Donna Leon in her newest novel “Beastly Things” once again has embroiled Commissario Guido Brunetti in a bizarre murder. But as in all Leon’s mystery novels, the murder is a backdrop to a crucial problem facing the unique city of Venice. In recent books, Leon has tackled the issues of child prostitution, illegal immigration, and, time and again, the problem of pollution in Venice and the mainland. In “Beastly Things” pollution is very much an important element, but she also delves into the slaughter of animals and the corruption in that industry. This, of course, is Italy and corruption is always hovering in the background.
Leon has probably written more than 20 novels in this series. She has been a resident of Venice for more than 30 years and has a wonderful grasp of Venetian life—those constant coffee and pastry breaks make the reader constantly hungry. Brunetti, his fellow cops, and his family really are well crafted characters. I have enjoyed her books for several years, although her latest is not on my best of Leon list.