Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Pan Books (1997), Mass Market Paperback, 399 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. HTML:"A dramatic and deeply satisfying climax . . . a high-stakes mystery in which the setting vibrates with as much life as the story itself." �??Publishers Weekly As Venice braces for a winter tempest, intrepid Italian sleuth Commissario Guido Brunetti finds out that an archaeologist and old friend has been savagely beaten at the palazzo home of opera singer Flavia Petrelli. Then, as the floodwaters rise, the corpse of a museum director is discovered�??and Brunetti must wade through the chaotic city to solve his deadliest case yet. "An evocative peep into the dark underworld of the beauteous city." �??Time Out London "A superb police detective." �??Library Journal Also published under the title Death in
User reviews
LibraryThing member tripleblessings
This is the 5th book in the series, first published in 1996. A winter storm causes flooding in Venice. Opera singer Flavia Petrelli appears in this book, who was involved in the first Brunetti mystery, Death at La Fenice. Her lover Brett, an American expert on ancient Chinese ceramics, has been
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badly beaten at her home. Then a corpse is discovered as the annual flood waters rise. Brunetti must wade through the city to sort out the tangled cases of murder, assault and international art forgeries. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member Talbin
Acqua Alta is the fifth in Donna Leon's series featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti, a Venetian police detective. Brunetti discovers that a friend, archaeologist and Chinese ceramics expert Brett Lynch, has been savagely beaten and is in the hospital. He visits Brett and her lover, opera diva
In many ways, Acqua Alta is the most "traditional" of the series to date - a real page turner. The ever-present Italian corruption is present, but mostly as background. Venice is again a major character, but this time is more sinister, as the cold flood waters rise and fall, creating obstacles and ambiance that gives the story a creepier feeling than earlier works. It's nice to see Brett Lynch and Flavia Petrelli again - they were featured in Death at La Fenice and are the primary characters (along with Brunetti) in this book. Overall, a great entry in the Brunetti series.
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Flavia Petrelli, in the hospital and discovers that, during the beating, Brett was warned not to keep her meeting with Venetian museum Director, Semenzato. When Semenzato is found dead, killed with an ancient brick, Brunetti begins to piece together a mystery surrounding stolen artifacts, sold on the black market in Italy and around the world.In many ways, Acqua Alta is the most "traditional" of the series to date - a real page turner. The ever-present Italian corruption is present, but mostly as background. Venice is again a major character, but this time is more sinister, as the cold flood waters rise and fall, creating obstacles and ambiance that gives the story a creepier feeling than earlier works. It's nice to see Brett Lynch and Flavia Petrelli again - they were featured in Death at La Fenice and are the primary characters (along with Brunetti) in this book. Overall, a great entry in the Brunetti series.
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LibraryThing member francescadefreitas
Of all the books I've read so far in this series, this was the most like a thriller, with a sense of real, immediate danger. Brett Lynch is an interesting and sympathetic character, and I was glad to encounter her and Flavia again.
LibraryThing member Joycepa
Acqua Alta
Donna Leon
5th in the Commisario Brunetti series, set in Venice Italy.
It’s winter in Venice, and the seasonal rains bring with them the threat of flooding, or acqua alta--high water. After waking during the night to the sirens announcing the threat, Brunetti discovers by accident that a
This is one of the best of the series, my personal favorite, as it has a faced-paced plot and the denouement is the most terrifying in all of Leon’s books; it literally becomes a page-turner, which is rare in this series which depends on strong writing, local ambience, and outstanding characterizations for its strength. The story reunites Brunetti with two fine characters from the first book, Death at La Fenice, the American archeologist Lynch and her diva lover, the soprano Flavia Petrellis; the latter takes a far more prominent role in this book than she did in the first and adds greatly to the strength of the plot.
As in every book, Leon does not rest just on the local color of Venice (following the action through the neighborhoods of Venice on GoogleEarth is really fun), but also weaves in seamlessly the social and political situations in the city, providing an excellent view of Italian life.
An superb installment in the series. Highly recommended.
