Inspector Brunette, Donna Leon's erudite, thoughtful series protagonist, is interested in tracking down the men who rescued two injured American tourists from the icy waters of a Venetian lagoons and then abandoned them without identifying themselves . In this he has not only his keen analytical skills and the assistance of his team, but his thorough understanding of Venice's people and politics and his web of connections and relationships throughout the city
As usual, Leon brings her own well-honed knowledge of the city in which her series of best sellers is set to the novel in brilliantly observed descriptions . And in the familiar scenes of the Inspector at home, she makes a meal with his loving family many readers will want to prepare for their own

This is another addition (already the thirtieth!) to the series about commissario Guido Brunetti, which will appeal to fans of the series, as well as readers for whom it will be the first meeting with this Venetian policeman.

As always in this series, we can be sure that Venice will not only be an active background for this story, but also inextricably intertwined with the case solved by Brunetti. And this is not the image of Venice that we know from tourist guides, but the real Venice. Full of both beautiful, old architecture and dark, dangerous alleys and squares trampled by the feet of millions of tourists about whom real Venetians speak almost contemptuously. It is indeed a very Venetian story. The picture of Venice is very vivid. You feel like you could easily walk through the streets and cruise through the canals mentioned in this book. And in my opinion that is always part of the magic of this series.

Likewise, the case that Brunetti is working on is deeply immersed in the atmosphere of the city and its specificity. Even if it may seem like any other at first. However, both this case and the way Brunetti works are closely related to the unique climate of Venice and its inhabitants. As for me, I really like it when the setting place is such a large part of the whole story. And here it is done very well.

Another thing I like about this story is its light and funny tone. Usually it is nothing obvious, rather a wink at the reader. But there are also definitely comic moments when you just can't help laughing out loud and Brunetti becomes a very comic character.

Overall, fans of this series will not be disappointed, Brunetti is definitely in great shape. He is funny and inquisitive, but also not without his innate sensitivity. His life and personal thoughts and experiences constitute a significant background to the entire story and the way the case is solved. He is an excellent hero for a series that has already reached its thirtieth book; there is no chance that we will get bored soon.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the series as well as new readers who would like to see the crimes in Venice through the eyes of the seasoned policeman Brunetti.

Ms. Leon never disappoints. This crime that drives Brunetti to go outside his jurisdiction for help, is horrible and he needs to see the perpetrators brought to justice. There are many plot twists and a very abrupt ending. It will be interesting to see what the author will do---a continuation maybe?

In Transient Desires, set in Venice, a seemingly isolated incident of bad behavior, when probed, leads to suspicions of a far more insidious crime involving a shipping business operating out of the ancient city’s down-at-the-heel Giudecca neighborhood. I’ve read almost all of Donna Leon’s beautifully written crime novels. She specializes in creating police procedurals with strong and multidimensional characters and embedding them in contemporary Venetian venues not readily accessible to the passing tourist. In Transient Desires, as in Leon’s other books, the criminal investigator is Commissario Guido Brunetti, a thoughtful and persistent law enforcement official who strives to achieve a measure of equity within the city’s less-than-perfect judicial system. Drawing the reader in close, Transient Desires evokes a powerful ambiance of evil as Brunetti and others in a multi-agency task force close in on the perpetrators of the more serious crime. This is Leon’s latest and 30th book featuring Commissario Brunetti. It is also her darkest to date, rendered even more emphatically so by a sudden ending, which engages the reader even more strongly in the moral dilemma experienced by the detective.

How does an author manage to keep her characters and settings fresh after thirty books? It is a massively difficult task to keep a successful formula fresh and exciting. Donna Leon has discovered the secret and the magic continues.

Of course much is familiar but there are plot twists and an abrupt ending that make the book an illuminating and wonderful read.

Also, what is wrong about familiarity? This was a lovely read.

It is a delight to start an atmospheric walk with espresso and a brioche on a lovely warm Venetian day.
Donna Leon is to many loyal readers an astute narrator of Venetian life. You taste its food, hear its dialects, live with its families, learn of its regional rivalries, prejudices, and class distinctions, marvel at its wonders, and are shocked at details of its bureaucracy, civil abuses, corruption and criminality.
Into the fray comes Commissario di polizia Brunetti, a man born of modest means- responsible, thoughtful, thorough, emotional, and moral. People are of utmost importance to him- his team, his family, the victims and perpetrators, and the crimes they commit.
In the early morning hours on the waterways, a speeding boat carrying two young Venetian men, friends from childhood, and two young American women are out for a joyride. The boat crashes: the injured women are rescued to the extent that the young men leave them dockside next to a hospital, ring the outside bell and run away.
The search for the young men is quickly ended, and the heart of the chase, the depth of deceit, avarice and evil, begins back at the waterfront.
In Venice, it is Family, always Family: influences of generations, social status, wealth, power, honor and loyalty.
Transient Desires, an exactingly detailed chase for justice, and perhaps salvation, comes to a resolution, an abrupt conclusion. It is an ending that closes the case, yet leaves this reader wishing for an epilogue..

