THE GOLDEN EGG

Whilst making enquires into a potential case of bribery Commissario Brunetti is notified rather unexpectedly by his wife Paola of the death of a middle-age man, a deaf mute who had the intellectual age of a child.

The dead man used to help at the local dry-cleaners but was his death a result of him accidentally overdosing on his mother’s sleeping pills? With his wife uncharacteristically upset about the death Brunetti is persuaded to find out what exactly happened.

With the wonderfully ingenious Signorina Elettra and his colleague Ispettore Vianello helping him out he delves into the life of the dead man. What is the dead man’s mother hiding and why is she so uncooperative?

The Golden Egg is one of those rare novels where the sense of place is palpable from the very first page. From the wide-ranging family discussions amidst glorious meals to the continuous and varied crimes that take place in Venice the reader is under no illusion that this lovely city can be on the one hand full of culture and on the other full of malevolence. Her portrait of Venice is vivid, distinctive and draws you in seductively.

Keeping a series going at such a level is no easy task and there are not many authors that can do this but Donna Leon does it effortlessly. This book is just another example of how rich and polished her style is. Her characters may not always be pleasant but they are authentic. Donna Leon is as usual a delight to read and savour. The Golden Egg is a marvellous novel to read.