• The Girl of His Dreams

  • By: Donna Leon
  • Narrated by: David Colacci
  • Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (555 ratings)

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The Girl of His Dreams  By  cover art

The Girl of His Dreams

By: Donna Leon
Narrated by: David Colacci
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Publisher's summary

On a rainy morning, not long after the funeral of his mother, Commissario Brunetti and Ispettore Vianello respond to a 911 call reporting a body floating near the steps in one of Venice's side canals. Reaching down to pull it out, Brunetti's wrist is caught by the silkiness of golden hair, and he sees a small foot - together he and Vianello lift a dead girl from the water. But, inconceivably, no one has reported a missing child, nor the theft of the gold jewelry that she carries.

So Brunetti is drawn into a search not only for the cause of her death but also for her identity, her family, and for the secrets that people will keep in order to protect their children - be they innocent or guilty. The investigation takes Brunetti from the canals and palazzos of Venice to a Gypsy encampment on the mainland, through quicksands of connections and relationships both known and concealed, as he struggles with both institutional prejudice and entrenched criminality to try to unravel the fate of the dead child.

Death in Venice: investigate more of Guido Brunetti's cases.
©2008 Donna Leon and Diogenes Verlag AG Zurich (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks America

What listeners say about The Girl of His Dreams

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    276
  • 4 Stars
    169
  • 3 Stars
    81
  • 2 Stars
    21
  • 1 Stars
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Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    217
  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
    51
  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
    4

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Slow Started Really Pulls You In

Though slow to start, if you give this novel a chance, you will be drawn in very deeply. The characterizations are strong, the characters fascinating in an intellectually satisfying sense. These are not cardboard people walking around a famous city. They are warm, wry and wonderful. If you like psychological mysteries and can live without action in every paragraph, you will love this. Haunting and memorable. My first Brunetti mystery, not my last.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Like an evening with old friends.

The "mystery" here is not "the point". For Donna Leon fans its as wonderful as always.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Lacking Pizzaz!

I was hoping for a mystery that would bring the romance and mystery of Venice to life. Instead the book was slow and could have been in any city. It was all right, but I wouldn't highly recommend it.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Not as Good as past endeavors

This book seemed a bit contrived, almost like 'well it's time for a new book but don't really have anything to write about'. There were two plots going on and the writing just wasn't as smooth. Just don't know what the problem was but this book didn't keep me engrossed at all. Maybe it's time to retire Inspector Brunetti.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Great book, not a good match with the narrator

I've read a lot of Donna Leon but this is the first one I've listened to. For me, the narrator completely missed the characterization of Brunetti and missed on the Italian accent. I found it distracting. Great story, not so great a listen.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Too slow for me

I kept waiting for the meat of the story but I just took too long to get gripping. Just not my cup of tea.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good read

I want justice for the little girl! Great addition to the series. It did leave me with questions.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A great story

Thought provoking and in the end, sad. Well written and narrated. Justice doesn’t always prevail.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

thought provoking good mystery

another good one but never routine. victim from marginalized group but who is protagonist. justice will probably not be served.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great

I love this series. It’s main character is kind, decent and strong. It’s one my favorite series. The reader is exceptional. There is one book with another very good reader but this one is best.

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