Death at La Fenice

“A gripping first mystery, as beguiling and secretly sinister as Venice herself. Sparkling and irresistible.” — Rita Mae Brown

The first book in the internationally bestselling Guido Brunetti detective series in which a high society murder leads Guido to investigate the darker side of beautiful Venice.

There is little violent crime in Venice, a serenely beautiful floating city of mystery and magic, history and decay. But the evil that does occasionally rear its head is the jurisdiction of Guido Brunetti, the suave, urbane vice-commissario of police and a genius at detection. Now all of his admirable abilities must come into play in the deadly affair of Maestro Helmut Wellauer, a world-renowned conductor who died painfully from cyanide poisoning during an intermission at La Fenice.

But as the investigation unfolds, a chilling picture slowly begins to take shape—a detailed portrait of revenge painted with vivid strokes of hatred and shocking depravity. And the dilemma for Guido Brunetti will not be finding a murder suspect, but rather narrowing the choices down to one.  

Beautiful and serene Venice is a city almost devoid of crime. But that is little comfort to Maestro Helmut Wellauer, a world-renowned conductor whose intermission refreshment comes one night with a little something extra in it-cyanide. For Guido Brunetti, vice-commissario of police and detective genius, finding a suspect isn't a problem; narrowing the large and unconventional group of enemies down to one is. As the suave and pithy Brunetti pieces together clues, a shocking picture of depravity and revenge emerges, leaving him torn between what is and what should be right -- and questioning what the law can do, and what needs to be done.

“A challenging mystery, a sophisticated drama, and a unique glimpse of a medieval society that stilll flourishes.” - St Louis Post-Dispatch

“Deftly plotted and smoothly written.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Guido Brunetti can ride in my gondola anytime. What a splendid detective.” - Susan Isaacs, author of After All These Years

“Donna Leon has given fans of subtle, clever and literate mysteries something to cheer about...A wonderful read.” - Tony Hillerman

“What a gripping first mystery, as beguiling and secretly sinister as Venice herself. Sparkling and irresistible.” - Rita Mae Brown

“[A] piquant mixture of opera, food and Venetian scenery.” - Chicago Tribune

“Donna Leon’s Venetian mysteries never disappoint, calling up the romantic sights and sounds of La Serenissima even as they acquaint us with the practical matters that concern the city’s residents.” - Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

“[B]reathless...lively launch of a series.” - Publishers Weekly

“A splendid series with a backdrop of the city so vivid you can almost smell it.” - Sunday Telegraph

“An outstanding series.” - New York Times Book Review