Give Unto Others is the 31st (!!!) book in the Commissario Brunetti series by Donna Leon and to me it was like returning to the Guido Brunetti I loved.

As always, this story is set in modern-day Venice, and it starts when an old neighbor of Guido asks him to look into a private situation that’s been bothering her. Before long, Brunetti and his colleagues find that this is more than a private matter and that there might be a fraud involved, affecting people Brunetti himself cares about.

I loved to see Donna Leon coming back to the slow-burn, smart crime stories that made me fall in love with Brunetti and his team. Four stars!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

I am usually a big fan of Donna Leon's books. Unfortunately, this one somewhat misses the mark. We see little of Brunetti's family life, descriptions of scenes in Venice, or action. This is a slow-paced story about Brunetti's feelings of loyalty which necessitate his desire to help the daughter of a family friend. The woman has asked that this case be investigated outside the bounds of normal police procedure. How far can Brunetti and his team go before they cross an ethical line?

I look forward to the next Commissario Brunetti novel.

A family mystery is at the heart of Donna Leon's latest offering when an old family acquaintance asks Brunetti for help.
As always Brunetti's Venice is vividly portrayed, weaving descriptions seamlessly into the narrative and making the reader aware of the effects of the Covid on the city and it's people.
The investigation, exposing corruption and deceit, moves at a gentle pace towards a satisfying ending and can be read either as part of the series or as a stand alone novel.
I want to thank Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for giving me the opportunity of reading this advance copy.

Another thoughtful, thought provoking tale by Donna Leon! Elisabetta, An old friend? neighbor? acquaintance shows up on Commissario Guido Brunetti's doorstep asking for a favor. He and Elisabetta lived in the same building for many years, and Guido remembers that her mother was kind to him, and his mother seemed to like Elisabetta's mother. How can he not help her? Elisabetta is afraid that her son-in-law is into something that could be putting her daughter in danger, and she wonders if Guido could look into things quietly to see ifi there is any real reason for her fears. And of course Guido feels like he must at least take a look. Engaging his usual team of resourceful colleagues including Claudia Griffoni, and the amazing Signorina Elettra, he finds that there may be things awry, but it's not quite what he expected. And now that he's engaged his team on what started out as a personal favor but seems to have evolved into something more frightening, more twisted and more unexpected that he had foreseen, the good Commisario must decide what to do next. Can he do it without causing grief and pain to the most vulnerable? What is Elisabetta's role in all of this. As usual, there are twists and turns, ethical and legal dilemmas, conflicts between what is right and what is just....what is the good Commisario to do?

I finished the book in 2 days because I could not put it down. It's a superb read, stepped in the culture and intracies of an almost post pandemia Venice, what's not to like? Highly recommended, a must read!

Donna Leon continues to tell the tales of Commisario Brunetti. Each book in the series (this is number 31 immerses the reader in the life of Venice, crime, and current events. They are consistently interesting, well written, and I look forward to each and every one.

Brunetti and the rest of Donna Leon’s characters have accompanied me for more than half my life, so reading her new novel has become a kind of yearly ritual to meet back some old friends and catch up with their lives. From a few installments back, for me the series stopped being about the crimes and more about the characters and seeing how they adapt to the new times, and this time Brunetti and company are in a post pandemic Venice that is slowly going back to its old self.

I think it would have been much more interesting to read about Venice during the pandemic, as it would have made great contrast to the usual descriptions of the city, plagued by tourists. Aside from some small details about masks, people keeping social distance or some hospital restrictions, it was all business as usual, and I feel like it was some missed opportunity to do something different.

It pains me to say that the mystery (if you can call it that) was not gripping at all this time. It’s usual in Leon’s latest books to have different kinds of crime, but I always find blood crime much more entertaining, and this time around there was a not a single dead body in sight. Also, it felt like it kept going round and round the same points for a very long time.

One of my favorite parts of the series is reading about Brunetti and his family life, and here that was moved to the very back with just a couple of appearances from Paola, so it was a bit disappointing. Also, where were those mouth watering food descriptions?!

Not even the city of Venice felt as vividly described as in previous books.