Donna Leon
5th in the Commisario Brunetti series, set in Venice Italy.
It’s winter in Venice, and the seasonal rains bring with them the threat of flooding, or acqua alta--high water. After waking during the night to the sirens announcing the threat, Brunetti discovers by accident that a
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friend, Brett Lynch, has been savagely beaten as a warning to avoid meeting with the director of the museum located in the Ducal Palace; 5 years previously, Brett had supervised an exhibition of priceless ancient Chinese ceramics at the museum and had returned to talk with the Director, Semenzato. Then Semenzato is murdered as well. Brunetti’s investigation leads to a wealthy Sicilian who has recently purchased and restored a palazzo not far from where Brunetti himself lives; La Capra is also a lover of classical music and a collector of ceramics.This is one of the best of the series, my personal favorite, as it has a faced-paced plot and the denouement is the most terrifying in all of Leon’s books; it literally becomes a page-turner, which is rare in this series which depends on strong writing, local ambience, and outstanding characterizations for its strength. The story reunites Brunetti with two fine characters from the first book, Death at La Fenice, the American archeologist Lynch and her diva lover, the soprano Flavia Petrellis; the latter takes a far more prominent role in this book than she did in the first and adds greatly to the strength of the plot.
As in every book, Leon does not rest just on the local color of Venice (following the action through the neighborhoods of Venice on GoogleEarth is really fun), but also weaves in seamlessly the social and political situations in the city, providing an excellent view of Italian life.
An superb installment in the series. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member crazeedi73
The best Brunetti book so far, looking forward to the next one
LibraryThing member cdagulleiro
Entertaining mistery series where, as many others, the charm of the book is actually the descriptions of the society and the feelings of the city. Is also interesting that Donna Leon seems to have banned the book of being translated into italian. She is very critical about corruption in Italy.
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Excellent book to read on a rainy day. Show Less
LibraryThing member dianaleez
Leon's Brunetti stories are consistently good. Venice and Venetian food are the stars, with the Brunetti family a close third. The detective element isn't bad either.
LibraryThing member tututhefirst
Much has already been written about this ongoing and charming series. Commissario Guido Brunetti and his wife Paola (a college English professor) are urbane, educated, sophisticated and have inherited wealth. Their enjoyment of literature, good wine, travel, and opera adds a degree of
This episode concerns a ring of antiques dealers/museum curators who are not happy when their theft of precious art objects and substitution of fakes is discovered by an American professor. The subsequent crime spree that follows as they try to rid themselves of witnesses and evidence is set against the background of the "Acqua Alta"--a periodic Venetian weather phenomenon that occurs when the rains and winds combine with high tides to produce floods of various heights, making getting around the city difficult if not impossible.
As she tells the story, Leon weaves into the plot the antipathy of Venetians for southern Italians, the homophobia of Italian males towards two of the women in the story, and every parent's fears of discovering a teenager who may be engaging in unhealthy/illegal activity. Nothing more to say---I don't want to spoil it.
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sophistication one doesn't always find in the ordinary gumshoe series. At the same time, Brunetti has to deal with an pompous 'if it's not my idea it won't work' boss who wants to know everything, take credit for everything good and who disavows anything that goes wrong; two teen-aged off-spring (who needs to say more?) and the Italian criminal justice system, which does not always work the way the ethical Brunetti would like it too. Guido is too much the practical Italian though to let little things like disregard for the law get in his way.This episode concerns a ring of antiques dealers/museum curators who are not happy when their theft of precious art objects and substitution of fakes is discovered by an American professor. The subsequent crime spree that follows as they try to rid themselves of witnesses and evidence is set against the background of the "Acqua Alta"--a periodic Venetian weather phenomenon that occurs when the rains and winds combine with high tides to produce floods of various heights, making getting around the city difficult if not impossible.
As she tells the story, Leon weaves into the plot the antipathy of Venetians for southern Italians, the homophobia of Italian males towards two of the women in the story, and every parent's fears of discovering a teenager who may be engaging in unhealthy/illegal activity. Nothing more to say---I don't want to spoil it.
