Mystery

Give Unto Others

Give Unto Others

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  • Create Date：2022-03-02 21:24:31
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
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  • Author：Donna Leon
  • ISBN：B09B1BQJKP
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Summary

Brunetti is forced to confront the price of loyalty， to his past and in his work， as a seemingly innocent request leads him into troubling waters。

What role can or should loyalty play in the life of a police inspector？ It's a question Commissario Guido Brunetti must face and ultimately answer in Give Unto Others， Donna Leon's splendid 31st installment of her acclaimed Venetian crime series。

Brunetti is approached for a favor by Elisabetta Foscarini， a woman he knows casually， but her mother was good to Brunetti's mother， so he feels obliged to at least look into the matter privately， and not as official police business。 Foscarini's son-in-law， Enrico Fenzo， has alarmed his wife （her daughter） by confessing their family might be in danger because of something he's involved with。 Since Fenzo is an accountant， Brunetti logically suspects the cause of danger is related to the finances of a client。 Yet his clients seem benign: an optician， a restaurateur， a charity established by his father-in-law。 However， when his friend's daughter's place of work is vandalized， Brunetti asks his own favors--that his colleagues Claudia Griffoni， Lorenzo Vianello， and Signorina Electra Zorzi assist his private investigation， which soon enough turns official as they uncover the dark and Janus-faced nature of a venerable Italian institution。

Exploring the wobbly line between the criminal and non-criminal， revealing previously untold elements of Brunetti's past， Give Unto Others shows that the price of reciprocity can be steep。

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Reviews

Margaret ，

Another welcome visit to Venice in the steps of Inspector Brunetti。 An old friend comes to him as she is concerned about her daughter and son in law and this leads to the investigation of a Venetian based charity。 A gentle read full of character

Jennyh ，

Donna Leon has been a firm favourite of mine for many years because of her dark wit， gently drawn characters， traditions of the Venetians and of course the backdrop of Venice。Brunetti is using the slow time before the return of the tourists to take life a little easier， but then a childhood friend asks a favour。This is another wonderful visit to Venice;

joyce w。 laudon ，

Give unto Others is the next title in this author’s marvelous Guido Brunetti series。 Leon is a mistress of place and character。 Readers will feel that they are in Venice as they watch characters move around the city both on land and water。 The effects of the “pandemia” on “Venezia” is also part of the story。Readers will also （I hope） enjoy spending time with the ethical， good and warm Brunetti and those around him。 Readers will be happy to see Elettra （the clever！） and the others who make up Bru Give unto Others is the next title in this author’s marvelous Guido Brunetti series。 Leon is a mistress of place and character。 Readers will feel that they are in Venice as they watch characters move around the city both on land and water。 The effects of the “pandemia” on “Venezia” is also part of the story。Readers will also （I hope） enjoy spending time with the ethical， good and warm Brunetti and those around him。 Readers will be happy to see Elettra （the clever！） and the others who make up Brunetti’s team。 Of course， any moments with the Bruetti family are also quite a treat。In this novel， Brunetti hears from Elisabetta， the daughter of a woman who was always kind to Brunetti’s mother。 Along the way， readers meet a number of characters including one with Alzheimer’s who are entangled in Elisabetta’s situation。 The toll of Alzheimer’s disease is made quite clear。 Readers learn that Brunetti’s mother was also challenged by this illness。A bonus in this story is that readers learn something more about Brunetti’s childhood and parents。 For series fans this will be especially welcome。As is always true， Leon is a genius at titles。 Is the “giving” meant to be about Brunetti’s desire to help someone from his childhood？ Is it to do with the charity or funds that people use for pleasure even though not entitle to do so？ It is left to the reader to decide。Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more

