This is this year’s Donna Leon. A story of human trafficking, hidden homosexuality and a few, but so subtle, references to the coronavirus pandemic. Same setting as usual: Venice and its little “calle”, a Brunetti that doesn’t seem to age and is as attached to his lovely family as ever, a little bit of nagging between Italiens from the South and those from the North and the description of the fantastic Italian food that makes you want to go back there straight away. A good read, but that reminds us of the dark side of humans.
“About the way people find it hard to change. Even when they know they should do something, or not do something, they do the wrong thing and make things worse.”