On the positive side, the ending was closed and it did not leave any loose threads, which have not always been the case in some of the latest books in the series.

Was Give Unto Others a bad book? Not at all, but when you’ve read the whole series, it’s just not on the same level as some of the early titles. Although not my favorite, I will definitely keep reading the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Give Unto Others is the thirty-first book in the Commissario Brunetti series by award-winning American-born author, Donna Leon. Venice, in the pandemic’s tail end, and the Questura is not overrun with criminal cases, so Brunetti agrees to look into a private matter, off the books, for a former neighbour.

Elisabetta Foscarini is concerned for her daughter Flora when her son-in-law, an accountant, begins acting out of character and mentions possible harm to people who know what is happening. Brunetti and Commissario Claudia Griffoni (because he brings her in without hesitation) quickly conclude that Enrico Fenzo’s remarks must refer to one of his clients who, on initial examination, seem innocuous, not ringing any alarm bells.

But Brunetti also decides to look into a charity that Enrico helped his father-in-law set up pro-bono, something that seems to have potential when his colleague Ispettore Lorenzo Vianello explains how little official oversight there appears to be on these entities. Of particular interest are the two other principals of the charity.

Before long, Brunetti has enlisted Officer Pucetti for a little undercover nosing about, Signorina Elettra Zorza (who has a certain bug concern of her own) to gather information, and his mother-in-law, Contessa Donatella Falier to broker introductions, all without official sanction. Each of them would understand the inherited debt of kindness behind it.

Weather and tides and looting by “baby gangs” require a bit of real police work, but then the vandalism of Flora’s veterinary clinic on Murano, which might be linked to their enquiries, gives their work official standing. What they ultimately uncover presents them with a dilemma, which is then taken out of their hands by others. But the deeper truth, when Brunetti uncovers it, admonishes him for forgetting to be a policeman when he most needed to.

Leon gives the reader a very appealing protagonist who is ready to admits his faults and failings. His inner monologue is often engaging, and his philosophical musings, for example about the similarities between pickpockets and those claiming pandemic handouts, are insightful.

The dialogue is often entertaining:
‘Do you think you can do this?’
‘It might take a day or two,’ Signorina Elettra answered, tapping the erasered end of her pencil against the paper. ‘If it’s a small project, then it’s unlikely they’ll have adequate protection.’
‘Against what?’ Brunetti asked.
‘Me.’
and there is a certain Netflix conversation with a colleague that cleverly disguises the real subject of their discussion from unwanted listeners. Leon throws in distractions and red herrings and leads the reader not at all where they thought they were going. Bound to appeal to those who love Venice, this is intelligent crime fiction at its finest.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Grove Atlantic.

This is one of my favorite series because it’s about so much more than a whodunit or even crime. Brunetti is getting older, but maybe not wiser. He is as compassionate as ever, and the plot of this novel is as interesting as any heart-racing thriller. The author doesn’t always highlight the same characters. They are all in the background of Brunetti’s life, but sometimes he deals with some people more than others. Griffoni takes again center stage, which is great because she’s awesome, as well as Vianello and Signorina Elettra. But it’s Brunetti’s persistence to find the truth that drives this one. He wants to know, but doesn’t need to be proven right. His concern about the people who get hurt during an investigation, sometimes even because of his own actions, is always touching. Venice is almost another character, and the state she’s in after the pandemic is a big part of the plot. I don’t usually like it when this horrible real-life event is part of the fictional worlds I cherish but, in this case, I didn’t mind it. I hope Brunetti keeps having many more adventures.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Grove Atlantic, Atlantic Monthly Press!

"Give Unto Others" is set in modern day Venice, a city still reeling from the ravages of the pandemic. Venice, a city whose lifeblood is its tourist trade, was left to its inhabitants, and the Questura was a strangely quiet place.

Commissario Brunetti is drawn into an investigation by a childhood neighbor of his family. As he begins to dig deeper, he uncovers corruption, treachery, and betrayal on multiple levels.