Brenda ，

Set in incomparable Venice just at the end of the pandemic， Give Unto Others is the thirty first in a spectacular series。 Donna Leon is a very witty and clever author with a special way writing words， words that knit plots and characters together beautifully。 To me the books are more than crimes and mysteries but also about the setting and characters as they go about their daily lives。Commissario Guido Brunetti is approached by a childhood acquaintance， Elisabetta Foscarini to ask for help。 He f Set in incomparable Venice just at the end of the pandemic， Give Unto Others is the thirty first in a spectacular series。 Donna Leon is a very witty and clever author with a special way writing words， words that knit plots and characters together beautifully。 To me the books are more than crimes and mysteries but also about the setting and characters as they go about their daily lives。Commissario Guido Brunetti is approached by a childhood acquaintance， Elisabetta Foscarini to ask for help。 He feels compelled to take on her case as her mother showed particular kindness to his family when he was a child。 Her son in law is acting out of character and it is clear he holds a deep secret。 Guido enlists his colleagues to discover what it is and encounters social issues en route。 Claudia Griffoni and Signorina Elletra are my favourite characters in the series as they both have oomph and presence。 It is also fun to catch glimpses of Guido's home life with his wife and two kids。 The conclusion is fulfilling。Venice is such a beguiling city， one I have visited many times， and the descriptions of cafes， canals， people， culture and food are just stunning。 Not only that but the writing captures the unique Venetian vibe and personality。 This particular novel is somehow soothing and calming， the perfect escape。 Pure joy。This book would appeal to Mystery and Fiction readers， especially those seeking a non-violent book with je ne sais quois。 I highly recommend the entire series。 My sincere thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this wonderful， wonderful book！ 。。。more

Elisa ，

This is one of my favorite series because it’s about so much more than a whodunit or even crime。 Brunetti is getting older， but maybe not wiser。 He is as compassionate as ever， and the plot of this novel is as interesting as any heart-racing thriller。 The author doesn’t always highlight the same characters。 They are all in the background of Brunetti’s life， but sometimes he deals with some people more than others。 Griffoni takes again center stage， which is great because she’s awesome， as well a This is one of my favorite series because it’s about so much more than a whodunit or even crime。 Brunetti is getting older， but maybe not wiser。 He is as compassionate as ever， and the plot of this novel is as interesting as any heart-racing thriller。 The author doesn’t always highlight the same characters。 They are all in the background of Brunetti’s life， but sometimes he deals with some people more than others。 Griffoni takes again center stage， which is great because she’s awesome， as well as Vianello and Signorina Elettra。 But it’s Brunetti’s persistence to find the truth that drives this one。 He wants to know， but doesn’t need to be proven right。 His concern about the people who get hurt during an investigation， sometimes even because of his own actions， is always touching。 Venice is almost another character， and the state she’s in after the pandemic is a big part of the plot。 I don’t usually like it when this horrible real-life event is part of the fictional worlds I cherish but， in this case， I didn’t mind it。 I hope Brunetti keeps having many more adventures。 I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased。 Thank you， #NetGalley/#The MIT Press！ 。。。more

Miki Jacobs ，

Once again we are in the beautiful city of Venice。 Brunetti is finding it quiet as the tourists have yet to come back in numbers and crime is low。 When he is approached by someone from his past to find out something on the down low， he takes on the task with his usual gusto。However， as always， things are not what they seem and the trail leads to a charitable fund for a hospital in Belize that under the surface is not what it seems。With the help of his colleagues he is able to find out a lot of i Once again we are in the beautiful city of Venice。 Brunetti is finding it quiet as the tourists have yet to come back in numbers and crime is low。 When he is approached by someone from his past to find out something on the down low， he takes on the task with his usual gusto。However， as always， things are not what they seem and the trail leads to a charitable fund for a hospital in Belize that under the surface is not what it seems。With the help of his colleagues he is able to find out a lot of information about this。When the vet office of the daughter of the person who has asked is broken into， things change and the focus of "the investigation" changes and comes above the desk top。There are wicked goings on in Venice and once again it's down to Brunetti and his trusted colleagues to get to the root of it。I love reading this series， aside from the story， I find the descriptions of Venice fascinating and although there isn't as much in this book as in previous ones， the descriptions of the food Paola cooks sound delicious！ 。。。more

Clbplym ，

This is another laid back read set in Venice which lovers of this series will greatly enjoy。 Guido is visited by someone he knows from his childhood。 Elizabetta’s mother was very kind to his mother and he want to help if he can。 She is concerned that her daughter’s husband has become involved in something dangerous and would like it investigated off the books。 Of course， everyone has time to oblige her and they end up looking into a foreign charity， a break in at a vet’s practice and an old man This is another laid back read set in Venice which lovers of this series will greatly enjoy。 Guido is visited by someone he knows from his childhood。 Elizabetta’s mother was very kind to his mother and he want to help if he can。 She is concerned that her daughter’s husband has become involved in something dangerous and would like it investigated off the books。 Of course， everyone has time to oblige her and they end up looking into a foreign charity， a break in at a vet’s practice and an old man with dementia。 What makes this book so good are the revelations at the end which I can’t hint at without spoiling it。 。。。more

