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    Blood from a Stone: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery
    Unavailable
    Blood from a Stone: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery
    Unavailable
    Blood from a Stone: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery
    Ebook401 pages3 hours

    Blood from a Stone: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery

    By Donna Leon

    3.5/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Blood from a Stone brings Donna Leon's celebrated character Commissario Guido Brunetti back on the scene: On a cold Venetian night shortly before Christmas, a street vendor is killed in a scuffle in Campo San Stefano. The closest witnesses to the event are the tourists who had been browsing the man's wares before his death-fake handbags of every designer label. The dead man is one of the many African immigrants purveying goods outside normal shop hours and trading without a work permit.
    Like everybody involved, Commissario Brunetti wonders why anyone would kill an illegal immigrant. But once Brunetti begins to investigate this unfamiliar Venetian underworld, he discovers that matters of great value are at stake within the secretive society.
    Warned by Patta, his superior, to resist further involvement in the case, Brunetti only becomes more determined to unearth the truth behind this mysterious killing. Reluctant as he is to let this event be smugly relegated to the category of "not worth dealing with," how far will Brunetti be able to penetrate the murky subculture in this illegal community? Blood from a Stone is an exquisite and irresistible mystery offering an unexpected take on life in contemporary Venice.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAtlantic Monthly Press
    Release dateDec 1, 2007
    ISBN9781555848965
    Unavailable
    Blood from a Stone: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery

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    Reviews for Blood from a Stone

    3.5/5

    347 ratings28 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Another good Commissario Brunetti murder mystery. This time, the odds seem stacked against him and his team against finding the identity of the murdered victim and his killer. Even more puzzling is the reason why the victim was killed.Adding to the obstacles in his way is the fact that his boss inform him that he is not to follow through with this homicide investigation, but fails to give him any reason why he should stop.Soon, computer files are missing, diamonds are found in a box of salt, both the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs appear to have invisible fingers in the mystery, and his various sources of information such as a gems dealer, his father-in-law, an ex-colleague, a Swiss Professor specializing in African arts and the unflappable Signorina Elettra all seem to be providing pieces of the puzzle that doesn't fit to provide a full picture.The confusion and frustration that dogs him in his work is balanced by the warmth and solidity of his family life. In this book, the author brings to our awareness racial prejudices that often befall illegal foreigners and the political bargaining that takes place behind closed doors. This murder mystery doesn't show any cracks at all and the answer at the end is surprising but apt.
    • 3/5
      The same formula as the other books about commissario Brunetti. But it works.
    • 1/5
      Brunetti never seems to solve a case & what really put me off is the fact that he got himself a "telefonino" under the false identification of Signor Rossi this time. So who gets the phone bill? Ridiculous story & shallow characters & Signorina Elletra sort of solves the case. Same old, same old, only that Ms Leon(and her editor) gets worse.
    • 3/5
      Campo San Stefano is the location in Venice where street vendors are trying to sell their wares to the tourists. Suddenly shots ring out and a black African vendor is gunned down. Because of his probable illegal status, no one will identify the victim. Commissario Brunetti has to try to determine who the man is as well as why he was murdered. Having little evidence to lead him to the killer, Brunetti attempts identification by contacting other Africans. Trying not to scare them off because he is with the police is a difficult effort, but by finding their living quarters, the Commissario finds a possible motive when he discovers millions in conspiracy diamonds in the salt tin.This installment in this series has a strong presence - prejudices not only shown in the main storyline but also in the home arena with Chiara's Muslim friend as well as governmental interference in favor of the rich. Again Brunetti has to fight the rich for justice.
    • 4/5
      This story turns a magnifying glass on the plight as well as the ethics of illegal immigration. A seemingly innocuous man from Senegal is gunned down while selling his knockoff hand bags in a public square. He is like a ghost because no one knows his name, or where he lives or what lead to his murder. Commissario Guido Brunetti probes into the man and his life but learns little that isn't conjecture or speculation.

