The Temptation of Forgiveness
Donna Leon
2018, 300 pages
Fiction/Mystery
Commissario Guido Brunetti is asked by a colleague of his wife if he can help her. She thinks that her teenage son is using drugs, and buying them from someone near his school.
A short time later this woman’s husband is attacked and he ends up in a coma in the hospital. Are the two events linked? Brunetti begins to investigate, but this tangled web of a tale leads him down several avenues. Was the attack done by a drug dealer, or is it related to a shady pharmacist who is giving “deals” to his wealthy elderly clients? Brunetti usually uses his unique moral compass to enforce the law. And there is always the “temptation of forgiveness,” especially in unusual cases. He contemplates the awful consequences that can happen even with the best of intentions. In their work, the truth is rarely straightforward.
As always in this series, the beautiful city of Venice plays a central character. As Brunetti and his colleagues investigate you feel as if you are exploring its hidden riches, side streets and little cafes along with them, going along for the journey, and trying to solve the mystery.
Robbin BaileyConcord Public Library
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