Mary Picken ，

Returning to the world of Commisario Guido Brunetti is usually bliss。 This time， though， Brunetti is dealing with an unsettling case in deeply unnerving times and it is creeping into his domestic life， though it is only one acute exchange that displays this。 The pandemic has done much damage to Venice。 Shops have closed and gone bankrupt and the many， many places that relied on tourists for their income have long since died， leaving behind derelict shopfronts which are continuously being looted Returning to the world of Commisario Guido Brunetti is usually bliss。 This time， though， Brunetti is dealing with an unsettling case in deeply unnerving times and it is creeping into his domestic life， though it is only one acute exchange that displays this。 The pandemic has done much damage to Venice。 Shops have closed and gone bankrupt and the many， many places that relied on tourists for their income have long since died， leaving behind derelict shopfronts which are continuously being looted by gangs of disaffected youth。Brunetti is approached by a woman he has known for many years。 She used to be a neighbour and he remembers her mother her mother so well。 She was kind to his own mother and in the way of these things， that very fact makes Brunetti want to be of service， even if he must do so unofficially， at Elisabetta Foscarini’s insistence。Signora Elettra is dealing with a slight issue of her own， but never doubt that she is capable of dealing with it quietly and efficiently。 She， together with Lorenzo Vianello and Claudia Griffoni will work with Brunetti ‘off the books’ to look into the circumstances of Elisabeth Foscarini’s son-in-law， Fenzo， who is an accountant。 Foscarini is a little concerned about something her daughter has reported and this has set off a trail which she alerts Brunetti to and which he follows。It’s neither a long nor a difficult task but it leads to an investigation into a medical charity that Foscarini’s husband founded， relating to a hospital in Belize。Brunetti’s talents lie as much in his understanding of the human psyche as they do in his detecting skills and it is in delving into relationships that answers come forward。 This time the situation is complicated by one of the potentially key players having dementia。 Donna Leon offers a strong and emotional portrait of a family dealing with a loved one in such circumstances and it is impossible not to be affected by her scenario。 It also offers up something of a moral and ethical dilemma for Brunetti to navigate and this is， of course， prime Donna Leon territory。We learn a little more of Brunetti’s upbringing and why he thinks the way he does， in this slow burn of a novel。 His thoughts are never so far away from his mother and the working class life he grew up in。 This has made him acutely aware of language， accent and the nuance of language and he uses it to great effect in his dealings with people。 But Brunetti never loses his emotional connection with Venice and he understands its class structure which is perhaps why he gets on so well with his wife’s parents， aristocrats who can trace their lineage back to old Venetian times。Give Unto Others is a complex tale and one in which the motivation of some is easy to fathom but for others lies deep in a murky tangle of human behaviour。 It is Brunetti’s ability to decipher motivation based on what and how he hears others speak that makes him one of the more interesting detectives around。Venetian politics within and out with the Polizia di Stato in Venice also play their usual part in muddying the waters but in the end it is Brunetti’s understanding of the fundamentals of human nature that unravels the answers， even as he realises， slightly too late， that his normally acute antennae have missed an obvious player in this Venetian dance of manners。 The pandemic， it seems， has knocked everyone slightly off their game。 A delightful read。Bookshop。org Waterstones Hive Sto 。。。more

Jessica - How Jessica Reads ，

I have read a lot of Donna Leon books over the years。 Not quite the whole series， I skipped around a bit in the middle， but probably 24 of the 31。 They're gentle， comforting reads。 Never high tension， and I love Brunetti's internal dialogue。But this one actually SURPRISED me。 There was something I didn't see coming， and I really enjoyed puzzling out the mystery alongside Brunetti。 I have read a lot of Donna Leon books over the years。 Not quite the whole series， I skipped around a bit in the middle， but probably 24 of the 31。 They're gentle， comforting reads。 Never high tension， and I love Brunetti's internal dialogue。But this one actually SURPRISED me。 There was something I didn't see coming， and I really enjoyed puzzling out the mystery alongside Brunetti。 。。。more