I adore the Comissario Brunetti series, and this one does not disappoint. It delves into the mysterious appearance of two injured, American student mysteriously left at the dock of a hospital in Brunetti's Venice. INvestigating their injuries leads to smuggling, bullying, and much more. I will say that the ending was cut short - honestly, I'm concerned the last chapter might have been inadvertently left off the ARC it was so abrupt. I will await either the physical copy, or the next volume of the series, to know for sure.

Thirty books in and still Donna Leon has the power to transport us to La Serenissima! As we can't actually visit Venice at the moment, this is the next best thing. The characters are so familiar that the novel fits like a glove and gives one a comfortably warm feeling. As always the story is beautifully written, well plotted and enjoyable but, to this reader at least, it lacks the tension, drama and intrigue that are essential in crime fiction.

Elegantly written with a compelling and sympathetic detective and a masterful depiction of Venice, Donna Leon’s latest novel unfortunately does not satisfy. There is essentially no mystery and an extremely abrupt ending. The central story of human trafficking does not arise until half way through the novel and the remainder of the book simply recounts the capture of those responsible.

Having read most of Guido Brunetti’s series, I was really surprised with this one.
The author, as usual, presented an interesting plot that centered around Brunetti’s
understanding of the perpetrators and victims, and of their desires, lust for power and money, and fear and despair. Along with her discussions about the society and culture of Venice and Naples, there were some intriguing hints of Brunette’s disheartenment about Crime and Punishment, guilt and atonement. Even though the indicators were there, I was stunned by the books abrupt and unprecedented ending.

My thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

As usual, Donna Leon has given readers a wonderful mystery in Transient Desires, the thirtieth title in her Commissario Guido Brunetti series. On the face of it, the story starts out as a simple investigation: Who were the two men who sped away in a boat after dropping two badly injured American girls at the dock of the Ospedale Civile (Venice’s main hospital) late one Saturday night – actually early Sunday morning? How did the girls get hurt? And why did the men, who were hardly more than boys, flee? The ospedale had security cameras on its dock though, so in the small world of the Venetian lagoon, it’s not long before the men are identified. And on the surface, it seems as if that should be that.

But it’s not. One of the two men is far more nervous than he should be. So Brunetti decides to look into matters a bit more, with the help of many of his usual colleagues: Signorina Elettra, Commissario Griffoni, Vianello, Pucetti and others. Sure enough, there’s more going on than is apparent at first, and readers get to follow along as Brunetti and his team do some traditional sleuthing: interviewing the local garbage man (who happens to have an architecture degree, but can’t find a job), searching records (legally or otherwise), coordinating with the Guardia Costiera, etc. And Brunetti also does some not-so-traditional sleuthing: the mental picture of Brunetti posing as a timid mid-level bureaucrat while talking with a suspect who’s quite a nasty bully will stay in readers’ minds for a long time!

One of the things that makes Leon’s books so special, though, is that in addition to giving readers a nice mystery to puzzle through, Leon also tackles some tough and timely issues. Whether it’s pollution from the factories at Marghera, the prejudice against immigrants who are coming by land and by sea, the hollowing-out of Venice as a place for locals to live, or even just Chinese-made “Murano” glass, a Brunetti mystery provides food for thought. In Transient Desires, Leon returns to a subject she has addressed before, but with a new and horrific gut-punch of a twist partway through that readers will not forget easily.

As I’ve said elsewhere on my blog, my default rating tends to be four stars, and I save five stars for a very very few of the books that I read. If I had any issue with Transient Desires, it’s that author Leon, who is not known for “feel-good” endings, was even a little harsher with the end to this book than normal. But the harshness is not inappropriate, and Transient Desires gets five stars from me.

And my thanks to Leon’s publisher, Grove Atlantic, and to NetGalley, for the advance review copy.

Impossible to believe this is Brunetti's 30th outing--and yet this series is as enticing and thoughtfully written as ever. Donna Leon's subtle, wry wit and keen eye for the nuances of the city with which both she and Brunetti have a love/hate relationship percolate through every sentence--it's been a treat to watch her protagonist's marriage and kids evolve, albeit his shrewd understanding of his professional and his fellow citizens remains as keen as ever. Sparked by a tragic boat collision, Brunetti's investigation feels a little slower than usual, but the delights for the reader are as plentiful as ever.

If you’re looking for an entertaining way to learn about Venetian culture, Donna Leon’s Guido Brunetti series is a good choice. Immigration, climate change, rampant governmental corruption, food, dialects, interagency territorial struggles, style, the education system, healthcare - this series covers it all from a distinctly Venetian point of view.

Having read all 30 of the very popular series, I’ve enjoyed watching Brunetti’s relationships with his in-laws evolve, seeing his children grow up and learnng about the island’s struggles. I love that Brunetti draws inspiration from Marcus Aurelius.

Leon might have been better served to have stopped after the first 10 or so in the series. The plots have gotten repetitive. Venice’s class differences, the malaise of the police force and city’s lack of confidence in its government were interesting to learn about but now I’m ready for something new.

