Through a glass, darkly

Praise for Donna Leon's

Internationally Bestselling

COMMISSARIO GUIDO BRUNETTI

Mysteries

'The appeal of Guido Brunetti, the hero of Donna Leon's long-running Venetian crime series, comes not from his shrewdness, though he is plenty shrewd, nor from his quick wit. It comes, instead, from his role as an everyman ... not so different from our own days at the office or nights around the dinner table. Crime fiction for those willing to grapple with, rather than escape, the uncertainties of daily life.'                            —Bill Ott, Booklist (starred review)

'The evocative Venetian setting and the warmth and humanity of the Brunetti family add considerable pleasure to this nuanced, intelligent mystery; another winner from the Venice-based Leon. Highly recommended.'

—Michele Laber, Library Journal (starred review)

'Another of her fabulous Italian mysteries.... She has her finger on the pulse.'                                         — Bookseller

'Gives the reader a feel for life in Venice. . . . The story is filled with the average citizen's cynicism, knowledge of corruption, and deep distrust and fear of government and police. Characters are brilliantly portrayed. Even bit players become real and individual and Brunetti and his family are multifaceted and layered.'   —Sally Fellows, Mystery News

'The sophisticated but still moral Brunetti, with his love of food and his loving family, proves a worthy custodian of timeless values and verities.'         —The Wall Street Journal

'In her classy, literate, atmospheric Commissario Guido Brunetti series, Donna Leon takes readers ... to a Venice that tourists rarely see.'                                    —Bookpage

'Brunetti ... is the most humane sleuth since Georges Simenon's Inspector Maigret... he is a decent man [who achieves] a quiet heroism.'          —The Philadelphia Inquirer

'If you're heading to Venice, take along a few of [Leon's] books to use for both entertainment and travel directions.'

—The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

'[Brunetti's] humane police work is disarming, and his ambles through the city are a delight.'

—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

'A beautifully cadenced mystery ... no one is more graceful and accomplished than Leon.'    —The Washington Post

'Smuggling, sexual betrayal, high-class fakery and, of course, Mafia money make for a rich brew.... Exactly the right cop for the right city. Long may he walk, or wade, through it.'    —Sarah Dunant, author of The Birth of Venus

'Leon's books shimmer in the grace of their setting and are warmed by the charm of their characters.'

—The New York Times Book Review

'Superb ... An outstanding book, deserving of the widest audience possible, a chance for American readers to again experience a master practitioner's art.'

—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

'Richly atmospheric, Leon introduces you to the Venice insiders know.'                              —Ellen Hale, USA Today

'A new Donna Leon book about... Brunetti is ready for our immediate pleasure. She uses the relatively small and crime-free canvas of Venice for riffs about Italian life, sexual styles, and—best of all— the kind of ingrown business and political corruption that seems to lurk just below the surface.'                                      —Dick Adler, Chicago Tribune

'Uniform Justice is a neat balancing act. Its silken prose and considerable charm almost conceal its underlying anger; it is an unlovely story set in the loveliest of cities. . . . Donna Leon is indeed sophisticated.'

—Patrick Anderson, The Washington Post

'There's atmosphere aplenty in Uniform Justice.... Brunetti is a compelling character, a good man trying to stay on the honest path in a devious and twisted world.'

—The Baltimore Sun

'Venice provides a beautifully rendered backdrop for this operatic story of fathers and sons, and Leon's writing trembles with true feeling.'         —The Minneapolis Star-Tribune

'One of the best international crime writers is Donna Leon, and her Commissario Guido Brunetti tales set in Venice are at the apex of continental thrillers.... The author has written a pitch-perfect tale where all the characters are three-dimensional, breathing entities, and the lives they live, while by turns sweet and horrific, are always believable. Let Leon be your travel agent and tour guide to Venice. It's an unforgettable trip.'                        — Rocky Mountain Nexvs

'Events are powered by Leon's compelling portraits.'

—The Oregonian (Portland)

'The plot is silky and complex, and the main appeal is the protagonist, Brunetti.'              —The Cleveland Plain Dealer

'Leon, a wonderfully literate writer, sets forth her plot clearly and succinctly. . . . The ending of Uniform Justice is not a neat wrap-up of the case with justice prevailing. It is rather the ending that one would expect in real life. Leon says that 'the murder mystery is a craft, not an art,' but I say that murder mystery in her hands is an art.'

—The Roanoke Times

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Donna Leon, who was born in New Jersey, has lived in Venice for many years and previously lived in Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and China, where she worked as a teacher. Her other mysteries featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti include A Noble Radiance, Uniform Justice, Acqua Alta, Death in a Strange Country, Blood from a Stone, Dressed for Death, and Death and Judgment, all available from Penguin.

Donna Leon

Through a Glass, Darkly

for Cecilia Bartoli

Da qual tremore insolito

Sento assalir gli spiriti!

Dond'escono quei vortici

Di foco pien d'orror?

What strange fear

Assails my spirits!

Where do they come from,