Below par for a great series
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Big fan of the series but this is the most disappointing I've read so far. The last 70 pages are quite gripping but its very slow starting, the plot isnt as good as usual and the ending is a bit crow barred. Death at the Fenice and Acqua Alta are much better reads for anyone getting into this fun Venetian series
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Brunetti Follows a Tip
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If you haven't read any other books in the Guido Brunetti series, don't start with this one. Go back and begin with Death at La Fenice.
The Death of Faith is one of Donna Leon's best stories in terms of making the mystery hard to understand until she chooses to let a key clue become available. The book also displays the problems that detectives have in solving crimes when doors are closed to them. As a result, this is a fine police procedural that you'll enjoy. Those who don't like the plodding steps involved in a detailed investigation may find this book to be a little slow for their taste.
If you dislike books that look at the potential for abuse in the Catholic Church, I recommend you skip this book: You won't be pleased.
Vice-Questore Patta is off on a second honeymoon, leaving Commissario Guido Brunetti in charge. He's at loose ends because crime has also taken a holiday when a vaguely familiar woman arrives to report her suspicions. Once Brunetti realizes that this is a person he has highly trusted in the past, he's inclined to take her report seriously. But scratching around doesn't yield any corroboration . . . until unknown agents seem to be determined to still the suspicions. This time the trail yields helpful clues.
Back in the family, Brunetti and his wife, Paola, discuss their differing views about religious instruction as their daughter, Chiara, becomes disillusioned with a class she's taking.
One of the pleasures of this story is to see a further development of Brunetti as a loyal person who wants to do the right thing.
One of the disappointing things about the book is that Ms. Leon seems to have an ax to grind that extends beyond her story.
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An absorbing read
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in two sittings.
The characters are believable, the pace is cracking and the plot involving. It also contains a philosophical 'bon mot' or two on religion and the material world, and for that alone it is worth the time.
The main character is a not-so-down-trodden policeman, the descriptions of Venice are evocative, especially if you have ever visited the city, and the machinations of the plot are very credible.
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A fascinating who-done-it set in the city of Venice
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Step into the romance and soul of Venice, known as the jewel of the Adriatic, but hiding murder and intrigue in the dark twists and turns of it's canals. The writer brings it all to life through the person of Commissario Brunetti, the Questura detective who brings the full flavour of the whimsical character of the Venetian citizens as he pursues his investigations. Bodies are found and as Brunetti coams the city for evidence, he has to unravel the involvement of Italian and Mafia wealth and vested interests to unmask the culprits. The author lives near Venice, and her knowledge of the people is evident throughout, and a joy to share. You will love every page, and want more I can assure you.
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