      The story takes place at Christmas time and the background of how this holiday is celebrated is interesting. There is a lot of discussions about the place for and the treatment of people who are strangers from another place. In this particular situation the Senegalese are polite well mannered street vendors for the most part and thus the authorities leave them alone. But there are strong feelings from those whose livelihood is threatened by those who peddle without paying taxes and all the other fees for a business. If it was a Venetian who was selling on the streets they would be arrested in a flash the the conundrum of the double standard is well explored.
    • 2/5
      I learned that I prefer reading Leon's books to listening to them. The pace seemed very slow, and I kept dozing off. I'll go back to reading about Commissario Brunetti, which I've always found quite enjoyable.
    • 2/5
      Not brilliant
    • 3/5
      Good mystery.
    • 3/5
      Much like the others, but here the corruption is more international than Italian.
    • 4/5
      A curl-up-and-get-comfortable mystery: one clean murder (5 quick shots), no sadism, nothing much of purient interest (the 7 deadly sins come up but talk is mostly about gluttony), a bit of police procedure, great walks/boat rides thru Venice (probably should go first in my list), lots about rich food, the running saga of the detective's middle-class, urbane, and likable family, and a lot of discussion about life and work in the corrupt Venitian society (where no one bothers to hide the corruption).Not a page turner where you can't wait for the next twist, but a slowly winding trail you dont mind leaving for a drink or a sandwich or even a good nap.I will only write about this book but the whole series featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti fits this description (OK, some have a bit more blood and messiness but often you have 5 quick wacks to the head or some other lets-get-the-murder-done-so-I-can-write-about-lunch action) .BTW I am loading up my e-reader for the flight home with a couple of Leons tonight.
    • 4/5
      (Audiobook) Donna Leon's books are more than just police procedurals books that take place in Venice. They always, in my experience, deal with an issue confronting Italy and there's always a sub-current of corruption. In this book, she tackles the difficult subject of street peddlers, quasi-immigrants from Africa who buy knock-off bags cheap and then resell them to tourists. Two American tourists, both physicians, see an immigrant, ostensibly from Sierra Leone, assassinated in the square. The case, as you might suspect, revolves around the sale of "blood" diamonds. The characters, now familiar after having read at least 10 in the series, are used by Leon as springboards to focus on an issue in addition to the ubiquitous Italian corruption.The Leon books will not please readers who prefer chases, gun shots, and action. If you like characterization, fine writing, and intriguing stories, I recommend this series highly. Well read by David Colacci although he will never replace Anna Fields, aka Kate Fleming.
    • 4/5
      An African street seller is assassinated while selling his wares in Venice - Brunetti is warned not to investigate. A brooding novel set in a cold, grey and rainy Venice in which Brunetti is frustrated by the machinations of the powers that be in Italy and is left with a bitter taste in his mouth. Not one of my favourites in this series but still worth reading.
    • 4/5
      Donna Leon offers another somewhat more complex novel featuring Comimissario Brunetti as he must unravel the mysterious death of an immigrant street vendor. As the investigation unfolds Brunetti discovers an unfamiliar world where nothing is really as it seems, and where far reaching implications affect not only the daily life and politics in Venice, but rather globally as well. Thought provoking, Leon delivers with her usual biting style.
    • 3/5
      Donna Leon takes us inside the workings of governmental agencies in Venice and we see how even good men (Commissario Brunetti) are reduced to cynicism by the dishonesty and graft. Also discouraging is the fact that work is accomplished by finding ways around laws which impede his investigations. Here we see him and his two stalwart assistants who have no qualms about using devious investigative methods, exploring the world of the illegal African immigrants who sell purses on the streets. One is murdered and the question is why is the Commissario being warned off the case by his superiors. Good writer.
    • 1/5
      Thoroughly rotten. This is first Donna Leon I've tried, and I only made it a third of the way through this trite little number. Leon's posturing as an 'enlightened expatriate' condescending to educate her American countrymen is irritating in the extreme.