This long-running series is always a delight for its ability to transport the reader, if only for a few hours, to the city of shimmering light on water that is Venice.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When Guido Brunetti was a child his family was struggling to get by but Elisabetta Foscarini’s mother was there for his mother. Now he is Commissario Brunetti and Elisabetta has come to him for help. She is afraid that her daughter may be in danger. Her son-in-late Enrico has been on edge and threatened his wife when she tried to talk to him about it. Elisabetta wants Brunetti to look into Enrico’s business as a personal favor without police involvement. She was never his friend but he remembers her mother’s kindness and reluctantly agrees. He is in an awkward position since there has been no crime and his actions could lead to discipline or being fired.

Enrico is an accountant who had worked for Elisabetta’s husband to set up a charity in support of a hospital in Belize. As Brunetti proceeds, he has questions regarding the funding involved and the signatories to the charity’s charter. While this is not a police matter, he does involve several of his co-workers, including Signorina Elettra, his superior’s secretary, who has a magic way of finding information. One of the founders was Admiral Fullin, who Brunetti met through his in-laws. Fullin was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s five years earlier and Brunetti questions whether he understood what he was signing at the time. Tax evasion and money laundering become evident, but if Brunetti turns over his findings to the Guardia di Finanza he will have to admit that he has been carrying on an unauthorized investigation.

Brunetti is a man of honor who has the respect and support of his co-workers. He is also a family man. His wife is a professor of literature and reading plays an important part in Brunetti’s life. Elisabetta’s appearance after so many years leads him to reflect on his childhood and reveals much of his early background. While she was an old acquaintance they have not kept in touch. The concerned mother who he originally sees is not who she really is and as Brunetti looks into the charity he discovers how manipulative she really is. It is easy to get involved with Donna Leon’s characters and fans of Louise Penny’s Three Pines Will fall in love with Leon’s Venice. I would like to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic For providing this book for my review.

Just completed the latest entry in the Donna Leon series featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti and his family and colleagues. This one integrates the effects of the pandemic on the beautiful city of Venice. Leon is good at misdirection and she excels on this selection. Leon always provides a good murder mystery along with a view of a remarkable city.

I had not read Donna Leon's series about Commissario Brunetti but since I had frequently seen them reviewed, I decided to give it a try, and I was glad I did. It is not page turning "who done it", but rather a book to read outside in the shade with a cold drink, or inside by the fire with a warm one. I loved the interaction with his family and the depiction of Venice. I particularly liked being in his mind as he reflected on life and the human condition. I would read another one of his books.

It is rarely that I have enjoyed the 31st in a series of novels as much as I did the first, but that is very much the case here. Donna Leon's yearly issues from 1992 have been a much anticipated event in my life in books and this latest does not disappoint.
Brunetti is a pillar of right and light in a sea of wrongs and darkness, ever humane and intelligent. Here there is an exploration of what loyalty and criminality really mean, told with clarity and economy, unfolding slowly, yet never dull.

As always, highly recommended.

Commissario Brunetti is back, this time with an unofficial inquiry on behalf of a childhood acquaintance—someone whose mother was kind to his family. The Venetian setting is, as always, delightfully featured, with details of everyday life now colored by pandemic-era details and changes. The author’s attention to the nuances of human behavior and Venetian customs will be familiar and enjoyed by loyal readers. I enjoyed all of that while at the same time wishing that more would, well, happen. There’s a lot of meandering consideration of the meaning of loyalty, the ways people protect fragile or declining loved ones, etc., which is (unsurprisingly) very well done, but I also would have liked a little more getting out and doing. There was investigation to be sure, but it started to feel a bit like a series of social calls and coffee visits in between letting various colleagues like the awesome Signorina Ellettra work her investigative magic behind the scenes. Although this installment was not my favorite, I’m a fan of Guido Brunetti and would not hesitate to read more books in this long-running and beloved series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for a digital advance review copy.

Donna Leon is back on her game with Give unto others. Catching glimpses of a country I'll never see. It's the familiarity with her characters & places that feels like you're in community

Give unto Others is the next title in this author’s marvelous Guido Brunetti series. Leon is a mistress of place and character. Readers will feel that they are in Venice as they watch characters move around the city both on land and water. The effects of the “pandemia” on “Venezia” is also part of the story.

