By Its Cover

Commissario Guido Brunetti, Book 23

By: Donna Leon

Narrated by: David Colacci

Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Donna Leon's critically acclaimed, internationally bestselling Commissario Guido Brunetti series has attracted listeners the world over with the beauty of its setting, the humanity of its characters, and its fearlessness in exploring politics, morality, and contemporary Italian culture. In Leon's novels, the beloved conversations of the Brunetti family have drawn on topics of art and literature, but books are at the heart of this novel in a way they never have been before.

One afternoon, Commissario Guido Brunetti gets a frantic call from the director of a prestigious Venetian library. Someone has stolen pages out of several rare books. After a round of questioning, the case seems clear: The culprit must be the man who requested the volumes, an American professor from a Kansas university. The only problem-- the man fled the library earlier that day, and after checking his credentials, the American professor doesn't exist.

As the investigation proceeds, the suspects multiply. And when a seemingly harmless theologian, who had spent years reading at the library turns up brutally murdered, Brunetti must question his expectations about what makes a man innocent, or guilty.

©2014 Donna Leon and Diogenes Verlag, Zurich (P)2014 Recorded Books

Always the pleasure that was expected

An adventure into a new area of human greed with great detail. Characters created reflecting all classes. And the decay of Venice reflecting the decay of modern culture.

Murder among rare books

Vintage Leon but a very slow book which ended too soon without much resolution. I was shocked at the ending since it was abrupt as if author was bored with story

Good, but I was left unfulfilled (see why below).

I've binged the first 23 Donna Leon Brunetti books so far. I loved all of them except the ones narrated by Brits. I prefer the Italian accent for these books. it just seems to make more sense.

in this audio book, I hated the loudmouth who introduces and ends the audiobook! His accent and the volume of what he says is loud and crass.

PLUS there isn't a quote from an Opera in Italian or German (or French or...), translated into English in this A-book. It's just in plain ol' English, with no reference to an opera. I hope this isn't a trend from here on out.

AND please, please, please mind these details, and bring them back! All through the audio book, I felt slighted. Having them makes Donna Leons' thrillers that much more special!

l loved it

great as usual with this wonderful author her books are mesmerizing bravo again!hope to read more of her

Leon the magician

Once more she enchants us with one more intimate glimpse into the everyday life and ancient treasures of Venice

Disappointing

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I can't say I will.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I didn't mind how it ended. Good writers should let readers conclude on their own.

What didn’t you like about David Colacci’s performance?

Truly poor, I can his hear his spit all through the reading. Ms Leon need to consider a new narrator.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

It won't.

By It's Cover

I really enjoyed this book, I'm glad I got it, It helped pass the time driving and at work.

Stolen old books

A good mystery. Not too many misleading plots. I enjoyed the Italian setting. The characters were intriguing.

Interesting subject, but too short

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I usually enjoy Donna Leon books about Inspector Brunetti, but this one seemed very rushed, with an abrupt ending. It seemed like the author suddenly tired of the story and just wanted to get it over with. Too bad, because the subject of stolen pages from very valuable old books could have been so much more. I knew the audio would be short, but when "the end" came, I could hardly believe it.

If you’ve listened to books by Donna Leon before, how does this one compare?

There was much less interaction with Brunetti's wife and children, and his fellow police. The story line was good, but could have been developed more deeply.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narrator is ok, but a bit bland.

Any additional comments?

I hope this book doesn't signal the end of the series, if the author is tired of writing them.

Wonderful thing to read and listen to. I love these stories.

Wonderful thing to read and listen to. I love these books! Even all the vocabulary.