4cats ，

Review to follow

Soozee ，

This series just keeps getting better - Guido Brunetti is a policeman in Venice; a good and honest chap。 However， all around him is incredible corruption and mismanagement。 This story is set in the present， in the latter throes of the Covid pandemic， and it is interesting to see how another country is coping with that as a backdrop。 Brunetti is approached by a former neighbour who is concerned for her daughter， and from there we follow the trail。 To say more may spoil it！Brunetti， his wife Paola This series just keeps getting better - Guido Brunetti is a policeman in Venice; a good and honest chap。 However， all around him is incredible corruption and mismanagement。 This story is set in the present， in the latter throes of the Covid pandemic， and it is interesting to see how another country is coping with that as a backdrop。 Brunetti is approached by a former neighbour who is concerned for her daughter， and from there we follow the trail。 To say more may spoil it！Brunetti， his wife Paola and his children， as well as his work colleagues are just great characters， and set against the wonder of Venice， the result is stunning。 The only thing I missed in this book were the mouth watering descriptions of his meals that we usually enjoy！ A cracking read， and if you haven't met Brunetti before， you're in for a treat。Thank you to NetGalley， Random House UK and Cornerstone for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Scilla ，

Brunetti is one of my favorite book characters。 He is a caring policeman with a wife and two teenagers living in a 4th floor walkup apartment in Venice。 I love the descriptions of his walking in the streets of Venice or riding along the canals。 This book is in the current time， and COVID problems have made some changes to Venice。In this book， a woman Brunetti had known as a teenager （a selfish girl he didn't particularly like， but her mother was kind to him）， Elisabetta del Balzo， comes to the Q Brunetti is one of my favorite book characters。 He is a caring policeman with a wife and two teenagers living in a 4th floor walkup apartment in Venice。 I love the descriptions of his walking in the streets of Venice or riding along the canals。 This book is in the current time， and COVID problems have made some changes to Venice。In this book， a woman Brunetti had known as a teenager （a selfish girl he didn't particularly like， but her mother was kind to him）， Elisabetta del Balzo， comes to the Questura and says she is worried about her daughter Flora and her husband。 She explains that Flora's husband Fenza may be doing something bad。 Brunetti is not too busy and agrees to look into Flora's husband。 He finds that Fenza's clients think he is a great accountant。 However， he had helped del Balzo （Flora's father） start a charity， a hospital in Belize。 When Flora's veterinary office is broken into， and a dog is badly injured with blood all over， Brunetti is more concerned。 A woman across the street calls to him to come see her。 When he goes to talk with her， she claims she saw a woman outside during the night who went around to the back and then she heard barking。 She thinks the woman was Flora's Mother。 Brunetti gradually realizes the unease is about the charity in Belize， and he starts investigating it。 Fenza had helped with the startup。 There are two friends of Brunetti's father-in-law who are also involved in the charity。 With the help of Elettra， Puticini， Griffoni and Vianello he gradually finds that the charity isn't quite as pure as it was supposed to be， and Elisabetta may be jealous of the woman working for her husband's charity。 Elisabetta may be more concerned about herself， than for her daughter Flora。 。。。more

Paromjit ，

Donna Leon's latest in the Commissario Guido Brunnetti series is an intelligent， slow burn， meandering unofficial investigation led by Brunnetti， in which he ropes in fellow Questura colleagues， Claudia Griffoni， Lorenzo Vianello and the woman from whom very little can be hidden， secretary Signorina Elletra Zorza。 Venice is depicted in detail， a beautiful city emerging from the damaging pandemic， with the morgue of closed down shops， the suppression of tactile human contact that so characterises Donna Leon's latest in the Commissario Guido Brunnetti series is an intelligent， slow burn， meandering unofficial investigation led by Brunnetti， in which he ropes in fellow Questura colleagues， Claudia Griffoni， Lorenzo Vianello and the woman from whom very little can be hidden， secretary Signorina Elletra Zorza。 Venice is depicted in detail， a beautiful city emerging from the damaging pandemic， with the morgue of closed down shops， the suppression of tactile human contact that so characterises the Italian manner of relating to people， and the bored youngsters forming 'baby gangs'。 Elisabetta Foscarini， Guido knew her as a child， they were neighbours， who he has occasionally glimpsed on the streets through the years， asks him to look into her son-in-law， Enrico Fenzo， an accountant married to her daughter Flora。Guido is given very little to go on， only that Fenzo told Flora that they could be in danger。 Feeling that he owes loyalty to Elisabetta's mother， who had been kind to him， he agrees to help and that there will be no police records kept。 The smart close knit police team hone in Fenzo's accountancy business， thinking that it's good place to start， looking at his clients， but they hear little but praise for him。 They move onto a South American charity that Fenzo had helped Elisabetta's husband set up， the Belize nel Cuore， providing a hospital and medical services to the poor， a charity that was founded with a retired， ex-naval Vice-Admiral suffering from dementia。 When Flora's veterinary clinic is vandalised and her dog hurt， the police are called to the scene， putting their team inquiries for the first time on a formal police footing。 Leon gives us a glimpse into Brunneti's past， his memories of events and people that are not what they appear to be， and which his brother is to throw a far different perspective on。 Some of the highlights of this addition to the series are the insightful pictures provided of class， dementia， the way that charities can be seen and utilised in society and the parallels to be found of the experience of Covid and the police investigation。 I found this to be an engaging and engrossing read， I particularly liked the way it dawns on Brunetti that he would have been better served if he had looked through the eyes of a police officer and been more questioning， rather than accepting matters at face value， which leaves him and his team open to being manipulated。 Highly recommended。 Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC。 。。。more

