In this 11th book in the 'Commissario Guido Brunetti' series, the Italian policeman investigates the murder of a young woman.
One of my favorite things about these novels, set in Venice, is the leisurely pace. Unlike detectives on American television shows, who are always running around at a frenetic pace, Commissario Brunetti ambles around Venice by foot and on vaporettos (water buses); walks home for lunch most days; goes out for coffee - or a glass of wine - with his colleagues in the middle of the work day; and so on.
It's also fun to get glimpses of Brunetti's home life, with his wife and teenage children. Guido's wife Paola, an English professor, prepares delicious meals, and the family discusses all manner of interesting things, like the novels of Henry James; celebrities the children like; whether the teens need telefoninos (that's a hard no from Paola); and more.
This addition to the Commissario Brunetti series addresses a sensitive topic in Italy - the extortion of Jewish families during World War II. Some rapacious Italians 'purchased' valuable artworks from desperate Jewish people, paying a tiny fraction of their worth. After the war, the (few) Jewish survivors found it almost impossible to get their valuables back.
*****
As the story opens, Paola approaches Guido on behalf of one of her university students, a 20-year-old woman called Claudia Leonardo. Claudia wants to know if the conviction of a person after WWII can be reversed. Of course Brunetti needs to know more about the matter, and ends up speaking with Claudia at the Questura (police station).
Though Claudia is very circumspect, Brunetti puts Claudia's story together with the help of Signorina Elettra, the fashionable secretary who's a whiz at using computers to get helpful information.
The tale goes as follows: During WWII, Claudia's grandfather 'purchased' MANY artworks from desperate people for a few lira, and was suspected of outright stealing several priceless drawings.
After the war, grandpa was convicted and made a deal with the Italian judges: he would go to an asylum for a year or two and then be freed. However grandpa died in the asylum, and a woman called Signora Jacobs - whom Claudia views as her grandmother - wants grandpa's conviction reversed, to restore his 'good name'.
Before Brunetti can even make official inquiries about the matter, Claudia is murdered in her apartment. During Brunetti's investigation, he interviews people Claudia interacted with, including her roommate; her landlady; a notary; the director of a World War II commemorative library where Claudia volunteered; and Signora Jacobs - a chain smoker whose cheap apartment is filled with fabulous artworks. Signora Jacobs still supports the fascist movement, as do some old army veterans in the book.
When another death occurs, a number of clues lead Brunetti to a hard truth.
During Brunetti's inquiries, he thinks about the ugliness of armed conflict, and his own father's service during the second world war. A conversation between Brunetti and his father-in-law, the Conte, brings home some of the worst aspects of sending young people out to kill.
This is one of the more serious books in the series, and lacks the humor inherent in some of the Brunetti novels. Still, I enjoyed the mystery, and would recommend the book to fans of suspense novels.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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