Earthly Remains

De: Donna Leon

Narrado por: David Colacci

Donna Leon's best-selling mystery novels set in Venice have won a multitude of fans for their insider's portrayal of La Serenissima. From family meals to coffee bars, and from vaporetto rides to the homes and apartments of Venetians, the details and rhythms of everyday life are an integral part of this beloved series. But so are the suffocating corruption, the never-ending influx of tourists, and crimes big and small. Through it all, Leon's Commissario Guido Brunetti has been an enduring figure. A good man who loves his family and his city, Brunetti is relentless in his pursuit of truth and some measure of justice.

In Earthly Remains, the 26th novel in this series, Brunetti's endurance is tested more than ever before. During an interrogation of an entitled, arrogant man suspected of giving drugs to a young girl who then died, Brunetti acts rashly, doing something he will quickly come to regret. In the fallout, he realizes that he needs a break, needs to get away from the stifling problems of his work.

When Brunetti is granted leave from the Questura, his wife, Paola, ships him off to a villa owned by a wealthy relative on Sant'Erasmo, one of the largest islands in the laguna. There he intends to pass his days rowing, and his nights reading Pliny's Natural History. The recuperative stay goes according to plan until Davide Casati, the caretaker of the house on Sant'Erasmo, goes missing following a sudden storm. Now, Brunetti feels compelled to investigate, to set aside his leave of absence and understand what happened to the man who had become his friend.

Earthly Remains is quintessential Donna Leon, a powerful addition to this enduring series.

©2017 Donna Leon and Diogenes Verlag (P)2017 Recorded Books

like life, nothing - well, you'll see.

I read Donna Leon for the characters. (I want to be friends with Paola) The backstory on Davido was touching. And, I read for her plots. This one may be at the top of the list - 20 hours after completing it I'm still getting flashes of understanding. Leon is a craftmaster.

The description of the places and people in the book. Really brought to life.

I disliked what I always dislike about Donna Leon’s books. She can’t seem to help herself but to bring atheism into her writing. It’s a shame, especially as she is becoming closer to meeting her maker. For instance, in girl of his dreams, she actually says Jesus is a myth. That’s very strange for an educated person to say something like that Considering the millions of pages of factual evidence for Jesus Christ. Another thing that bothers me it’s her left us environmental slant on everything. But I like Guido so I’ll continue reading.

One of my favorite series

Donna Leon comes through again. I love hearing Guido Brunetti with an accent. I never tire of this series.

Love the characters and their pursuits of justice in a trying and modern Venice

Fan of David Colacci as narrator. He brings the story to life and adds depth and color to Leon’s stories

Ecological Violence

This was not my favorite Donna Leon book, but by the time I got to the final minutes I ached for the beauty of Venice and the destruction of its habitat. The scourge of tourists is bad enough, but industrial contamination is even more heartbreaking. And Venice is not alone. We are destroying the places that we love.