Uniform Justice: A Commissario Brunetti Novel by Donna Leon (F LEO Main)
Reviewed by Jeanne
A cadet at an exclusive military school in Venice is found dead, an apparent suicide. Commissario Brunetti is called in to do a perfunctory investigation, but he finds himself troubled by the other cadets’ lack of interest in the dead boy. Even more baffling are the reactions of the boy’s parents: they don’t believe he committed suicide, but neither do they want an investigation.
This was my first Commissario Brunetti novel. I’d read some very good reviews but wasn’t convinced until one of Leon’s novels was excerpted in the BPL Online Bookclub. I decided to pick one at random instead of starting at the beginning as is my usual preference with series books. I had a little trouble sorting out some of the characters at first and the unfamiliar Italian terms gave me pause at times, but for the most part I had no problems. If you have any interest in things Italian, you’ll find these books a rare treat. The food sounded wonderful, the charm of the city was on display and writing was full of those “read aloud moments,” in which you want to share a choice bit with someone else. (My personal favorite was Brunetti’s musing that government is akin to a mother in law, which demands obedience and respect whether or not it deserves either, and, when thwarted, will respond with "repercussions too devious to be foreseen.") It was also nice to have a book with characters who love to read and who mention authors and books without seeming pretentious. Brunetti himself is a caring man who adores his family and who enjoys life. The mystery was gracefully done amid all the departmental politics due in great part to the amazing Signorina Elettra who manages to produce information through not exactly approved channels.
American Donna Leon is a former teacher who has lived in China, Saudi Arabia and Iran but who now makes her home in Venice. Among the things she likes: opera, Jane Austen, dogs and “anyone who brings me coffee in bed.” Her novels have been translated into several languages but are just now becoming available in the U.S.
If this was your first, you are in for a treat. I adore her books. In some, it is true, the plot takes second place to her social and environmental concerns. And there was one - trying to think of the name? Maybe it was "About Face"? - that didn't have enough of Brunetti's marvelous family for me. But in general, she's a very reliable, smart, fun read. Plus, I agree with her concerns and I love reading about Venice. So even her off books are still pretty wonderful
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