Martina ，

Guido Brunetti #31！！！ It seems impossible that I have been reading this series from the start and these stories just don't fail to lift me up。 And if I ever needed that， now is the time！ The publication date for the book is 15 March 2022。 Can't wait！ Guido Brunetti #31！！！ It seems impossible that I have been reading this series from the start and these stories just don't fail to lift me up。 And if I ever needed that， now is the time！ The publication date for the book is 15 March 2022。 Can't wait！ 。。。more

J。 ，

Once again Donna Leon has placed a social issue on Commissario Guido Brunetti's desk。 An old acquaintance asks a favor， can Guido look into something unofficially for her。 This is awkward for him but he will do his best。 And so we get to follow another investigation leading to psychological and moral dilemmas。 There is much here for a book discussion group。 This is a review of an advanced reader copy provided by Netgalley。 Once again Donna Leon has placed a social issue on Commissario Guido Brunetti's desk。 An old acquaintance asks a favor， can Guido look into something unofficially for her。 This is awkward for him but he will do his best。 And so we get to follow another investigation leading to psychological and moral dilemmas。 There is much here for a book discussion group。 This is a review of an advanced reader copy provided by Netgalley。 。。。more

Lynda ，

I like Ms。 Leon， don't get me wrong but this novel， due to be released in a few months， seems like a non-starter。 No murders， not a lot of action， I'd call it more of a cerebral non-thriller。That said， any book by Leon with her lovely descriptions of Venice make for a pleasant literary vacation。 Thank you NetGalley， Publisher and Author for the opportunity to read the advanced copy of this novel。 I like Ms。 Leon， don't get me wrong but this novel， due to be released in a few months， seems like a non-starter。 No murders， not a lot of action， I'd call it more of a cerebral non-thriller。That said， any book by Leon with her lovely descriptions of Venice make for a pleasant literary vacation。 Thank you NetGalley， Publisher and Author for the opportunity to read the advanced copy of this novel。 。。。more

Marlene ，

The previous Brunetti book ended with a melancholy， somewhat discouraged inspector thinking about retirement。 In this 31st installment in the series Brunetti is back in stride and even bending the rules。 When Elisabeta， a former neighbor from his much younger days， approaches him with concerns about her daughter's safety， he's torn。 He recalls that he didn't much like Elisabeta when they were young but that her mother was always kind to his during a difficult time。 Elisabeta asks Brunetti to lau The previous Brunetti book ended with a melancholy， somewhat discouraged inspector thinking about retirement。 In this 31st installment in the series Brunetti is back in stride and even bending the rules。 When Elisabeta， a former neighbor from his much younger days， approaches him with concerns about her daughter's safety， he's torn。 He recalls that he didn't much like Elisabeta when they were young but that her mother was always kind to his during a difficult time。 Elisabeta asks Brunetti to launch an unofficial investigation into her son-in-law's life saying she fears he's a danger to her daughter。 Past loyalty wins over wisdom and Brunetti agrees to see what he can discover。 Oddly， he immediately involves his closest co-workers thereby endangering their careers and his own as the investigation escalates。。 While I liked the post-pandemic descriptions of Venice and enjoyed the touches of humor （a cat sent home from the vet in a police vaporetto） the plot seemed a bit forced。 Respected friends of Brunetti's in-laws are involved and using his staff in a personal case and reading about how they can justify their actions doesn't align with Brunetti's character。 There are insights into his youth and family and the usual mouth-watering descriptions of meals but he should have told Elisabeta to hire a private investigator sent her on her way。Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic Press for the opportunity to read this book。 。。。more

