Unto Us a Son Is Given (Commissario Brunetti Book 28)

As always, a finely woven plot and many layered narrative, dressed in graceful language. And, as always, a joy to read. Brava!

As with several of Donna Leon’s more recent Brunetti novels, the actual crime doesn’t occur until late in the story. Rather, the reader is given plenty of background into a situation involving a close, elderly friend of Brunetti’s father-in-law. Some new characters are introduced in this book, all of them interesting, well-described and worth knowing. We see a new side of Vice-Questore Patta as well, and continue to marvel at Signorina Elettra’s sleuthing ability. The crime itself is not the main deal in this story, but it provides the framework for philosophical discussions and musings on life, death, love, and family. And as always, the setting of Venice enriches all. I enjoyed this book, which I both read and listened to. The narrator, David Colacci, is excellent and brings the characters to life.

It’s book No. 28 in her Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery series and Donna Leon does not disappoint in “Unto Us a Son Is Given.” In this episode, Guido receives a request from his father-in-law, Count Falier, to “do something” about his friend Gonzalo, nearing the end of his life, very rich, and is about to adopt a young man as his son so that he can inherit Gonzalo's vast fortune (the inheritance laws in Italy are quite different from ours: when the head of household dies, if there is no son, then, regardless of a will, the family members (or nearest relatives) divide the estate equally). Gonzalo has no children. He is the lifelong friend of the Counts and a dear friend of Guido’s family. The hitch here is that Gonzalo’s friends fear that the young man he wishes to adopt is most likely a gold digger and they are opposed to it. For his part, Brunetti simply wonders why his friends can't just leave Gonzalo in peace and let him do what he wants to do. Alas, shortly Gonzalo suddenly dies, literally dropping dead on the street! And the plot continues—after arriving for the funeral, one of Gonzalo’s friends is found strangled, and clearly connected to the Gonzalo situation. Brunetti now is left to untangle what soon erupts as a very suspicious—and almost evil—set of entanglements. And this is where the Leon magic always shines forth. She is so often involved in developing strong characters, strong motives, and plausible outcomes that they interweave into what basically is a simple plot: murder most foul. With introspection, brilliant police work, and common sense, Brunetti, his family, and his staff wade through all the detritus of Gonzalo’s death, in with the usual flair we’ve come to know—and to expect. Through these 28 books Leon has never flinched when it comes to using pertinent—and viable—socially significant issues, especially issues that directly zero in on the corruption, the scandals, the inner-workings of her own adopted city of Venice. Reading Leon is like sipping a good Bordeaux--nice and slow and thorough and tasty, with a lot of intelligence thrown in! Or savoring a grand Prosecco and thinking about Euripides and Emperor Hadrian, as Guido is so often want to do. My only complaints: “Unto Us a Son Is Given” is only 259 pages and I’ll have to wait another year for Book 29.

Brunetti is an anomaly- a classical intellectual who happens to be a policeman. He is content to be just that without higher aspirations or greed. He is a fascinating character- a truly good man who loves his wife and family above all else. This latest in the series is more a character study until more than halfway through when an actual crime occurs. But it’s so much more. There is reference to classical literature, art, war, homosexuality and friendship plus the uniqueness of Venice as the physical setting. Leon just keeps getting better with each book in this series. I’m excited with each new addition. It’s such a treat to read a book about good people while still touching upon topics relevant to our lives. One of my favorite authors.

The appearance of Donna Leon's annual tale of Commissario Guido Brunetti and city of Venice is a joyful event to look forward to and savor. As the series has progressed over the years, I think that it's gotten more reflective and deeper into human behavior, foibles, etc.--although it has never been far from that path since the publishing of the first Brunetti book. "Unto Us a Son is Given" is very much in the mode of the recent books in that its focus is on human folly, and specifically what motivates an elderly man to consider adopting a younger male friend (both men are gay), thus making him the titular heir to the former's considerable fortune. The older man's friends--he has many, including Commissario Brunetti and his family--are appalled at his intention as the adoptee-to-be has a highly shady reputation. The ramifications of the adoption eventually drive the crime that occurs midway through the novel. Author Leon provides a nice twist at the conclusion, as is a fitting punishment for the perpetrator. For this reader, there was an agreeable, civilized vibe throughout the novel. The Brunetti household continues to be a solid, positive family unit. The relationship with Brunetti's in-laws ages like a bottle of great Brunello (or Barolo, if you prefer). Brunetti's troublesome boss shows a rare human side. Signorina Elletra adds sly humor and class to the scene. Eventually, the inevitable Italianate cynicism does make an appearance and, to be sure, it is accompanied by the tragedy that it portends. There is a kind of verbal shrug implied at the conclusion, implying that even the best of persons can be self-absorbed and unmindful of possible consequences. I liked this novel very much, and enjoy author Leon's leans toward human tragedy even when it takes the sharpest edge off the crime element.

What to say ? The commissario has become a friend, hasn't he? His recall of the first meeting with il conte just warms the readers heart and gives family feelings. In the end, the more the book advances, the more it becomes a thriller, which in the end, it is.

Makes me love Venice even more.

I love Brunetti and have been enchanted since reading the first novel only a couple of years ago due to a kindle offer. The standard is always excellent but this one seems to me one of her very best. It's deeply concerned with what we all choose to overlook when we love or claim to love. And the poignant, terrible inevitability of the narrative gives the novel a quality resembling the Greek Tragedy Brunetti reads at home. Superb!

This book didn't seem to have much plot - but was instructive about Italian inheritance laws. All the same, the characterisation and ambience was, as always, excellent. I read it slowly and savoured it. More a novel than a police procedural.

Commissario Guido Brunetti’s father-in-law, Count Orazio Falier, is worried about the behaviour of an old family friend, who has decided to adopt a much younger man as his son in order to leave his fortune to that person. When the Count asks Guido to look into this matter, he is at first reluctant to do so, but eventually feels that he should at least determine whether the family friend is being unduly influenced or manipulated. Fortunately, after an uncomfortable conversation, Guido decides that the situation is not his business and he moves on to other things. But when the old man dies, and then a friend of the old man is murdered, he begins to wonder if he made the wrong decision…. A hint of Ms. Leon’s writing style comes when Guido is irritated at Spring weather, then hears the chirping of birds: “Joy leaped at him: it was springtime again, the birds were back.” Spring-time feels that way, doesn’t it, and what a lovely way of putting it. As always with this series, reading such prose is a delight, as the author delves into philosophical questions even while describing the difficulties and beauties of life in Venice and, in this case, the extremely arcane realm of Italian inheritance law. At the same time, some of the long-standing relationships in the series deepen, in particular between Guido and his boss, Vice-Questore Patta, which is very satisfying. Very highly recommended!