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LibraryThing member cyderry
The 5th installment of Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti series returns characters from the first book of the series to the beautiful Venetian setting and then makes it turn ugly with a vicious beating and death threats.
Guido Brunetti realizes that a friend, Brett Lynch, an archeologist that
Guido's determination to protect his friend and to identify the perpetrators, is documented with the backdrop of the rain season which brings the "high water" (acqua alta) through which Brunetti was wade to find all the clues that finally lead him to the answers he seeks.
If only the real world mysteries could be solved in the same manner by policemen like Commissario Guido Brunetti who often disregards the method of gaining information so that justice can be achieved. I am really looking forward to the next installment.
Guido Brunetti realizes that a friend, Brett Lynch, an archeologist that
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specializes in Chinese ceramics, has return when he is presented with a report about the vicious assault by men, putting her in the hospital. He gathers information about the beating which was a warning for her to avoid a meeting with the Museum director in Venice, Semenzato. When he is found dead in his office, Brunetti, starts to piece together an intricately woven conspiracy surrounding theft and substitution of rare art objects.Guido's determination to protect his friend and to identify the perpetrators, is documented with the backdrop of the rain season which brings the "high water" (acqua alta) through which Brunetti was wade to find all the clues that finally lead him to the answers he seeks.
If only the real world mysteries could be solved in the same manner by policemen like Commissario Guido Brunetti who often disregards the method of gaining information so that justice can be achieved. I am really looking forward to the next installment.
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LibraryThing member mamzel
This is the second book of the Commissario Guido Brunetti series that I have read (not the second book of the series, however). One of the things I really enjoy about this book is the wonderful family life that Guido enjoys. I also enjoyed that he did not always follow police procedure. This
I also liked that the main characters also included a pair of lesbians portrayed as very talented and devoted in a country where homosexuality is not accepted.
What I did not enjoy, is feeling like an outsider sometimes when Italian words weren't translated for the reader. At one point a line from an opera was quoted and it felt like it was assumed the reader would know what it meant and how it pertained to the story. It felt like I was being left out of a joke.
And, after reading this book, I really have no desire to visit Venice as spring floods matched with cold miserable weather do not paint an attractive picture.
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happened at a point in the book when I found myself wishing that, with all the corruption of the Italian police forces, our hero might have a little misbehavior up his sleeve.I also liked that the main characters also included a pair of lesbians portrayed as very talented and devoted in a country where homosexuality is not accepted.
What I did not enjoy, is feeling like an outsider sometimes when Italian words weren't translated for the reader. At one point a line from an opera was quoted and it felt like it was assumed the reader would know what it meant and how it pertained to the story. It felt like I was being left out of a joke.
And, after reading this book, I really have no desire to visit Venice as spring floods matched with cold miserable weather do not paint an attractive picture.
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LibraryThing member ecw0647
I really like Donna Leon. I hope she continues to write forever. Her books are always literate and interesting with marvelous characters. The plots are intricate even if her view of Italian society is dark indeed. For example, in Acqua Alta, a woman is seriously beaten by some thugs. Her partner
Amidst this corruption, Commisario Guido Brunetti, and his wife, Paola, struggle to remain honest and raise their children. They have a wonderful relationship -- “the radar of a long marriage” -- and Paola provides a nice contretemps to Guido. Leon, who has taught English for many years at University of Maryland extension campus at the U.S. Army's Vicenza (Italy) post, has lived many years in Italy, speaks the language fluently, and captures the nuances of the people and of daily life in Venice.
Acqua Alta refers to the seasonal high water in Venice when the tides flood large sections of the city. Sirens wail before the expected onrush and everyone must wear boots to get around in water that can be knee-deep. The city is always slow to erect the boards that people must traverse to avoid the water (I’m reading a book about Venice that discusses the future of the city -- more in a later issue). The high water and muck it brings provides a thread that nicely parallels the difficulties Guido faces during this investigation.
