Cheap Doctored Evidence: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery (Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries) (Book) (Donna Leon) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of Doctored Evidence: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery (Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries)

It's Venice once again and the good Commissario finds himself lured into what appears to be a routine case: a "foreigner" has been apprehended for murder and theft and before the police can secure her, she bolts and is run over by an oncoming train. A simple case. Case closed.

Ah, but here is where Brunetti comes in. Certain suspicious elements emerge and within a few minutes, he's completely immersed into the whole scene.

Along the way, Donna Leon incorporates several socially significant issues (as she always does) that serve only to enhance the plot outline. Her critique on Venezian politics and life in general in that Pearl of the Adriatic stand on their own merit.

Once again, Leon's brilliance at creating memorable characters make this just routine for her: but for her readers, each volume is a true adventure in itself.

A murder mixed with fine dining
This Commissario Brunetti mystery is written in a similar style to Roderic Jeffries novels about Inspector Alvarez set in Majorca (see "An Intriguing Murder," etc.). The present novel is set in Venice. The investigation of the murder of an elderly woman is mixed in with Brunetti's interaction and conflicts with other police, Brunetti's home life, and comments on fine dining, wine, etc. There is considerable local color on Venice and the hot summer climate, comments on local and Italian politics and bureaucracy, discussions of tax evasion, and problems with prosecuting people guilty of crimes. Overall, an interesting novel if you are not familiar with Venice and want a picture of the city.

The story revolves around the murder of a stingy old woman who is described as a shrew hated by almost everyone. Many people would have motives for her murder, so who did the deed? The investigation reveals some surprising information. Brunetti is willing to overlook theft, tax evasion, poisoning animals, people with false documentation, etc. if he can solve the murder. He is not beyond breaking a few laws himself.

The case is solved with a surprising ending, and a question as to how much actual "punishment" the killer will receive.

'Doctored Evidence' needs no second opinion!
It's more than a "lucky 13" for Donna Leon. "Doctored Evidence" is a carefully-crafted, purposefully-written, and fully-fulfilling (typical!) Leon police procedural featuring my favorite Italian, Commissario Guido Brunetti.

The erstwhile policeman has been on holiday to Ireland when the death occurs (A Romanian cleaning woman supposedly murdered her employer and made off with a large sum of money, only to be apprehended at a border crossing; before police can take her into custody, she bolts and is killed by an on-coming train)and when he returns he has already dismissed the case, which he'd read about in the papers, as merely a "cut and dried" episode in the life of the police in Venice.

Of course, the death of the cleaning woman has suspicious and unusual circumstances and shortly after Brunetti returns to work, a neighbor of the dead woman reports to the police that she has proof that the woman is innocent. This, of course, really peaks Brunetti's interest and from that point on, Donna Leon is, well, Donna Leon.

Before the case is closed, of course, readers once again witness the inter-play between Brunetti and his associates, his family, and his beloved Venice. Leon is not shy about taking literary pot shots at a number of socially significant issues facing not only the Venezians, the Italians, but the rest of the world.

Step by step, Leon takes us to the conclusion, where, of course it's no secret, Brunetti's intellect, talent, and good will once more triumph.

"Doctored Evidence" continues the Leon reputation. What a fascinating series Leon has created. Tis a pity one has to wait a year for the next episode.