, we find out that the young man's parents are separated, that his mother had been shot in the leg two years previously, that his sister is nowhere to be found, and that things just don't quite add up. His father had been a crusading politician and nobody wants that in Italy because no one wants to stop the corruption or the graft that keeps the country running. As I said one of my favorite books, and like most all of Donna Lyons works nothing ever is tied up with a neat ribbon at the end of the book. Was it suicide, was it murder, is there justice, and is there just more of the same that is beginning to drag, and wear upon Brunetti? A wonderful book!
October 18, 2016
Uniform Justice, the riveting 12th addition to Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti Series is a complex, thought-provoking and sad story that captures you from the very first page and lingers in your mind long after you finished the last page.
Commissario Guido Brunetti called to the exclusive San Martino Military Academy, where Cadet Ernesto Moro dead , which the academy authorities have very quickly consider as a suicide and are doing everything possible not to co-operate with the Venetian police. But when the victim is revealed to be the son of a former Parliament member who had been forced to retire for an expose on corruption in the military - a man of integrity and honesty, something that is very rare in Italian politics, Brunetti believes that the young man is a victim of homicide and not suicide.
Brunetti , in his continuing quest for justice is once again hampered by the bureaucrat government officials that run on bribes, secrets and corruption and will use whatever means available to retain their position of wealth and power and this is so clearly seen by the senseless death of Ernesto Moro, a young man who did not deserve to die so young.
Venice at this time is dark and grey, foggy.............menacing....
Commissario Guido Brunetti called to the exclusive San Martino Military Academy, where Cadet Ernesto Moro dead , which the academy authorities have very quickly consider as a suicide and are doing everything possible not to co-operate with the Venetian police. But when the victim is revealed to be the son of a former Parliament member who had been forced to retire for an expose on corruption in the military - a man of integrity and honesty, something that is very rare in Italian politics, Brunetti believes that the young man is a victim of homicide and not suicide.
Brunetti , in his continuing quest for justice is once again hampered by the bureaucrat government officials that run on bribes, secrets and corruption and will use whatever means available to retain their position of wealth and power and this is so clearly seen by the senseless death of Ernesto Moro, a young man who did not deserve to die so young.
The humane side of Brunetti is never seen so well as when he contemplates the love for his family and how he would feel if something ever happened to one of his children....
Suddenly he had a vision of what it must have been for the Moros to attempt to remove evidence of Ernesto’s presence from their homes, and he thought of the danger that would remain behind: a single, lonely sock found at the back of a closet could break a mother’s heart anew; a Spice Girls disc carelessly shoved into the plastic case meant to hold Vivaldi’s flute sonatas could shatter any calm. Months, perhaps years, would pass before the house would stop being a minefield, every cabinet or drawer to be opened with silent dread.How much more important the love for his family is than politics.
Venice at this time is dark and grey, foggy.............menacing....
Outstanding and unforgettable story.
February 15, 2012
Anyone who buys this book seeking a standard whodunnit will be disappointed, as at least one reviewer has plainly been. How sad to miss the growing depth of Donna Leon's portrayal of Venice, corruption in the Italian way of life, and the effect it has on the people who inhabit it.
Strangely, it seems to me that the crime element of Uniform Justice - an apparent suicide in a military academy - makes for a more interesting and plausible narrative than has been the case in some of the author's novels. At the same time, the development of Commissario Brunetti's character grows ever more perceptive. This is a a detective with flaws, as the genre seems to demand, but here they are not due to drink or drugs. Brunetti procrastinates when a telephone call may not be easy to make. His decision-making at a crucial stage of the suicide investigation is faulty. At the end his reluctance to take what might be seen as the just course is undermined because he can envision what would be the outcome in similar circumstances in his own family.
Donna Leon has created an eminently credible human being in her Commissario. Her view of him is humane but that does not mean that through him she cannot express abhorrence at corruption in public life. It would not have been beyond her to manufacture a 'correct' happy ending; that she does not do so is one of the attributes that set her apart as a crime writer.