Flavia Petrelli, an opera singer, and her lover, Brett Lynch, an American archaeologist, return from a previous novel, Death at La Fenice Brett was beaten up as a warning not to meet with the director of a famous art museum (later murdered) and Guido must sort out a series of events in the underbelly of the art world related to an archaeological dig in China. Lurking behind everything is the dampness and the cold fog that seeps into all the old crusty buildings. Guido always solves the crimes, but the guilty often, because of the corruption and their connections, remain unpunished. Unusually, in this one, Guido arrives in time before the tragedy.
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calls for an ambulance, but she is told there are two people ahead of her and she must be placed on a waiting list. Sorry. Once in the hospital every palm must be greased just to get the sheets changed. Corruption is rampant. Amidst this corruption, Commisario Guido Brunetti, and his wife, Paola, struggle to remain honest and raise their children. They have a wonderful relationship -- “the radar of a long marriage” -- and Paola provides a nice contretemps to Guido. Leon, who has taught English for many years at University of Maryland extension campus at the U.S. Army's Vicenza (Italy) post, has lived many years in Italy, speaks the language fluently, and captures the nuances of the people and of daily life in Venice.
Acqua Alta refers to the seasonal high water in Venice when the tides flood large sections of the city. Sirens wail before the expected onrush and everyone must wear boots to get around in water that can be knee-deep. The city is always slow to erect the boards that people must traverse to avoid the water (I’m reading a book about Venice that discusses the future of the city -- more in a later issue). The high water and muck it brings provides a thread that nicely parallels the difficulties Guido faces during this investigation.
Flavia Petrelli, an opera singer, and her lover, Brett Lynch, an American archaeologist, return from a previous novel, Death at La Fenice Brett was beaten up as a warning not to meet with the director of a famous art museum (later murdered) and Guido must sort out a series of events in the underbelly of the art world related to an archaeological dig in China. Lurking behind everything is the dampness and the cold fog that seeps into all the old crusty buildings. Guido always solves the crimes, but the guilty often, because of the corruption and their connections, remain unpunished. Unusually, in this one, Guido arrives in time before the tragedy.
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LibraryThing member jennorthcoast
Another great Brunetti adventure, with two strong female characters (well, with his wife and daughter, four) from the first novel returning for intrigue in the art/archaeology world. Another must read.
LibraryThing member Yllom
Another great Guido Brunetti mystery, with the sense of place being predominant. This time the rains are making the waters rise in Venice, which chilled my bones in the middle of July. This mystery also revisits characters from the first book in the series; Brett Lynch, and art expert. and opera
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diva Flavia Petrelli. The mood is dark and oppressive, but so well done! Show Less
LibraryThing member thornton37814
Brunetti recognizes a name when when looking over the crime report. He visits Brett Lynch, who first appeared in Death at La Fenice as an American with expertise in Chinese antiquities who is the homosexual lover of singer Flavia Petrelli, as the beaten victim in what is assumed to be a robbery
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gone awry. The thugs warn her not to visit a museum director who turns up dead soon afterwards. Venice is suffering flooding during the installment which adds to the atmosphere and provides an interesting twist in some of the action. The mystery is well-done, compelling readers to stick with the story. I missed a bit of the canal travel and family and food normally featured in the series, but the plot made up for it in other way. Show Less
LibraryThing member memccauley6
This wasn’t a great mystery, but I enjoyed (most of) it. Once again, Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice Questura takes a backseat to the city of Venice itself. In this outing, he must track down a murderer after illegal antiquities in the midst of the city’s winter flooding.
In a country
If you like learning about different cultures and stories about the illegal antiquities trade – you MUST read Tony Hillerman’s books - try A Thief of Time.
In a country
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rife with corruption and bureaucratic nonsense, the police must break the rules to get the bad guys, indeed the rules must be ‘bent’ to accomplish anything at all. Leon paints a very revealing (and frankly, unflattering) portrait of paranoid, corrupt and homophobic Italians. The mystery is doled out at a slow pace, a reader more interested in straight-up murder-mystery action will quickly lose interestIf you like learning about different cultures and stories about the illegal antiquities trade – you MUST read Tony Hillerman’s books - try A Thief of Time.