If this is your intro to Brunetti’s world I’d recommend beginning with book 1. The novels are quick, easy reads.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to review the ARC via Netgalley

This is the thirtieth outing for the Venetian detective and was a wonderful read. It has prompted me to revisit some of the older titles and also to discover those of the thirty that I have overlooked. Venice is again the heart of the story, corrupt and n=beautiful in equal measure and the thoughtful Brunetti is as engaging a detective as ever. In these troubled restricted times, it was wonderful to travel to Venice even in one's imagination. Other reviewers have outlined the plot which is as contemporary as ever. My only quibble was that it seemed to end brutally quickly but it was still a fantastic read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I am a huge fan of Donna Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti series. I look forward each year to a new one; this is her thirtieth.

The cases, while always intriguing, are almost secondary to the wonderful characterizations and musings and observations of life, especially Venetian life, by Brunetti. So nice to visit again with all the familiar actors, flamboyant Signora Elletra, strong and wise Paola, philosophical Guido, comical Patta, capable Griffoni, loyal Foa.

This case unfolds after two young American women injured in a boating accident are anonymously deposited on the dock outside the hospital. Is that all there is to it? Ah, no, for this is Venice, and there is always more to the story.

I think this was one of my favorite of the series. It was a fast read, but I tried to take time to savor my time in Venice. Leon is an excellent writer, sharing wit and wisdom. For anyone new to Brunetti, this certainly can be read as a stand alone, but why deprive yourself? Go back to the beginning of the series and enjoy getting to know all of these memorable characters.

During these days of restricted travel, I enjoyed revisiting the landmarks of La Serenissima, stopping here and there for a coffee, brioche, glass of wine, or, my favorite, an Aperol spritz.

For the thirtieth time Donna Leon takes us to Venice, with its multitude of picturesque canals and grand palazzos but also its somewhat hidden criminal underbelly. This is the working patch of Commissario Guido Brunetti, a senior policeman who was brought up in this unique place and who still lives and works in the city. Regular readers will be used to the fact that these books profile the place, its ways and its people as much as any investigation Brunetti is engaged in, and in fact it sometimes takes a while to figure out precisely what crime is to be the focus of Guido’s attentions.

This time he is alerted to the fact that two injured and unconscious American girls have been left on the dock of the city hospital in the dead of night. Cameras at the hospital have caught the act and it isn’t long before two young local men have been identified as the perpetrators. But why would they do such a thing - is it simply the result of a reckless accident whilst joy riding or is there something darker going on here?

It seems that the Commissario’s case load is light at present as he’s able to devote virtually his full attention to this case, aided by his colleague Claudia Griffoni. Claudia has made regular appearances in recent instalments and the fact that she is a native of the southern city of Naples provides an ideal vehicle for the author to explore the potential for suspicion and discord between people from the different regions of this culturally diverse country. It’s not that Guido and Claudia aren’t friends – they are – it’s just that one has the benefit of being able to chatter away to the locals in Veneziano whilst the other is perceived to be a shifty Neapolitan, unworthy of the same degree of trust.

In between regular breaks for a coffee, and perhaps a brioche or too, Brunetti and Griffoni gradually come to realise that there are significant nefarious acts lurking in the shadows of this case. As always, Leon is able to bring a strong sense of local colour to proceedings. This is not a hundred miles an hour kick ass and solve the crime caper, it takes a slower, more mellow route. Along the way there is plenty of discussion about family, nepotism, love and loyalty and how these elements impact the way life is lived in this city, but make no mistake this tale still packs a significant punch. As the pieces finally fall into place we’re treated to an exciting and, to me, shocking finale.

If you’re in the mood for a thoughtful dose of crime fiction with a bit of culture mixed in, look no further.

Very solid and indeed better than ever effort by the author. I missed some of the peripheral characters' stories and the luncheon menus but plotting and procedures well done.

family-dynamics, friendship, law-enforcement, Venice, eco-awareness, international-crime-and-mystery*****

I have been intermittently reading some of the Brunetti mysteries and always find them fascinating, but not always for the same reasons. I love the interactions among colleagues, the in-depth descriptions of the beauty of Venice despite the damage done by time and tourists, the social structure and prejudices peculiar to those of Italian birth, the changes in attitude toward many things by Brunetti himself, and best of all the mystery itself. But, much as I enjoy it, it feels like the series is ready for a transition into something else. There is less focus for the reader on the development of the investigation and an indefinable something else missing as well. But since this is all in the nature of deciding that the Pieta is less moving than the Mona Lisa, I still enjoyed it very much!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Grove Atlantic/Atlantic Monthly Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

I really like the setting and the characters, and the storytelling is great, but unfortunately the plot is very weak. Even the ending, that could have supplied a little action and suspense, is rather strange.

Having read the Brunetti books for many, many years I always look forward to the next installment and once again I'm not disappointed In this Brunetti's 30th outing we continue to see a Brunetti who has become more jaded and changed owing to the criminality he faces on a daily basis. Yes Brunetti lives a life which many would dream of and yet the dark side of humanity creeps into his world.

Leon is great at introducing a crime which appears unimportant and yet will lead to a far more dangerous situation to be dealt with. As always we get a big slice of social change as well as worldwide issues. Her writing sweeps you along and leaves you wanting more.