Strangely, it seems to me that the crime element of Uniform Justice - an apparent suicide in a military academy - makes for a more interesting and plausible narrative than has been the case in some of the author's novels. At the same time, the development of Commissario Brunetti's character grows ever more perceptive. This is a a detective with flaws, as the genre seems to demand, but here they are not due to drink or drugs. Brunetti procrastinates when a telephone call may not be easy to make. His decision-making at a crucial stage of the suicide investigation is faulty. At the end his reluctance to take what might be seen as the just course is undermined because he can envision what would be the outcome in similar circumstances in his own family.
Donna Leon has created an eminently credible human being in her Commissario. Her view of him is humane but that does not mean that through him she cannot express abhorrence at corruption in public life. It would not have been beyond her to manufacture a 'correct' happy ending; that she does not do so is one of the attributes that set her apart as a crime writer.
October 15, 2015
The plot in this book is basically nonexistent and is an excuse for Donna Leon to have Many Opinions on the Military, as well as the inefficiencies of Italian government. This might not work for you if you, you know, care about plot, but luckily for everyone, I would read Brunetti's diary and be perfectly happy with it.
Highlights of this installment:
- Brunetti struggling with "unfamiliar" Euro coins as he gets on the traghetto. The Brunettiverse has transitioned off of lire, y'all!
- Comparisons between mother-in-laws and Parliament ("an alien presence that made ever-increasing demands in return for the vain promise of domestic harmony")
- Signora Elettra inventing a son she names "Filiberto," with the second choice name being "Eriprando"
- Vianello chilling with the chickens at the Ruffo country home
- Brunetti asking if the files he needs are on a computer, and then laughing as if he was joking about not knowing where they were stored
- Lunches that are defined as light because Brunetti "only" has a quartino of white wine and a single grappa
I found some of the scenes rather bizarre in terms of investigative strategy. The scene between Brunetti and his old school-friend was extremely strange, in that I wasn't really sure what Brunetti was trying to get out of that meeting or why that was included in the book at all. The other conversations seemed a little off, as well. (Could Donna Leon really be trying to add filler to the twelfth book in a series??!?) But that ending conversation was played perfectly.
Possibly the most disappointing part of this book is the scene where Brunetti and Paola go out to Sommariva on a whim. Usually Donna Leon spends pages and pages describing the food in minute detail, which is my favorite part! In this case, she goes with:
KNOCKING OFF A FULL STAR FOR THIS ALARMING OMISSION! GIVE ME LOBSTER OR GIVE ME DEATH!!
Highlights of this installment:
- Brunetti struggling with "unfamiliar" Euro coins as he gets on the traghetto. The Brunettiverse has transitioned off of lire, y'all!
- Comparisons between mother-in-laws and Parliament ("an alien presence that made ever-increasing demands in return for the vain promise of domestic harmony")
- Signora Elettra inventing a son she names "Filiberto," with the second choice name being "Eriprando"
- Vianello chilling with the chickens at the Ruffo country home
- Brunetti asking if the files he needs are on a computer, and then laughing as if he was joking about not knowing where they were stored
- Lunches that are defined as light because Brunetti "only" has a quartino of white wine and a single grappa
I found some of the scenes rather bizarre in terms of investigative strategy. The scene between Brunetti and his old school-friend was extremely strange, in that I wasn't really sure what Brunetti was trying to get out of that meeting or why that was included in the book at all. The other conversations seemed a little off, as well. (Could Donna Leon really be trying to add filler to the twelfth book in a series??!?) But that ending conversation was played perfectly.
Possibly the most disappointing part of this book is the scene where Brunetti and Paola go out to Sommariva on a whim. Usually Donna Leon spends pages and pages describing the food in minute detail, which is my favorite part! In this case, she goes with:
"I'll meet you there at eight."
Almost three hours later, a lobster-filled Brunetti and his champagne-filled consort climbed the stairs to their apartment, his steps slowed by satisfying fullness, hers by the grappa she'd drunk after dinner.