    • 3/5
      Better than Through a Glass Darkly but still not strong on plot. The principal characters and the atmosphere are good but this is crime which is not solved by the detective. Not comparable to the scandinavian authors such as Mankell or Marklund.
    • 3/5
      This time, our simpatico detective is called in when an illegal black street vendor, presumed to be Senegalese, is murdered by professional hit-men while surrounded by his co-workers and a group of tourists vying to buy the counterfeit handbags they have on offer. While searching through the man's personal effects, Brunetti discovers a big cache of uncut diamonds hidden in a box of salt. He calls on a old friend of his father's, a local diamond seller, to help him find the provenance of the diamonds which he hopes will lead him to narrow down the most likely suspects. Once again, as seems to always happen, his superior, Vice-Questore Patta, forbids Brunetti to pursue the matter, but the latter's need for answers is only exacerbated when he discovers both the Italian ministries of Interior AND of Exterior Affairs have had a hand in halting the investigation. On the home front, Guido Brunetti and his wife Paola face the possibility that they may have inadvertently influenced their daughter when she makes an offhand comment about the murder victim only being a Vu' Compra*, which may or may not have been meant as a racist comment.* The peddlers in Venice are nicknamed "Vu' Compra" because as foreigners, they often use what is considered bad Italian to say "Do you want to buy?"
    • 3/5
      I read this book after vacationing and loving Venice. Inspector Brunetti investigates the murder of a Vuo Compra - one of the Africans that illegally sells knock-off purses in the streets. I found the book a fun read because while we were in Italy, a police officer yelled at us for browsing the conterfeit sunglasses. Of course since I don't speak Italian, he might have been commenting about something else... I loved the description of Venice - the places, food, people - but I found the plot a bit weak. Perfect book to get you in the mood if you are traveling to Italy.
    • 4/5
      The death of an African man on a cold night in Venice brings Brunetti into an almost invisible world of immigrants and diamond smuggling.
    • 4/5
      I loved the descriptions of Venice and life there throughout the story. The author attempted to tackle tough issues in the story, but fell just a tad short in the end. Leon attempted to explore racism and immigration with the vu cumpra, but she never truly explored the world. The victim was never really given an identity, he was just a victim that Brunetti felt sorry for throughout the case.
    • 4/5
      immigrants, mobsters, class-consciousness, family-dynamics, friendship, friction, law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, multicultural, Venice, tourists, due-diligence, street-peddlers, counterfeit-merchandise****Another morality tale from the pen of Donna Leon. This one highlights the problems of the Africans who come to Venice to make a bit of money on the illegal side and the conundrum this poses to real law enforcement. There is also the family problem of teenagers who view the people who are so different from their own as *disposable or meaningless* while spouting *save the whales* and encouraging veganism. Good story and relatable.The audio is performed by David Colacci as were all the others I've read. His rendering is remarkable in that he never overplays the roles.
    • 4/5
      A professional hit on an African immigrant street vendor is outside the realm of the ordinary and nothing follows ordinary procedure as Commissario Brunetti is warned off the case immediately after he discovers something that compels him to keep on looking, though he must keep his efforts from his superiors.
    • 4/5
      When an African street vendor selling counterfeit brand name bags dies, Brunetti gets called to the scene. With only American tourists as witnesses, he begins to reconstruct what happened and begins investigating the man's identity and residence. A search of the man's home reveals hidden gems of high value. However, Patta tells Brunetti to quit investigating. Two higher agencies take over the investigation. Brunetti smells something amiss. The reader is left asking questions as this one leaves many matters hanging or speculative. While I enjoyed the installment to an extent, the lack of answers left me slightly unsatisfied. I loved David Colacci's narration.
    • 4/5