Readers will also (I hope) enjoy spending time with the ethical, good and warm Brunetti and those around him. Readers will be happy to see Elettra (the clever!) and the others who make up Brunetti’s team. Of course, any moments with the Bruetti family are also quite a treat.

In this novel, Brunetti hears from Elisabetta, the daughter of a woman who was always kind to Brunetti’s mother. Along the way, readers meet a number of characters including one with Alzheimer’s who are entangled in Elisabetta’s situation. The toll of Alzheimer’s disease is made quite clear. Readers learn that Brunetti’s mother was also challenged by this illness.

A bonus in this story is that readers learn something more about Brunetti’s childhood and parents. For series fans this will be especially welcome.

As is always true, Leon is a genius at titles. Is the “giving” meant to be about Brunetti’s desire to help someone from his childhood? Is it to do with the charity or funds that people use for pleasure even though not entitle to do so? It is left to the reader to decide.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Set at the end of the first wave of the covid Pandemic, Donna Leon has given us another case from the dossier of Commissario Brunetti.

But this is no ordinary tale. It begins with an acquaintance of Brunetti turning up at the Questura to beg a favour. To help this ‘friend’ he enlists the help of his colleagues and together they begin to put the pieces of the case together.

It is at this point that there begins an underlying exploration of the theme of loyalty. And it becomes a moral and ethical tale, with the favour spiralling out of control. Just when we think it is all solved, we find that there is another twist in the tale, and everything changes again. Philosophically speaking this case began as a request for help but develops into a consideration about what a criminal is and eventually to consider the whole nature of Venetian Justice.

As you read this you feel like you are right there with Brunetti solving the case along with his colleagues, weighing up what is truth, perceived truth, and falsehood. And thanks to Donna Leon’s vivid descriptions, the whole story is brought to life against the backdrop of Brunetti’s Venice, its coffee shops, and landmarks in the background.

Another great piece of writing. Thank you for allowing me to read this book at this time.

Set in incomparable Venice just at the end of the pandemic, Give Unto Others is the thirty first in a spectacular series. Donna Leon is a very witty and clever author with a special way writing words, words that knit plots and characters together beautifully. To me the books are more than crimes and mysteries but also about the setting and characters as they go about their daily lives.

Commissario Guido Brunetti is approached by a childhood acquaintance, Elisabetta Foscarini to ask for help. He feels compelled to take on her case as her mother showed particular kindness to his family when he was a child. Her son in law is acting out of character and it is clear he holds a deep secret. Guido enlists his colleagues to discover what it is and encounters social issues en route. Claudia Griffoni and Signorina Elletra are my favourite characters in the series as they both have oomph and presence. It is also fun to catch glimpses of Guido's home life with his wife and two kids. The conclusion is fulfilling.

Venice is such a beguiling city, one I have visited many times, and the descriptions of cafes, canals, people, culture and food are just stunning. Not only that but the writing captures the unique Venetian vibe and personality. This particular novel is somehow soothing and calming, the perfect escape. Pure joy.

This book would appeal to Mystery and Fiction readers, especially those seeking a non-violent book with je ne sais quois. I highly recommend the entire series.

My sincere thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this wonderful, wonderful book!

This is Donna Leon at her best, Venice and Guido are both the undeniable character bearers of the story but so much is caught through the lens of the other participants in the story. We live the tale as Leon assembles assorted threads that converge in the lies and truths that are so often hidden in plain sight and yet the characters navigate these with integrity and the lack of as determined by their particular role.
An interesting and complex crime novel.

This is another laid back read set in Venice which lovers of this series will greatly enjoy. Guido is visited by someone he knows from his childhood. Elizabetta’s mother was very kind to his mother and he want to help if he can. She is concerned that her daughter’s husband has become involved in something dangerous and would like it investigated off the books. Of course, everyone has time to oblige her and they end up looking into a foreign charity, a break in at a vet’s practice and an old man with dementia. What makes this book so good are the revelations at the end which I can’t hint at without spoiling it.