KNOCKING OFF A FULL STAR FOR THIS ALARMING OMISSION! GIVE ME LOBSTER OR GIVE ME DEATH!!
September 26, 2021
3.5 stars, rounded up
Guido Brunetti is a true Renaissance man, who appreciates beauty in all its forms. He is also in possession of a wry humor and the ability to manipulate those less intelligent, especially his boss. Every time I listen to another book in this series, I find myself walking around smiling because I just enjoy being in his company.
In this, the 12th in the series, Brunetti is called to the apparent suicide of a young cadet at a military school. His father was a former parliamentarian, one of the few not known to be corrupt. Brunetti finds himself stymied at every turn in his investigation. Neither the parents or anyone at the school seems willing to help. Still, Guido refuses to believe it’s a suicide. As the investigation goes on, Brunetti finds political intrigue and corruption. It was pretty apparent from the beginning what was behind the death, so it was less intense than other books in the series.
Still, it’s an enjoyable story, made more so by the characters.
David Colucci is a great narrator of this series.
Guido Brunetti is a true Renaissance man, who appreciates beauty in all its forms. He is also in possession of a wry humor and the ability to manipulate those less intelligent, especially his boss. Every time I listen to another book in this series, I find myself walking around smiling because I just enjoy being in his company.
In this, the 12th in the series, Brunetti is called to the apparent suicide of a young cadet at a military school. His father was a former parliamentarian, one of the few not known to be corrupt. Brunetti finds himself stymied at every turn in his investigation. Neither the parents or anyone at the school seems willing to help. Still, Guido refuses to believe it’s a suicide. As the investigation goes on, Brunetti finds political intrigue and corruption. It was pretty apparent from the beginning what was behind the death, so it was less intense than other books in the series.
Still, it’s an enjoyable story, made more so by the characters.
David Colucci is a great narrator of this series.
March 6, 2022
This didn’t have the usual Commissario Brunetti style of the other books. And I didn’t like the ending.
I kept expecting Brunetti to read the medical examiner’s report to see if the boy had sex before he died. That would discredit the account of ‘how’ he died if there were no evidence of sex.
I kept expecting Brunetti to read the medical examiner’s report to see if the boy had sex before he died. That would discredit the account of ‘how’ he died if there were no evidence of sex.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2016
This one was deeper than the average Brunetti. It had a lot of politico slant, most of which I disagree with from at least a partial all the way to a fully opposite degree. But regardless, the interpretation of consequence for the appearance OR for the reality of a committed murder was superb. And also in outcome completely Italian. Not only in logic but in the process.
Corruption reigns. And stats put into category of complete opposition to the reality of truth in occurrences. Brunetti is as duplicitous as the system that causes him to sigh. Is he not?
Corruption reigns. And stats put into category of complete opposition to the reality of truth in occurrences. Brunetti is as duplicitous as the system that causes him to sigh. Is he not?
September 3, 2023
The message is frightening.
October 14, 2019
Brunetti's team investigates the apparent suicide of a teen at a military academy. Brunetti and Pucetti agree someone made it look like suicide. Their suspicions seem founded in light of the many things happening to the cadet's family over the last couple of years. The boy's father quickly resigned his legislative seat and separated from his wife following an "accident" in which his wife was shot. He investigated and presumably wrote a report divulging irregularities in military procurements. Italian corruption is a frequent theme in Leon's work, and this novel provides plenty to continue that theme. I enjoyed the development of Pucetti's character in this installment. He proves himself a capable young officer. Audiobook listeners will rejoice the Colacci returned to providing the narration after the last installment's mispronunciations by an inferior reader.
June 23, 2019
I've been quite happily plowing through Donna Leon's series featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti, enjoying his relationships with his family and his colleagues at the Questura, and especially enjoying all the descriptions of the food and wine consumed by the Brunetti family. But all of those pleasantries cannot completely disguise the fact that this is a very dark series.