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LibraryThing member quondame
Not much of a mystery, and strangely this features two of the same characters as the only other Donna Leon I've read to date. It's interesting to spend time in Venice and learn about Chinese Pottery, art theft, and the north ward spread of thuggery.
LibraryThing member TomDonaghey
Acqua Alta (1996) (Comm. Brunetti #5) by Donna Leon. Aqua Alta is the tern used in Venice to describe the high peaks of flooding that occur within the city about every third winter. That is the setting for the fifth in this popular series. Here Brunetti is faced with antiquities theft, particularly
A lot of the story of this international crime is told from Brett’s perspective which I found a bit annoying. But the setting, as always, is magnificent. Venice is and always will be a major character in these books. If you are planning to go, well there are many tour guidebooks available. But if you have gone and now want to refresh you memories, any of these stories will do the trick.
As usual, there is corruption in high places. Museum curators are not above getting their fingers dirty for a few million lira, and there is always a wealthy collector willing to pay what it takes to get what they want.
A little talky in sports, but Brunetti’s family helps make everything alright.
This book is also known as Death In High Water.
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Chinese artifacts. Brett Lynch, and her lover, who we met in the first Brunetti book, are back. She is attacked in her home and this initiates the investigation into art theft at the very top. There is a murder that comes in very quickly that ensures to the Commissario that he is on the right track.A lot of the story of this international crime is told from Brett’s perspective which I found a bit annoying. But the setting, as always, is magnificent. Venice is and always will be a major character in these books. If you are planning to go, well there are many tour guidebooks available. But if you have gone and now want to refresh you memories, any of these stories will do the trick.
As usual, there is corruption in high places. Museum curators are not above getting their fingers dirty for a few million lira, and there is always a wealthy collector willing to pay what it takes to get what they want.
A little talky in sports, but Brunetti’s family helps make everything alright.
This book is also known as Death In High Water.
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LibraryThing member waldhaus1
Ms Leone had achieved a new and richer level of character development and story. Even the character of Venice is presented in a richer and subtler way.
A brief incident when Brunetti fears his son is injecting himself with illegal drugs amplifies his humanity.
The reader ends up feeling a deeper
A brief incident when Brunetti fears his son is injecting himself with illegal drugs amplifies his humanity.
The reader ends up feeling a deeper
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familiarity with everyone involved in the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
Here is something I really enjoyed about Acqua Alta. The characters from Leon's first Guido Brunetti mystery come back. First introduced in Death at La Fenice, talented opera singer Flavia Petrelli and her lover, archaeologist Brett Lynch, are back five books later, in Acqua Alta. Leon is strategic
Back to the plot. After Brett is brutally attacked in her apartment, Inspector Brunetti takes on her case. As an American in Venice, Brett seems an unlikely victim of a robbery and yet the attack on her was brutal. It can't be her lifestyle; she and Flavia have been flaunting that for two years now. It can't be her nationality; hundreds of foreigners run away to Venice on a daily basis. Brunetti focuses on her career as an archaeologist and soon a picture of corruption and scandal in the art world emerges.
As an aside, the title of the book comes from the phenomenon called acqua alta, the occasionally flooding of Venice. This happens when there is winter torrential rain, unusually high tides (during a full moon) and wind pushing water up from the Adriadic Sea into the Venetian Lagoon. It is important to understand this weather event because the acqua alta is truly another character in the book and crucial to the plot.
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in how she reintroduces these characters and ties them back to Death at La Fenice. It's as if she reassures the reader Acqua Alta will stand on its own. There is no need to go back and read previous mysteries.Back to the plot. After Brett is brutally attacked in her apartment, Inspector Brunetti takes on her case. As an American in Venice, Brett seems an unlikely victim of a robbery and yet the attack on her was brutal. It can't be her lifestyle; she and Flavia have been flaunting that for two years now. It can't be her nationality; hundreds of foreigners run away to Venice on a daily basis. Brunetti focuses on her career as an archaeologist and soon a picture of corruption and scandal in the art world emerges.
