Sunday, April 16, 2023

So Shall You Reap

The story of Guido Brunetti continues in So Shall You Reap by Donna Leon, number 32 in the Commissario Brunetti series.

When Guido is called in the middle of the night to attend a potential crime scene he discovers that the body removed from the canal is that of a man he had spoken to the previous day. Inesh Kavinda , an undocumented Sri Lankan, has been working at the Palazzo Zaffo dei Leoni and living in a house in the gardens of the property. How did his stabbed body end up in a canal and why was he killed?

During the investigation Guido discovers that Inesh had been reading a collection of articles relating to political unrest in Italy in the 1980s. This revives Guido's memories of those times and also causes him to reflect on his youth and some of the beliefs and ideals he had when a student.

As usual the author provides the reader with a picture of Venice - its geography, history and culture. Our understanding of Guido is increased as we learn more of his past and as we continue to witness his family life with Paola and their children. As the investigation into Inesh's death continues it becomes obvious that a knowledge of Italian political history is central to solving the murder.

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