The title of this twelfth entry, Uniform Justice, could be read in different ways. The "uniform" might refer to the military which in this story comes in for a bollocking by the author. Or it might be read as ironic: There is no such thing as uniform justice; there is "justice" for the rich and a much less salubrious "justice" for the poor. However you read it or interpret it, it is a thoroughly depressing view of Venetian society and, taken in a larger sense, Western society as a whole.
This book begins with Commissario Brunetti being called to investigate the death of a cadet at an elite Venetian military school. The young man was found hanging in the bathroom of his dormitory. The scene gives every appearance of having been a suicide, but Brunetti is naturally suspicious and keeps an open mind on the subject.
When he learns who the victim was, he becomes more suspicious for he was the son of a doctor and former politician of impeccable integrity, a rarity in Venetian politics. The doctor had authored a critical report about military procurement practices and shortly thereafter, his wife had been "accidentally" shot in the leg in an area where there was hunting taking place. Brunetti learns that there was also an "accident" involving the doctor's mother who was hit by a car. The driver fled the scene and she was not too seriously injured. But now, the family faces the tragedy of a son's death.
As Brunetti attempts to investigate the death, he is met by a wall of silence from the family and from the military school. None of the boys at the school will admit to having been friends with the victim or even knowing him very well and, of course, no one has any idea what happened to him. Moreover, the authorities at the school seem particularly reluctant to provide cooperation or information. And the family, who should be crying for justice, are suspiciously quiet. Is this some kind of conspiracy, perhaps related to a coverup of the dodgy military procurement practices the doctor had documented? Will Brunetti ever be able to find a way to break the code of silence and bring justice to the victim?
Spoiler alert - the answer to that last question is a resounding "No!"
Leon has a very low opinion of the Italian military and the government and she gives free rein to her detestation of those institutions here. Justice seems a concept that is foreign to both entities. I can understand her feelings in the matter, but her expression of those opinions here comes at the expense of plot development and at the expense of those loving descriptions of homely meals in the Brunetti dining room. As a result, the book just left me depressed and unsatisfied.
The title of this twelfth entry, Uniform Justice, could be read in different ways. The "uniform" might refer to the military which in this story comes in for a bollocking by the author. Or it might be read as ironic: There is no such thing as uniform justice; there is "justice" for the rich and a much less salubrious "justice" for the poor. However you read it or interpret it, it is a thoroughly depressing view of Venetian society and, taken in a larger sense, Western society as a whole.
This book begins with Commissario Brunetti being called to investigate the death of a cadet at an elite Venetian military school. The young man was found hanging in the bathroom of his dormitory. The scene gives every appearance of having been a suicide, but Brunetti is naturally suspicious and keeps an open mind on the subject.
When he learns who the victim was, he becomes more suspicious for he was the son of a doctor and former politician of impeccable integrity, a rarity in Venetian politics. The doctor had authored a critical report about military procurement practices and shortly thereafter, his wife had been "accidentally" shot in the leg in an area where there was hunting taking place. Brunetti learns that there was also an "accident" involving the doctor's mother who was hit by a car. The driver fled the scene and she was not too seriously injured. But now, the family faces the tragedy of a son's death.
As Brunetti attempts to investigate the death, he is met by a wall of silence from the family and from the military school. None of the boys at the school will admit to having been friends with the victim or even knowing him very well and, of course, no one has any idea what happened to him. Moreover, the authorities at the school seem particularly reluctant to provide cooperation or information. And the family, who should be crying for justice, are suspiciously quiet. Is this some kind of conspiracy, perhaps related to a coverup of the dodgy military procurement practices the doctor had documented? Will Brunetti ever be able to find a way to break the code of silence and bring justice to the victim?
Spoiler alert - the answer to that last question is a resounding "No!"
Leon has a very low opinion of the Italian military and the government and she gives free rein to her detestation of those institutions here. Justice seems a concept that is foreign to both entities. I can understand her feelings in the matter, but her expression of those opinions here comes at the expense of plot development and at the expense of those loving descriptions of homely meals in the Brunetti dining room. As a result, the book just left me depressed and unsatisfied.