As an aside, the title of the book comes from the phenomenon called acqua alta, the occasionally flooding of Venice. This happens when there is winter torrential rain, unusually high tides (during a full moon) and wind pushing water up from the Adriadic Sea into the Venetian Lagoon. It is important to understand this weather event because the acqua alta is truly another character in the book and crucial to the plot.
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LibraryThing member jetangen4571
law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, museum, art-fraud, art-theft, artifact, Venice, family-dynamics, friendship*****
Acqua alta is the term used in Veneto for the exceptional tide peaks that occur periodically in the northern Adriatic Sea. Exceptional is right! Add relentless rain to the
Amid this, there is the severe beating of a renowned expert of Chinese pottery artifacts (known from a previous case to Commissario Brunetti) in her own home, and soon thereafter the murder of the director of a prominent local museum. Another convoluted tale of murder in a very unique city and the solid police work (and a little sneaky stuff, too) by the Commissario.
Narrator David Colacci has the trick of using American standard Italian and Sicilian accents to differentiate the multiple male characters down to a science. Bravissimo!
Acqua alta is the term used in Veneto for the exceptional tide peaks that occur periodically in the northern Adriatic Sea. Exceptional is right! Add relentless rain to the
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phenomenon in Venice and you have a situation where the water outside can reach knee level and calf level in the entryways.Amid this, there is the severe beating of a renowned expert of Chinese pottery artifacts (known from a previous case to Commissario Brunetti) in her own home, and soon thereafter the murder of the director of a prominent local museum. Another convoluted tale of murder in a very unique city and the solid police work (and a little sneaky stuff, too) by the Commissario.
Narrator David Colacci has the trick of using American standard Italian and Sicilian accents to differentiate the multiple male characters down to a science. Bravissimo!
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LibraryThing member ChazziFrazz
“Don’t keep that appointment with Dottor Seminzato.” Is the message delivered to Dr. Brett Lynch, along with a brutal beating. Commissario Brunetti is given the case. He is familiar with Lynch and the woman she lives with from an earlier case. The relationship between Lynch and Flavia
Shortly Semenzato is found murdered in his home. There appears to be a possible connection between the two victims. Some years back, there was an exhibition of Chinese arntiquities at the Doge’s Palace, arranged by Semenzato. Lynch had arranged for the loan of pieces from China. At some point the pieces returned to China appeared not to be the originals. This has cast a dim light on Semenzato.
While Brunetti is trying to find out who is behind the violence, it is winter in Venice and the season of the Aqua Alta, the season of high tides, heavy rain and flooding. A time where getting around Venice is difficult at best.
Brunetti finds himself exploring the world of Art through contacts in the museum restoration, stolen works and forgeries areas. Bit by bit, putting the pieces together, Brunetting creates the whole picture of what happened and who was involved.
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Petrelli, the reigning diva of La Scala, doesn’t bother Brunelli, but it does others.Shortly Semenzato is found murdered in his home. There appears to be a possible connection between the two victims. Some years back, there was an exhibition of Chinese arntiquities at the Doge’s Palace, arranged by Semenzato. Lynch had arranged for the loan of pieces from China. At some point the pieces returned to China appeared not to be the originals. This has cast a dim light on Semenzato.
While Brunetti is trying to find out who is behind the violence, it is winter in Venice and the season of the Aqua Alta, the season of high tides, heavy rain and flooding. A time where getting around Venice is difficult at best.
Brunetti finds himself exploring the world of Art through contacts in the museum restoration, stolen works and forgeries areas. Bit by bit, putting the pieces together, Brunetting creates the whole picture of what happened and who was involved.
