In Donna Leon s Commissario Guido Brunetti series, the Venetian inspector has been called on to investigate many things, from shocking to petty crimes. But in "The Waters of Eternal Youth," the 25th novel in this celebrated series, Brunetti finds himself drawn into a case that may not be a case at all. Fifteen years ago, a teenage girl fell into a canal late at night. Unable to swim, she went under and started to drown, only surviving thanks to a nearby man, an alcoholic, who heard her splashes and pulled her out, though not before she suffered irreparable brain damage that left her in a state of permanent childhood, unable to learn or mature. The drunk man claimed he saw her thrown into the canal by another man, but the following day he couldn t remember a thing. Now, at a fundraising dinner for a Venetian charity, a wealthy and aristocratic patronessthe girl s grandmotherasks Brunetti if he will investigate. Brunetti s not sure what to do. If a crime was committed, it would surely have passed the statute of limitations. But out of a mixture of curiosity, pity, and a willingness to fulfill the wishes of a guilt-wracked older woman, who happens to be his mother-in-law s best friend, he agrees. Brunetti soon finds himself unable to let the case rest, if indeed there is a case. Awash in the rhythms and concerns of contemporary Venetian life, from historical preservation, to housing, to new waves of African migrants, and the haunting story of a woman trapped in a damaged perpetual childhood, "The Waters of Eternal Youth" is another wonderful addition to this series."

When Commissario Guido Brunetti gets an early morning phone call that a sudden act of vandalism has just been committed, he soon discovers that the perpetrator is no petty criminal, but Paola Brunetti, his wife.

After coming to the aid of Vianello's old friend, Ribetti, arrested during an environmental protest, Commissario Brunetti becomes concerned about Ribetti's father-in-law, Giovanni De Cal, a nasty factory owner heard making threats against his son-in law.

Book by

Product Description: Flavia Petrelli is the Prima Donna performing at Venice's illustrious La Fenice. An opera superstar, she is constantly swamped by adoring fans and aspiring singers. However one fan is remaining anonymous as Flavia is inundated with bouquets of yellow roses...read more

Donna Leon has won a huge number of passionate fans and a tremendous amount of critical acclaim for her international bestselling mystery series featuring Venetian Commissario Guido Brunetti. These accolades have built up not just for her intricate plots and gripping narratives, but for her insight into the culture, politics, family-life, and history of Venice, one of the world's most-treasured cities, and Leon's home for over thirty years. Readers love how Leon opens the doors to a private Venice, beyond the reach of the millions of international tourists who delight in the city's canals, food, and art every year. "My Venice and Other Essays" will be a treat for Leon's many fans, as well as for lovers of Italy and La Serenissima. For many years, Leon, who is a perennial #1 bestseller in Germany, has written essays for European publications. Collected here are the best of these: over fifty funny, charming, passionate, and insightful essays that range from battles over garbage in the canals to the troubles with rehabbing Venetian real estate. She shares episodes from her life in Venice, explores her love of opera, and recounts tales from in and around her country house in the mountains. With pointed observations and humor, she also explores her family history and former life in New Jersey, and the idea of the Italian man.

In a mystery that offers an unexpected take on life in contemporary Venice, Commissario Guido Brunetti plunges into the Venetian underworld of illegal African immigrants as he investigates after a street vendor is killed in a scuffle.

When a Romanian housekeeper, a prime suspect in the brutal murder of her employer, dies while fleeing arrest, the police close the books on the crime, until new information prompts Commissario Guido Brunetti to investigate.

Product Description: In Leon's fifth Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery, the beating of renowned art historian Dotoressa Brett Lynch draws the contemporary Venetian police detective out of his warm and loving home and into the yearly onslaught of acqua alta, the torrential winter rains...read more

As Commissario Guido Brunetti pursues his investigation into the supposed suicide of a young cadet at Venice's elite military academy, he must confront the military's wall of silence, reluctant witnesses, and possibly conspiracy.