August 29, 2017
A military school closes ranks when it is found that one of their own is hanging in the restroom. They assume that the case will soon be judged a suicide, but Commissario Brunetti isn't sure that that is the correct conclusion. Slowly, he digs through the layers of lies, half truths and the things people turn an eye to and finds himself wondering what is the world and Italy coming to.
A driving, compelling story that fortunately, I was able to read in nearly one sitting, because to do otherwise, was not an option.
A driving, compelling story that fortunately, I was able to read in nearly one sitting, because to do otherwise, was not an option.
May 4, 2021
This is one of the more tragic of Leon's books where Brunetti is emotionally wrenched by the apparent suicide of a 17 year old student, exactly the same age as his own son Raffi. The plot is more transparent than the book allows so Brunetti is still investigating well after I could easily see where it was going, but issues of evidence and even moral requirement emerge that complicate the case. We have the consolation of Vianello being even warmer than usual in the way he deals with a witness, and there are some lovely scenes between Guido and Paola to restore our emotional equilibrium.
July 15, 2015
This, the 12th in the Commissario Brunetti series, is one of the best. A refreshing change from the usual "who dunnit" genre. It is full of well drawn characters and a plot that, while it doesn't keep the reader guessing as to who is guilty, nevertheless does keep the reader guessing as to what is going to happen next right up to the last two or three pages.
The story opens when a young student is found hanging from the ceiling of a bathroom in the San Martino military academy. While it is an apparent suicide, Brunetti is suspicious as the boy is the son of Dottore Moro a doctor and former member of parliament who has a reputation of unimpeachable honesty for uncovering corruption in the Venetian Health Service. In addition, Brunetti is put off by the arrogant, almost hostile attitudes of both the staff and the students. So he sets out to prove that young Moro was murdered.
In the process, we are exposed to the failings of the Italian justice system which Brunetti understands but constantly tries to work around, especially when dealing with his incompetent superior, Vice-Questore Patta.
Brunetti does manage to attract like minded people to help, especially his boss's assistant and computer hacker, Signorina Elettra, who provides him with information he couldn't get any other way. He also depends on his wife Paola, to keep his head straight when he gets frustrated with the system.
Whenever I pick up a Donna Leon book, I anticipate being transported into another world peopled with interesting characters and compelling plots. This volume certainly didn't disappoint.
The story opens when a young student is found hanging from the ceiling of a bathroom in the San Martino military academy. While it is an apparent suicide, Brunetti is suspicious as the boy is the son of Dottore Moro a doctor and former member of parliament who has a reputation of unimpeachable honesty for uncovering corruption in the Venetian Health Service. In addition, Brunetti is put off by the arrogant, almost hostile attitudes of both the staff and the students. So he sets out to prove that young Moro was murdered.
In the process, we are exposed to the failings of the Italian justice system which Brunetti understands but constantly tries to work around, especially when dealing with his incompetent superior, Vice-Questore Patta.
Brunetti does manage to attract like minded people to help, especially his boss's assistant and computer hacker, Signorina Elettra, who provides him with information he couldn't get any other way. He also depends on his wife Paola, to keep his head straight when he gets frustrated with the system.
Whenever I pick up a Donna Leon book, I anticipate being transported into another world peopled with interesting characters and compelling plots. This volume certainly didn't disappoint.
August 29, 2017
I am a big Donna Leon fan, to the point that I am somewhat convinced Brunetti is real:)
Still, I was a little disappointed with this book. Brunetti and the characters of his family and colleagues are well done and true to life as ever, which is a good basis for a series, but the story falters. It centers around a 'maybe-suicide' at a boys military academy. Of course, whether it actually is a suicide is immediately called into question and Brunetti and his trust side-kick, Vianello, are on the case, assisted by the ever mysterious and clever Signorina Elettra. Unfortunately, the story never gathers much momentum and kind of slogs along. It's not bad, but it's not a stand out either. Further, the ending was very unsatisfying, to me at least. I won't say why, I don't want to give any spoilers, but I just wanted something else. Donna Leon writes about cases that feel very real, scarily real at times, and in that sense, it is logical that not every case has the neat conclusion one desires, but still...
