Synopses & Reviews
In the pages of Donna Leon's internationally bestselling Commissario Guido Brunetti mysteries, the conversations of the Brunetti family have often turned to topics of art and literature, but books are at the heart of this novel in a way they never have been before. One afternoon, Brunetti gets a frantic call from the director of a prestigious Venetian library. Someone has stolen pages out of several rare books. After a round of questioning, the case seems clear: the culprit must be the man who requested the volumes, a visiting American professor. But the man fled the library earlier that day, and after checking his credentials, it becomes clear that he is not who he said he was. As the investigation proceeds, the suspects multiply. And when a seemingly harmless character turns up brutally murdered, Brunetti must question his expectations about what makes a man innocent, or guilty.
Review
Fans will rejoice that staples of the Brunetti canon including conversations with his smart wife and frequent breaks for food and coffee are very much in evidence.”Seattle Times
Review
With its loudly reverberating echoes of the recent real-life thefts from the Girolamini Library in Naples, By its Cover will both delight and strike fear into bibliophiles hearts....Leon offers a finely drawn tale that encompasses theft, blackmail, emotional violence, and murder, as well as a rich array of characters...[and] compellingly combines their workaday crime-solving with a detailed picture of a vanishing Venice.” Boston Globe
Review
Donna Leon's books...are routinely some of the finest mystery novels to come out of Europe (or anywhere else, for that matter). Her latest, By its Cover, will do nothing but burnish that reputation.” BookPage
Review
One of her best in a long line of super efforts....Brunetti's wry internal observations and musings about everything from his superiors to his family are reason enough to come to the feast.” Bookreporter
Review
Think of Leon's latest Guido Brunetti novel as a love letter to her fans....This will likely be one of his most-loved adventures.” Booklist (starred review)
Review
This character-driven novel looks at the ravages of rare book theft on libraries, and, more broadly, the destructive effects of contemporary greed...on cultural heritage. [A] skillful evocation of the city's charms, culture, and history.” Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Donna Leon is the author of the international best-selling Commissario Guido Brunetti series. The winner of the CWA Macallan Silver Dagger for Fiction, among other awards, Leon was born in New Jersey and has lived in Venice for thirty years.