Robin ，

Donna Leon， Give unto Others， Grove Atlantic， Atlantic Monthly Press， 2022。Thank you， NetGalley， for providing me with this uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review。 Reading a Donna Leon is always delightful。 Once again， she has evoked the special features of the world of detection in Venice with location， Italian culture and languages， class differences and history providing a complex background to a crime that must be solved by Guido Bunetti and his ingenious colleagues， sometimes av Donna Leon， Give unto Others， Grove Atlantic， Atlantic Monthly Press， 2022。Thank you， NetGalley， for providing me with this uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review。 Reading a Donna Leon is always delightful。 Once again， she has evoked the special features of the world of detection in Venice with location， Italian culture and languages， class differences and history providing a complex background to a crime that must be solved by Guido Bunetti and his ingenious colleagues， sometimes avoiding the rules and always aware of the possibility of being spied upon。 Woven alongside the detective theme is that of the literary world in which Paola immerses herself in her academic employment and at home。 She often provides an idea or even a simple story which illuminates or provides a context for Brunetti’s investigation and a clue to the sharp reader。 A past relationship， based on proximity and youth， although sharply separated by class， leads to Brunetti investigating a crime that rests on personal failings， greed and family discord。 This is the thirty first novel in which Brunetti appears， but even here Leon adds more depth to his character。 His strengths and weaknesses are further established， when his relationships with other protagonists raise the consequences of misunderstanding shared history。 Brunetti’s interactions with his colleagues are beautifully drawn and those with Paola and his mother-in-law， while so lightly sketched， suggest a wealth of meaning。 The solution to the crime is satisfying， although empathy and recognition that all crimes cannot be solved by usual law enforcement is an important part of accepting the resolution。 Donna Leon’s deft touch， her main character’s integrity and thoughtful， imaginative approach to crime， together with the luxury of almost living for a short time in Venice reminded me again how much I admire Donna Leon’s books。 And to think that there are thirty-one of them available to reread！ What splendour。 。。。more

Mavis ，

What a joy to be back in Venice with Commisario Brunetti。 There is something comforting being back in a place we have physically been unable to visit for so long and despite reminders that the Pandemic is still with us， that Brunetti is his usual reliable self。 He is asked to do a favour for an ex-neighbour ‘off the books’ which begins a tortuous trawl through hard to find information， aided by his colleagues。 Venice as always is as much a subject as any character and despite the length of the s What a joy to be back in Venice with Commisario Brunetti。 There is something comforting being back in a place we have physically been unable to visit for so long and despite reminders that the Pandemic is still with us， that Brunetti is his usual reliable self。 He is asked to do a favour for an ex-neighbour ‘off the books’ which begins a tortuous trawl through hard to find information， aided by his colleagues。 Venice as always is as much a subject as any character and despite the length of the series， the magic is still there。 A character with Alzheimer’s is sensitively drawn and the writing as intelligent as always。 I loved it。Thanks to Randon House UK and NetGalley for the ARC。 My opinions are my own。 。。。more