On a whole though, it is not at all a bad book, just not her best either.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Still, I was a little disappointed with this book. Brunetti and the characters of his family and colleagues are well done and true to life as ever, which is a good basis for a series, but the story falters. It centers around a 'maybe-suicide' at a boys military academy. Of course, whether it actually is a suicide is immediately called into question and Brunetti and his trust side-kick, Vianello, are on the case, assisted by the ever mysterious and clever Signorina Elettra. Unfortunately, the story never gathers much momentum and kind of slogs along. It's not bad, but it's not a stand out either. Further, the ending was very unsatisfying, to me at least. I won't say why, I don't want to give any spoilers, but I just wanted something else. Donna Leon writes about cases that feel very real, scarily real at times, and in that sense, it is logical that not every case has the neat conclusion one desires, but still...
On a whole though, it is not at all a bad book, just not her best either.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
February 11, 2018
The saddest ending and the most ironic title.
Re-reading in the age of Trump:
"He turned and looked across the still waters at the disorderly domes of San Marco and the piebald walls of Palazzo Ducale, and thought of the peace their beauty brought him. How strange it was: nothing more than the arrangement of lines and colours, and he felt better than he had before he looked at them."
"A remark Anna Comnena had made about Robert Guiscard: 'Once a man has seized power, his love of money displays exactly the same characteristics as gangrene, for gangrene, once established in a body, never rests until it has invaded and corrupted the whole of it.'"
"'There's no justice here, Dottore,' he said, frightened to realize that he meant not only for this man and his family, but for this city, and this country, and their lives."
Re-reading in the age of Trump:
"He turned and looked across the still waters at the disorderly domes of San Marco and the piebald walls of Palazzo Ducale, and thought of the peace their beauty brought him. How strange it was: nothing more than the arrangement of lines and colours, and he felt better than he had before he looked at them."
"A remark Anna Comnena had made about Robert Guiscard: 'Once a man has seized power, his love of money displays exactly the same characteristics as gangrene, for gangrene, once established in a body, never rests until it has invaded and corrupted the whole of it.'"
"'There's no justice here, Dottore,' he said, frightened to realize that he meant not only for this man and his family, but for this city, and this country, and their lives."
November 23, 2025
Many of the Brunetti books have sad, less than satisfying endings. That makes them far more believable and powerful than a lot of police novels out there. This is one of those books.
March 14, 2023
I love this series, and after going to Venice this year it is even funner to read them. The details of the streets and the feel of the city is well reflected in the novels. Brunetti is a great character, and in this one, we see that life is messy and things don’t always get neatly tied up in a bow. This one starts with an apparent suicide at a military school which ends up being linked to something bigger. Brunetti’s dislike of the Venice gentry is displayed in a way we can all agree with.
March 10, 2020
One of the cadets at a Venetian military academy is dead. Is it suicide, as some claim, or was he murdered? Brunetti aims to find out, despite obstacles presented by Patta and Scarpa. Ultimately he learns the truth, but will justice ever be served?
January 1, 2019
Further evidence that Donna Leon is a mystery-writing goddess...
June 25, 2023
Loving this Venetian mystery series!
March 19, 2024
Three and a half stars
I always enjoy how these mysteries are rooted in a specific time and place, they're always great for paying a visit to Venice and I enjoy the characters. This particular mystery was as usual thought provoking and ultimately a bit melancholy, but it was quite well put together.
I always enjoy how these mysteries are rooted in a specific time and place, they're always great for paying a visit to Venice and I enjoy the characters. This particular mystery was as usual thought provoking and ultimately a bit melancholy, but it was quite well put together.
