I've always enjoyed Donna Leon's Guido Brunetti stories. The Venice setting makes them equally appealing.

From the back:
"A lorry crashes on one of the treacherous bends in the Italian Dolomites, spilling a terrible cargo...
A prominent international lawyer is found dead in the carriage of an Intercity train at Santa Lucia...
Can the two tragedies possibly be connected?
Commissario Guido Brunetti digs deep into the secret lives of the once great and good for the answer. For in a seedy Venetian bar lies the clue to an evil crime network reaching far beyond the laguna. But it will take another violent death in Venice before the forces of justice can even begin to proceed..."

May 25
Another deeply satisfying Brunetti case. Love these books. Enjoy Donna Leon's writing and really enjoy a tiny participation in the life with Guido and his family. Luscious food, good conversation and a satisfying home life. Great

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LATER
I couldn't release the book at Martha's Pantry because on the way to our regular meet-up, on the last Sunday of each month, I had a flat tyre on the way to Martha's Pantry. Not only was that annoying BUT it was the second flat tye in two days, this time it being a brand new tyre. Luckily the warranty covered the tyre but I had to wait so long for the AA man that it was too late for do anything other than slink home with caution and a sad heart.

Eventually released at Wellington's other OBCZ in "The Library"

and another Brunetti
When a lorry crashes on one of the treacherous hair-pin bends in the Italian Dolomites even Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice Questura is appalled when he learns of its terrible cargo. This is Donna Leon's fourth novel to feature Guido Brunetti.

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Enjoying this one, as released during the recent Sydney Unconvention.

At first, I thought, hmmmm. Italian detective story - I am going to be so out of my depth on this one, as out of my depth as a fish out of water, away from LA and Edinburgh and New York and the jazz-loving, hard-drinking, hard-bitten, hard-boiled detective.

But I wasn't gasping for air so much as gasping with laughter when I cottoned on to how this story worked. It's a different sort of detective story. When the hero has a bit of spare time, he tries to unravel a crucial detail: how to spell Czechoslovakia!

Thanks, Sherlockfan and EdwardStreet. Knowing you two have had your beautiful minds all over this one adds to the attraction. And Happy New Year! It's still 2011 in New Zealand, no? You haven't whipped off to the next century or something?

A very different police procedural! This detective has a family!

Enjoyed this immensely. I realised that it was something special when the hero devoted a few spare minutes to working out how to spell Czechoslovakia, a task he has to have several goes at.

Investigation in Venice proceeds along different procedural lines to Edinburgh or Los Angeles, I find. Cheerful corruption, official sanction - indeed participation in - of the greatest crimes, limited resources and inventive solutions.

A truck comes to an icy end and the cargo turns out to be more than just splintered lumber. Three businessmen die suspiciously. A political rally collapses. A vaporetto is hijacked. There are odd goings-on at the telephone company. It's all part of Guido Brunetti's working day.

Like Edinburgh and Los Angeles, the city of Venice is a character in this detective novel every bit as much as the detective given the job of tying it all together. Or dissuaded from pursuing certain lines of inquiry, which is another aspect to Italian law enforcement. Pull up a guidebook to Venice and follow along on the map. Look at the photographs. Check the prices in lire. 50 000 for a quick one! Yikes.

The book, the plot, the crime and the detection was deliciously done. But towards the end, there was a very sour taste in my mouth. Perhaps I've read enough thrillers that murder is no longer quite so shocking. But some crimes are worse.

The setting, the characters, the social background, the sheer difference is what makes this tale so appealing. I'm definitely going to track down more by Donna Leon!

I love Venice so couldn't resist this one at the meet-up. Thanks skyring :)