Andrew Smith ，

In Venice the first wave of the pandemic is beginning to wane， with lockdowns and curfews at last being wound down。 For months the city has seen a significant downfall in the number of crimes the police have been called upon to investigate， so when an ex-neighbour of Commissario Guido Brunetti calls on him to request a favour he is inclined to offer his assistance。 It’s a small matter and she’s certainly not reporting something that would normally involve the police， it’s just that she’s worried In Venice the first wave of the pandemic is beginning to wane， with lockdowns and curfews at last being wound down。 For months the city has seen a significant downfall in the number of crimes the police have been called upon to investigate， so when an ex-neighbour of Commissario Guido Brunetti calls on him to request a favour he is inclined to offer his assistance。 It’s a small matter and she’s certainly not reporting something that would normally involve the police， it’s just that she’s worried that her son-in-law may be experiencing some troubles and would Guido mind digging around a bit and hopefully set her mind at rest。 Such is the way with this series that it seems natural he’d help。Brunetti enlists some of his colleagues in his quest for information – yes， four officers of varying ranks （plus a secretary， the wily Elettra Zorzi） form a brain trust to crack this particular challenge。 As information stacks up a picture slowly starts to emerge - but is there a crime here？ In truth， it hardly matters。 The puzzle will be solved， of that we are sure， but the pleasure here is principally in the journey to its resolution。 Along the way， I particularly enjoyed the chemistry between Brunetti – a born and bred Venetian – and his fellow Commissario， Claudia Griffoni， a Neapolitan by birth。 Griffoni has played an increasing part in these tales of late and I think she offers an interesting counterbalance to the Venetian’s rather staid approach。 They get on well， respecting each other’s skills， but they are very different people and I believe the perceptible tension between them adds something to the mix。I’ve been following Brunetti for over twenty years （this is book number 31） and whenever I sit down with the latest episode I feel that I’m reacquainting myself with a group of old friends: Guido， his wife Paola and their children and also Brunetti’s colleagues at the Questura。 The crime itself – if you can actually identify one – is often inconsequential to my enjoyment of these books， what I most enjoy is the verbal jousting that takes place between the various players and the frequent tangential musings on art， food， literature and history， or simply on the overt bureaucracy that is an inescapable component of life in this country。 If this makes the books sound somewhat muddled or confused then I can only assure you that they don’t read this way。 The author’s stories do， though， paint a warts and all picture of the city of Venice， showing us the underbelly of a place replete with high culture and wealth。 Often the spotlight is on a specific crime that’s been committed but on other occasions it's focus can feel somewhat nebulous。 And at times it’s clear to see how the issue（s） being addressed might easily be transferrable to another place and another time， but at other times it feels that the problem really is specific to this place and its unique environment。 I’ve only visited Venice once but those few days made a huge impression on me。 For now， my re-visits are through Donna Leon’s annual slice of thought provoking fiction: her brilliantly observed characters; her highly tuned eye spotting things most casual observers would walk straight past; her intelligent insight into problems both modern and timeless。It’s another classy episode from one of my very favourite writers。 I’m always sad to reach the conclusion to one of these books as it means I’ll have to wait a further twelve months for the next one。 Maybe I’ll have to go back to the start and read through the series afresh – I need to find a way of bridging that gap。My thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review。 。。。more

Jane ，

3。5 starsAn ex-neighbor of Commissario Guido Brunetti’s， Elisabetta Foscarini has asked Brunetti to look into her daughter Flora del Balzo who’s been married to Enrico Fenzo for three years。 According to Flora， her husband had changed about two months ago and always seemed nervous。 She suspects Enrico is doing something shady。 Since Enrico’s an accountant， Brunetti suspects his life might be in jeopardy because of the finances of a client。 Overall an interesting detective story。 Would recommend 3。5 starsAn ex-neighbor of Commissario Guido Brunetti’s， Elisabetta Foscarini has asked Brunetti to look into her daughter Flora del Balzo who’s been married to Enrico Fenzo for three years。 According to Flora， her husband had changed about two months ago and always seemed nervous。 She suspects Enrico is doing something shady。 Since Enrico’s an accountant， Brunetti suspects his life might be in jeopardy because of the finances of a client。 Overall an interesting detective story。 Would recommend Thank you to Donna Leon， NetGalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for the ARC of this book 。。。more

Steve Streeter ，

Donna Leon is the Venetian queen of crime fiction; this latest book in the Commissario Guido Brunetti series is somewhat more understated than previous because as with with current novels it is set in the current pandemic world。 However， the global situation is subtly dealt with and does not dominate。 The book focuses on a seemingly unimportant argument between a couple but a mother-in-law is determined to know what is going on…and so unfolds the story and an intriguing premise of corruption and Donna Leon is the Venetian queen of crime fiction; this latest book in the Commissario Guido Brunetti series is somewhat more understated than previous because as with with current novels it is set in the current pandemic world。 However， the global situation is subtly dealt with and does not dominate。 The book focuses on a seemingly unimportant argument between a couple but a mother-in-law is determined to know what is going on…and so unfolds the story and an intriguing premise of corruption and deceit。 As ever Brunetti approaches his crimes with an incredibly calm approach and brings forth his knowledge of the human condition and the world of the classics in literature。 Another great addition to a highly enjoyable series 。。。more