June 5, 2013
Uniform Justice is the 12th in the Inspector Brunetti series and was published in 2003. This is one of the darker books in the series. The story centers around the apparent suicide of a 16 yr old cadet at an exclusive military school in Venice. It is largely attended by the children of previous attendees. In this case, the cadet is the son of a prominent oncologist and former member of parliament known for his absolute honesty in a country where political corruption is a foregone conclusion. Neither of the boy's parents are willing to cooperate although both don't believe it is suicide. However, it soon becomes obvious there is much more to this case than meets the eye. It affects Brunetti deeply since he has a son the same age as well as a daughter a bit younger. As a result he feels driven to find out exactly what happened. Leon conveys the emotions of a loving father who feels the parents' pain probably more deeply than he should. However, there is still plenty of the author's signature wit, irony as well as the deep affection she has for a city in which she has lived for many years.
June 10, 2020
Another good read from Donna Leon. If you can't be in Venice, this series will fill the need with solid characters, glimpses of that great city and its quirky streets and canals, and a generous portion of Venetian food and wine. In some books in the series, the mystery to be solved at times feels incidental to the wonderful and rich daily life of Commissario Brunetti and his family and colleagues. In this one, it takes us through one of the few cases where the resolution is unsatisfying but true to the narrative. It's also great fun to re-explore Venice through Brunetti's walks, vaparetto rides, and police launch jaunts through neighborhoods, by palazzos and to crime scenes. Restaurants and bars further set the scene so that memories abound while reading any of these books and each one rekindles the desire to return to Venice as soon as possible! Now, on to Doctored Evidence and more of Guido, his wife Paola, the indispensable signorina Elettra and the despicable Vice-Questore Giuseppe Patta.
December 14, 2021
Uniform Justice is not her best book imho, but still very enjoyable. It's her twelfth book in the series and a bit more of the same: murder, corruption, food and drink, family life, structure of the story, etc. But it is just like a box of spiced cookies: after eating a few, you know the taste and the rest will taste the same, but they still taste good and you will eat more of them. The difference between spiced cookies and books by Donna Leon: by reading the books, you won't put on weight.
August 8, 2021
Many of Leon's books in this series don't end the way readers of so-called"cozy" mysteries do. They don't end neatly. They don't give the reader the satisfaction of everything neatly tied up. The good guys don't always win. But that's real life more often than not, and that's what makes these books so real and so damn good.
April 30, 2016
Se há algo que valorizo num policial é um bom final.
Este final simplesmente matou-me.
Ao virar a última página percebi que perdi tempo ao ler este livro.
Tempo que poderia ter usado para ler outro livro que me poderia ter oferecido algo melhor.
Para quem gosta de ver os criminosos devidamente castigados este não é um livro que aconselharia.
Este final simplesmente matou-me.
Ao virar a última página percebi que perdi tempo ao ler este livro.
Tempo que poderia ter usado para ler outro livro que me poderia ter oferecido algo melhor.
Para quem gosta de ver os criminosos devidamente castigados este não é um livro que aconselharia.
February 23, 2017
I have enjoyed earlier books in this series, but this one and particularly the ending left me feeling there was unfinished business.
There is a lot of political rambling in this book and in the end I skipped over some of these paragraphs just to find out where the plot was going.
There is a lot of political rambling in this book and in the end I skipped over some of these paragraphs just to find out where the plot was going.
April 5, 2013
I think this is my favourite book in the series up to now, with maybe the exception of Murder at the Fenice and Acqua Alta.
Quite a dark novel, in which justice is NOT served.
Quite a dark novel, in which justice is NOT served.
March 27, 2020
Donna Leon woonde 30j in Venetië ,maar woont nu in Zwitserland. Ze was docente Engelse literatuur en werkte ook nog 8j als professor op de Amerikaanse ambassade in Vicenza. De meeste van haar boeken spelen zich af in Venetië en zijn uitgebracht in verschillende talen, maar origineel in het Engels. Op haar eigen vraag werden ze niet vertaald in het Italiaans.
