Blood from a Stone (Brunetti 14)

A strange murder with scant evidence right before Christmas. The victim is a poor soul seemingly innocent, but if he was innocent, then why has he been murdered? Comissario Brunetti knows, that there must be something beneath those meagre clues. The only thing he doesn’t know is where to start because this case evolves around a topic that is not easily talked about in Venice. It infests the city politically and socially, a matter which is hard to come by, especially when those illegal immigrants enjoy protection of some sort. Blood on Stone is the fourteenth book of the series, and I have never been disappointed so far. It is the first time that I’m not satisfied with the end, but maybe I’m just used to the usual way the author concludes her stories. Nevertheless, Donna Leon delivers a conclusion and answers, appropriate to the sensitive circumstances you encounter in the plot. What didn’t change in this novel is Brunetti’s relentless search for evidence, every wrinkle has to be smoothed from the fabric of the investigation. He doesn’t stop until there is nothing that can be done about it. Donna Leon has a powerful way to write about this magnificent city, every time she reveals another endearing facet of Venice, it never gets old. I love to follow Brunetti’s walks around the city by looking at the map in the book, there is always something new that transpires. Definitely one worth reading, also for those who are not reading the books in chronological order.