      In the days leading up to Christmas, an African street vendor is murdered in a crowded street in front of multiple witnesses. It looks like a professional hit job to Commissario Brunetti, but why would a street vendor be a target for this type of murder? Might it have something to do with the knock-off products they’re selling? Or is the murder connected to the victim’s country of origin? Brunetti is up against a closed world of immigrants who operate under the radar. Establishing the victim’s identity won’t be easy, let alone finding the motive for the murder.I found this series installment less satisfactory than most of the other books in the series. I’ve come to accept that the murderers will elude justice in this series, and that Brunetti (and the readers) have to be satisfied with the knowledge of the killer’s identity. However, this book ended with more loose ends than usual. Even the victim’s identity is still uncertain at the end of the book. The answer is hinted at, but Brunetti (and the readers) have to accept that the full story will never be known.
    • 4/5
      The story begins with the execution-style murder of an illegal African street vendor in a busy Venetian campo while he was attempting to sell his fake designer handbags to a group of American tourists.This book deals with issues surrounding immigrants, race and immigrant labor. The detective Guido Brunetti must fight the racism and corruption in the police and judicial system in Venice as he works towards solving the murder of a vu cumpra (street vendor).An engrossing read. The characters are wonderfully depicted, such as Vice Questore Patta, Brunetti’s slow-witted boss, and his (Patta's) secretary, the computer savvy Signorina Elettra, who helps Brunetti without Patta's knowledge. Much of the novel’s appeal lies in the details of Brunetti’s life. He enjoys pastries, his wife Paola cooks exquisite lunches, he dislikes Christmas shopping and he admires the beautiful architecture of his city as he goes about his police business. I also enjoyed the glimpses into another culture. This was my first Donna Leon novel, but definitely not my last. Highly Recommended.
    • 4/5
      Im Vergleich zu anderen Büchern dieser Reihe gefiel mir dieses nicht ganz so gut. Vielleicht lag es am Thema oder am unruehmlichen Ende, da bin ich nicht ganz sicher. Aber trotzdem ist es ein gutes Buch, das sich schön lesen lässt.
    • 5/5
      #14 in the Commissario Brunetti series, set in Venice, Italy.Illegal street vendors have long been a fixture in Venice’s Campo San Stefano. Over the years, different ethnic groups have sold various wares; in recent years, Africans have made up the ranks of the ambulanti, who usually sell imitation Gucci and other name brand handbags and similar merchandise. So when one is murdered, just before the Christmas holidays, in what is clearly a professional-style killing, Brunetti is surprised. Who would want to murder a vu cumprá, as they are known locally?Brunetti’s investigation runs into one blind alley after another, as the near-impossibility of penetrating a closed community cuts him off from needed information. Then, in a search of the victim’s room, Brunetti finds millions of euros worth of uncut diamonds. His investigation takes an unexpected turn when his superior,Vice-Questore Patta, seriously warns him off the investigation, implying that it represents danger for Brunetti himself.This is one of Leon’s strongest entries, with fine writing and her superb characterizations, again particularly of Brunetti’s family. She uses Chiara in particular to illuminate the kind of unconscious, thoughtless racism that exists at all levels of society, showing up even in a family as enlightened as Brunetti’s, with a strong mother possessed of a radical social conscience.This book was written before the movie Blood Diamond, but has the same theme--the sale of illegally obtained diamonds for arms. The denouement is so dark that one is left, along with Brunetti, with feelings of rage and despair at the lengths to which governments--any government--will go to stay in power and to accumulate wealth for its richest citizens. International borders mean nothing, ideals mean nothing--all that matters is money.Leon tells an absorbing but very grim story, an excellent police procedural that is in addition both an illumination of and a protest against that modern evil. Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      Death of a black street vendor followed by political pressure to stop the investigation of the murder. Brunetti stumbles through his investigation hampered by government interference. We are left to believe the interference was a sign of corruption.Characters cleverly drawn and more insights into Brunetti’s family.Set at Christmas time, the cold weather plays a role in daily activities.Another cleverly plotted story with a few political undertones and insights.