In een Venetiaanse militaire school word een jongen dood terug gevonden. Alles wijst op zelfmoord maar daar is Brunetti niet volledig van overtuigd. Vooral als de jongen de zoon blijkt te zijn van een ex-politiek persoon. Maar is iedereen wel bereid om te praten of is er een stilzwijgende militaire eer die behouden moet blijven. Maar of dit Brunetti zal tegenhouden. Heeft het verleden iets te maken met deze feiten?
Het boek is onderverdeeld in korte hoofdstukken die meewerken aan een vlotte leesflow . Elk hoofdstuk bevat ook een deel van de sleutel om het mysterie op te lossen.
De eigenlijke zoektocht start eigenlijk al vanaf pagina 1. Hoewel er niet zoveel spannends gebeurd in het verhaal word de aandacht toch bij het verhaal gehouden door met details een sfeer te creëren. Er word een sfeer opgebouwd van geheimzinnigheid. Details van het verleden worden weer gegeven die een extra licht werpen op de zaken. Zo word de lezer bij de les gehouden aangezien details belangrijk zijn om de zaak op te lossen.
De personages zijn maar al te menselijk weer gegeven. Ze doorgaan vele verschillende gevoelens. Soms zijn ze zeker ,de andere keer onzeker. De één is de rust zelve terwijl de andere agressief word. Regelmatig hebben ze een ander personage nodig om hen gerust te stellen dat ze goed bezig zijn. Ze worden dus weergegeven zoals een normaal persoon zich zou gedragen.
Het slot bevat elementen die je niet verwacht. Eigenlijk is het einde op zich een soort open einde. Er is geen echte afsluiting van het mysterie maar je blijft als lezer toch achter met een idee van wat er nu werkelijk gebeurd is.
De conclusie is dat dit een boek een spannende zoektocht bevat naar de waarheid. Al is die zeer moeilijk boven water te krijgen. Misschien komt ook de mindere kant van de Italiaanse militaire scholen naar boven in dit boek. Zeker een boek dat het lezen waard was.
In een Venetiaanse militaire school word een jongen dood terug gevonden. Alles wijst op zelfmoord maar daar is Brunetti niet volledig van overtuigd. Vooral als de jongen de zoon blijkt te zijn van een ex-politiek persoon. Maar is iedereen wel bereid om te praten of is er een stilzwijgende militaire eer die behouden moet blijven. Maar of dit Brunetti zal tegenhouden. Heeft het verleden iets te maken met deze feiten?
Het boek is onderverdeeld in korte hoofdstukken die meewerken aan een vlotte leesflow . Elk hoofdstuk bevat ook een deel van de sleutel om het mysterie op te lossen.
De eigenlijke zoektocht start eigenlijk al vanaf pagina 1. Hoewel er niet zoveel spannends gebeurd in het verhaal word de aandacht toch bij het verhaal gehouden door met details een sfeer te creëren. Er word een sfeer opgebouwd van geheimzinnigheid. Details van het verleden worden weer gegeven die een extra licht werpen op de zaken. Zo word de lezer bij de les gehouden aangezien details belangrijk zijn om de zaak op te lossen.
De personages zijn maar al te menselijk weer gegeven. Ze doorgaan vele verschillende gevoelens. Soms zijn ze zeker ,de andere keer onzeker. De één is de rust zelve terwijl de andere agressief word. Regelmatig hebben ze een ander personage nodig om hen gerust te stellen dat ze goed bezig zijn. Ze worden dus weergegeven zoals een normaal persoon zich zou gedragen.
Het slot bevat elementen die je niet verwacht. Eigenlijk is het einde op zich een soort open einde. Er is geen echte afsluiting van het mysterie maar je blijft als lezer toch achter met een idee van wat er nu werkelijk gebeurd is.
De conclusie is dat dit een boek een spannende zoektocht bevat naar de waarheid. Al is die zeer moeilijk boven water te krijgen. Misschien komt ook de mindere kant van de Italiaanse militaire scholen naar boven in dit boek. Zeker een boek dat het lezen waard was.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 650 reviews