Average Crime in an Enjoyable Style
The American author lived in Venice for thirty years and began writing her crime series set in the city and its surroundings, featuring Inspector Brunetti, in 2003. The series is now at its 30th installment. Maria Vergine!* The cruel Hungarian** publisher, for some reason, skipped over more than half of the books in the translation process—sometimes leaving out as many as five in a row! So, for example, you might be surprised to learn that by the time Earthly Remains was published, Guido Brunetti had already been promoted to Chief Inspector! And you missed it! And how on earth did Vice-Questore Patta***, Brunetti’s utterly unbearable boss, not manage to block this promotion? Perhaps Signorina Elettra, the charming but mysterious secretary with her own connections, had a hand in it? We’ll never know!
What we do know is that Donna Leon’s novels can be placed in the same category as Simenon’s Maigret stories. (Though they are much more enjoyable.) Mostly, they involve average crimes with everyday culprits, nothing particularly flashy. However, they provide a thorough depiction of the environment and society, offering deep insights into Italian daily life, national character, and cuisine! (Yum—here’s yet another book series that will leave you constantly hungry while reading.) And, of course, Venice.
Let Me Move in With the Brunettis!
Beyond the investigations, another complementary element is Inspector Brunetti’s family life, which can boldly be described as exemplary. Honestly, when you see how well-behaved his two children are, you can’t help but feel a pang of envy. Especially if you think about your own phone-addicted, foolish kids.
The plot of the books can’t exactly be described as fast-paced, and the restrained style, generally devoid of any action, might seem too slow for some. I admit, I felt the same way during the first few installments. But then, without realizing it, I grew fond of Brunetti, this perfectly mannered, old-fashioned gentleman who often has to navigate against the tide (corruption, political connections, bureaucracy, etc.), driven by his own conscience or police curiosity. Just as he does in the novel Earthly Remains.
Do You Think Good Always Wins?
Donna Leon’s books frequently respond to current issues, such as global warming, migration, or as in this novel, the decline of bee populations. It’s also common for you not to get a satisfying resolution at the end of the investigation, due to some elusive adversary or the excesses of an imperfect system. This can be quite frustrating for someone accustomed to American cultural products, where good always wins. For someone living in Italy, though, it might seem entirely natural. 🙁
It’s worth noting (since we’re on a book review blog) that both Brunetti and his esteemed wife, Paola, are lovers of books (ancient historians vs. Henry James).
A Standard Crime Novel – with Loose-Lipped Witnesses
In Earthly Remains, the first 152 pages are mostly just a setup, but if you’ve grown fond of the honorable commissario*** from the previous books, you won’t mind one bit. From that point on, it turns into an ordinary crime novel, with all the usual elements.
However, what slightly diminishes this installment—at least toward the end—is that the witnesses in the final chapters open up to the inspector like delicate little flowers. Given the nature of the case, it would have been more believable if the information had come to light in a different way. Even if Brunetti’s interrogation technique rivals that of Brenda Leigh Johnson, the ace detective from the TV series The Closer, would you spill all your secrets if you had nothing to gain and everything to lose? Not a chance! You’d keep your mouth shut and that’s that!
Rating: 7.5/10
Earthly Remains (Commissario Brunetti #26) by Donna Leon
304 pages, Hardcover
Published in 2017 by Atlantic Monthly Press
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* Maria Vergine! My Holy Mother!
** This is a Hungarian Blog
*** vice-questore Deputy Chief of Police
*** commissario inspector