Trace Elements (Commissario Brunetti Book 29) Kindle Edition

It’s No. 29 in Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti series, all set in Venice. One of the four queens of police procedural mysteries (the others being P.D. James, Martha Grimes, Ruth Rendell), Leon doesn’t hesitate to address topics of international social significance in her latest, “Trace Elements.” Of course, the central plot involves Brunetti solving a murder. He and his colleague Claudia Griffoni, are called in to hear some vital words from a woman, succumbing to cancer in a local hospice. She whispers, “They killed him. It was bad money.” With meticulous detail, Leon leads her characters in a long, involved scenario in which the details of her “revelation” come to light. And as in her previous novels, there’s something rotten in the state of Venice (and in Itally in general, she notes). Corruption, greed, and, in this case, murder involve large coverups, including often the government itself. Like Cassandra outside the gates of Troy, Leon continues to decry the environmental corruption of our planet and it seems few are listening. That said, Leon’s Brunetti books are not sermons—her first objective is to solve the murders (or willful deaths). And once again, she succeeds, all the while giving her readers much to think about—and food for thought, for she always includes good descriptions of what her characters are eating! It’s a complicated scene for Brunetti, who finds himself depressed over what he is finding. To help ease his mind, he turns to the Greeks (in literature) and to Aeschylus’s “The Eumenides.” (Here, it’s mercury rising (contaminating the water), to extend the Greek metaphor.) He finds himself facing such a moral (and even legal) situation as Orestes found himself: the debate over what is right, ethical, and honest. It’s the Siberian Dilemma or Sophie’s Choice—regardless of which choice is made (damned if one does and damned if one doesn’t). “Trace Elements,” of course, is typical Leon—the books’ endings are not always to our satisfaction as “fiction” should have; she often leaves us knowing that the corruption of both the environment AND the soul (with murders, too) isn’t likely to stop. But she’s not about to give up. Thank goodness.

One of Leon’s better ones. A return to the subject of water purity and contamination. Ending not completely satisfying, but showcases Brunetti’s sense of justice, investigative skills, and humanity.

Please note that there is a little spoiler in this review, but anyone with half a brain can figure it out.It pains me, but Trace Elements barely ekes out a three-star rating from me.Let me start with the positive. Leon is a professional novelist. Her writing is crisp and clear. Her body of work is rather vast, and her pacing is good. In my opinion, NO ONE evokes Venice better than Leon. Her descriptions are spot-on, her love for the city (which I immensely enjoy during the off-season) is obvious.Which brings me to the negative. In the past several novels Leon has come across as a malcontent who is PO'ed by the changes tourists are creating in her beloved home. I understand her position, living in one of America's premier resorts, and I've seen the effects that tourism, particularly large-boat and large-group tourism, is having on Venice, and it's tragic.But no place is exactly as it was twenty or thirty years ago, and most places haven't changed for the better during that time. By virtue of her education and the opportunity to live as an expatriate in such a magical place, Leon's life is very privileged. (I'm not deprecating the hard work and work ethic that produces these novels.) But "love it or leave it," Donna.I also understand her recurring theme of water and pollution/contamination. One of my children is an earth scientist (and economist and attorney) with a specialization in hydrology, and we share a love of this most precious natural resource. We advocate for it, as well as conserve it, and have watched the MOSES (mentioned in the novel, and one of the most ambitious and forward-thinking hydrological proposals ever) for years.This obsession with water and tourism is weakening her storylines. Leon's formerly masterful plotting is becoming transparent to the point that when, very early in the story, she mentions a certain exclusive brand of watch worn by a person with a particular profession, I know exactly who the villain is and also know his motivation.As relates to another of my favorite authors, I'm tired of repetitive literary lectures. I've stopped reading him, and this is my last Leon book.I recommend Leon, sometimes highly, but only about the first twenty books in the series. At that point she lost her mojo for me.

Reads like a repeat of several other of her novels!

Book has been used. Paid for new. Not worth the bother of returning. But very disappointing.

If, like me, and many others, you have read all or most of Donna Leon's "Brunetti" books, you will have got this one more as a tradition than anything else. Again, like many others I have read all 29 novels and for the most part thoroughly enjoyed them. But I have to say that now the plots are getting very tired and, just a bit boring, and I never thought I would come right out and write that. The odd thing is....I still liked most of this book, with all its almost faults. Venice, the Questura, Griffoni, Vianello, Elettra, Paola and domestic life...all there, and I still follow the maps and Brunetti's walkabouts, but oh dear the PLOT! I lost interest, and the ending....Well, you will (probably) see what I mean when you read the book, but Ms Leon, please take a break and get a really meaty plot, or rest on your magnificent laurels and retire Brunetti. I think it is amazing that so many of the 29 novels are so good, and it hurts a bit when one falls short of my humble expectations.

Yes, there's a detective - and what a lovely character he is. His melancholy, his heart, his love, his distress at the state of Venice overrun by tourists and riddled by corruption, his avid reading of ancient Greek literature, the food he eats etc. etc. (And the book is beautifully written as always - I have read them all.) So I suppose this is 'detective fiction', because it is about a detective. But that's it. It reads like a character-based novel with - what might one call it - an impressionist, Turneresque cloud of crime hanging over it. The crime does not propel the action. There is no action really. Just incredible attention to detail - clothes, views, gestures etc. I know no other writer who can turn a simple walk or boat-ride into 2 chapters with no advance in plot. I have to confess that I got bored this time round. The crime - wilful water pollution - hangs around for 80% of the novel then suddenly lands. With an iron weight of mind-numbing research that has not been creatively turned into action.Donna Leon is a fantastic writer. My feeling is that it's time she said "addio" to Brunetti and wrote a novel that doesn't even attempt to deal with policing and crime. Let it be set in Venice - it's in her blood - and she describes the place so well. Let it be biographical. Let it be anything else.The other weird thing about the Brunetti novels - and I have been thinking this for a few years now - is that Brunetti's children never seem to grow up. They are trapped in adolescent amber or - in this case - not mentioned very much at all.I never thought I would give a Donna Leon book such a low rating.

Both my husband and I eagerly anticipate Donna Leon’s annual new Brunetti; we were not disappointed with 2020’s offering. The usual high standard was maintained with a side helping of very appropriate ecological concern alongside the main plot. The main plot of any Brunetti novel is less important than the illumination it brings to the ways of humanity and if that sounds very virtuous, it was not meant to. Donna Leon writes lucidly, clearly, perceptively and with the grasp of language that one would expect from an academic; most of all, I so enjoy the lovely understated comedy in all these novels and the wonderful inclusion of mouthwatering Italian food every time. Signorina Elletra’s appearance (her elegant outfits) always causes me delight too, easily as admirable as her computer skills and management of the insufferable Patta, though he is never permitted to be wholly awful, well, just about.The problems with long running series are well documented and yes, some of those are visible but these books are so well written and the characters so delightful in their familiarity that we will doubtless keep reading with great escapist enjoyment. Long may Brunetti’s children never quite reach adulthood!

I have been a fan of the Brunettinnovels for many years, but the last two and particularly this one have been real.let downs. They're shorter, do no.longer have the nice semi philosophical discussions between him an Paola and little interaction with the kids. All deems terribly rushed and the ending is contrived. Most disappointing

I delight in the character of Brunetti and all the other familiar stars of these books, and Donna Leon’s description of Venice is always magical. However, I found this book to be ponderous and slow and even a little boring. Unlike her other Brunetti books where plots moved at a reasonable pace, this plot seemed to almost stand still.