When the body of man is found in a canal, damaged by the tides, carrying no wallet, and wearing only one shoe, Brunetti has little to work with. No local has filed a missing-person report, and no hotel guests have disappeared. Where was the crime scene? And how can Brunetti identify the man when he can't show pictures of his face?
The autopsy shows a way forward: it turns out the man was suffering from a rare, disfiguring disease. With Inspector Vianello, Brunetti canvasses shoe stores and winds up on the mainland in Mestre, outside of his usual sphere. From a shopkeeper, they learn that the man had a kindly way with animals. At the same time, animal rights and meat consumption are quickly becoming preoccupying issues at the Venice Questura and in Brunetti's home, where conversation at family meals offers a window into the joys and conflicts of Italian life. Perhaps with the help of Signorina Elettra, Brunetti and Vianello can identify the man and understand why someone wanted him dead.
As subtle and engrossing as ever, Leon's Beastly Things is immensely enjoyable, intriguing, and ultimately moving.
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"Comissario Guido Brunetti understands all too well the depth of corruption in the government of his native country. He is saddened by a culture that is whipped to a frenzy by the death of a pretty young girl while ignoring the more important issues. (Sound familiar?) When a veterinarian's body is found in a canal, Brunetti's investigation leads to a corrupt slaughterhouse that is allowing sick and diseased animals to be processed for meat. There are some uncomfortable scenes that may enforce vegetarian ideals. Brunetti learns that the dead man's job was to approve animals for slaughter and was uncomfortable with the number of animals that were approved. While he investigates, we learn that while Brunetti often despairs of the corruption he sees around him, he loves Venice and his family. His home is his refuge, a place where his wife lovingly prepares meals while they talk about her love of Henry James and his love of Marcus Aurelius. Donna Leon's writing is almost like a meditation - on crime, on life, on love. The mystery slowly unfolds while we learn more and more about Brunetti's personal and public life, not to mention Venice. This is not a book for people who don't have the patience to read a book that involves no car chases, blood or sex. I've been a huge fan of Donna Leon for a long time, and this book cements that even further."
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Larraine (5 out of 5 stars)