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LibraryThing member AnnieMod
This installment of the series ties back to the very first novel of the series by re-introducing us back with Brett and Flavia Petrelli. You do not need to have read the first novel but if you had not, you will get some spoilers here. This time it is Brett who gets in trouble - someone shows up at
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the door and before she realizes what is happening, she is badly beaten with a message being delivered to her: skip your meeting with the museum director. Considering that she had been instrumental in bringing a Chinese exhibition to Venice and there had been some issues with some of the returned artifacts, it is not too hard to figure out that this may be related. The novel ends up tying together a tale of art, forgeries and stolen artifacts with a tale of Venice at its worst - when the acqua alta comes and covers the low floors. As is usual, the criminal action almost takes a back seat to the story about Venice - but even the crime is so Venetian than it just can not happen anywhere else. Show Less
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
Although Venice's Commissario Brunetti doesn't normally handle robberies, he manages to get himself assigned to the case of Dr. Brett Lynch, who was severely beaten in her home. Brunetti had met Dr. Lynch several years earlier when he investigated the death of a conductor at La Fenice. Dr. Lynch is
This book is a bit different than the previous books in the series since Brunetti is assisting a living victim. Brunetti spends a lot of time with Dr. Lynch and her partner, opera diva Flavia Petrelli, and the three of them work together to solve the crime. Seasonal flooding (“acqua alta”) provides a backdrop for the story, with the cold water encroaching into the lower levels of many homes.
This is the most tightly plotted of the books to this point in the series, with Brunetti spending most of his time investigating the crime (when he wasn't battling the flood waters to get to his next interview). I found that I missed his family time and Paola's insightful comments that trigger connections that help Brunetti make progress in whatever case he's working on.
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an expert in Chinese antiquities. She has come to Venice to meet with the director of a museum that had hosted an exhibition of Chinese antiquities several years earlier. The loaned pieces were in her care, and she has recently discovered that the pieces that were loaned were not the pieces that were returned.This book is a bit different than the previous books in the series since Brunetti is assisting a living victim. Brunetti spends a lot of time with Dr. Lynch and her partner, opera diva Flavia Petrelli, and the three of them work together to solve the crime. Seasonal flooding (“acqua alta”) provides a backdrop for the story, with the cold water encroaching into the lower levels of many homes.
This is the most tightly plotted of the books to this point in the series, with Brunetti spending most of his time investigating the crime (when he wasn't battling the flood waters to get to his next interview). I found that I missed his family time and Paola's insightful comments that trigger connections that help Brunetti make progress in whatever case he's working on.
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LibraryThing member Maura49
Aqua Alta by Donna Leon
This early novel in Donna Leon’s .Comissario Brunetti series has been on my tbr list for a long time and a recent reprint allowed me to read it. It was worth the wait. We meet again characters from the first book in the series, 'Death at La Fenice.' Brett Lynch, Art
The plot is quite complex and as usual the detective is hampered by Venetian bureaucracy and corruption in high places. The story takes place against the background of the Aqua Alta or ‘high water’, that period in the Venetian winter when both residents and tourists are having to combat flooding and heavy rain. This adds immeasurably to the atmosphere and is a significant factor in the finale.
Meanwhile Brunetti is also having to deal with a variety of problems at home including his wife’s depression over her unresponsive University students.
This story in the Brunetti chronicles has stayed with me, partly I think because the female characters are so strongly written and also because the Aqua Alta is used by the author in such a clever and memorable way.
This early novel in Donna Leon’s .Comissario Brunetti series has been on my tbr list for a long time and a recent reprint allowed me to read it. It was worth the wait. We meet again characters from the first book in the series, 'Death at La Fenice.' Brett Lynch, Art
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historian and an expert in Chinese artefacts is brutally attacked in the home of her lover, opera singer Flavia Petrelli. While investigating this Brunetti is drawn into the murky world of antiques dealing and fraud.The plot is quite complex and as usual the detective is hampered by Venetian bureaucracy and corruption in high places. The story takes place against the background of the Aqua Alta or ‘high water’, that period in the Venetian winter when both residents and tourists are having to combat flooding and heavy rain. This adds immeasurably to the atmosphere and is a significant factor in the finale.
Meanwhile Brunetti is also having to deal with a variety of problems at home including his wife’s depression over her unresponsive University students.
This story in the Brunetti chronicles has stayed with me, partly I think because the female characters are so strongly written and also because the Aqua Alta is used by the author in such a clever and memorable way.
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Subjects
Original publication date
1997
Physical description
399 p.; 6.93 inches
ISBN
0330346261 / 9780330346269