Elaine Tomasso ，

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK， Cornerstone for an advance copy of Give unto Others， the thirty first novel to feature Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice police。Brunetti is approached by an acquaintance from his schooldays， Elisabetta Foscarini， asking for unofficial help in a vague matter of her son in law and daughter being in trouble， something to do with his work as an accountant， maybe？I thoroughly enjoyed Give unto Others， which I found more engrossing and clever I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK， Cornerstone for an advance copy of Give unto Others， the thirty first novel to feature Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice police。Brunetti is approached by an acquaintance from his schooldays， Elisabetta Foscarini， asking for unofficial help in a vague matter of her son in law and daughter being in trouble， something to do with his work as an accountant， maybe？I thoroughly enjoyed Give unto Others， which I found more engrossing and cleverer than some of the recent entrants in the series。 It is typical Brunetti， give him a hint of malfeasance and he’s ready to enlist his usual helpers to unravel the problem。 Suffice to say they use their usual methods， potentially illegal hacking and asking around， to probe deeper and uncover some uncomfortable truths about money the Venetian way， although it’s probably not only the Venetian way。 I really like this series and I think this encapsulates it perfectly。 The nebulous nature of what they are investigating， the ambiguity of what is said and the ways to read between the lines， the twist in what they are doing and why and the uncertain outcome of their work。 I know， none of it sounds particularly cheerful or encouraging， but I found it engrossing for both the glimpse it gives of the Italian mindset and life and the unexpected way the novel twists from one thing to another with unintended consequences。 It’s a neat irony。 Give unto Others is a clever novel that I have no hesitation in recommending as a good read。 。。。more

Annarella ，

I always appreciate Donna Leon's realistic descriptions of Venice， people e and lifestyle。Her books never talks about a picture card Venice or of a "come to Italy and enjoy life" as they're full of interesting and realistic social remarks。This is an excellent novel set during the Covid pandemic， after one of the lockdowns。It's a slow burning novel， full of food for thought and ethical reflection。We get to know more about Brunetti's youth。There's some funny moments and there're some poignant mome I always appreciate Donna Leon's realistic descriptions of Venice， people e and lifestyle。Her books never talks about a picture card Venice or of a "come to Italy and enjoy life" as they're full of interesting and realistic social remarks。This is an excellent novel set during the Covid pandemic， after one of the lockdowns。It's a slow burning novel， full of food for thought and ethical reflection。We get to know more about Brunetti's youth。There's some funny moments and there're some poignant moments。I loved this story even if it's not a classic whodunit。 The characters are well developed and the plot is solid and well crafted。Being Italian born and bread I found it realistic and I appreciated the final part。Highly recommended。Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC， all opinions are mine 。。。more

Vickie ，

Donna Leon’s I latest Brunetti novel was a Christmas gift I gave to myself。 Although not to be published until March， I received a copy from NetGalley early。 I was saving it until closer to the publication date， but on a particularly bleak day leading up to Christmas。 I just had to read it。 I love this series…the writing， the characters， the setting， the Venetian idea of justice。What a joy to read such a literate writer; and I think this may be her best。 Yes， this is her 31st， and I have looked Donna Leon’s I latest Brunetti novel was a Christmas gift I gave to myself。 Although not to be published until March， I received a copy from NetGalley early。 I was saving it until closer to the publication date， but on a particularly bleak day leading up to Christmas。 I just had to read it。 I love this series…the writing， the characters， the setting， the Venetian idea of justice。What a joy to read such a literate writer; and I think this may be her best。 Yes， this is her 31st， and I have looked forward to and read all of them。 In this story， an old family acquaintance of Brunetti seeks his assistance。 Leon writes in such a vividly descriptive manner that you feel you are actually in the room with characters。 Interwoven throughout the story is the pandemic， along with Leon’s typically sharp observations。 An illustration: Brunetti’s musing as to whether this “disease” infects all of our thoughts。 It was so nice to visit again with all the familiar players， stroll past familiar Venetian landmarks， stopping for a coffee along the way。 For anyone new to Brunetti， this can be read as a stand alone， but why deprive yourself？ Go back to the beginning of the series and enjoy getting to know all of these memorable characters。 。。。more

The Library Lady ，

While I can understand why Leon preferred to write about a mostly post pandemic time， I think she missed out on a golden opportunity。 As I mentioned in my review of last year's book， I really wanted to know how these characters was managing during the pandemic， and a Brunetti book about 2020 in Venice could have been really fantastic。 Leon has written a good deal in recent years about how Venice has been drowning literally and figuratively due to tourists and climate change， and seeing Venice du While I can understand why Leon preferred to write about a mostly post pandemic time， I think she missed out on a golden opportunity。 As I mentioned in my review of last year's book， I really wanted to know how these characters was managing during the pandemic， and a Brunetti book about 2020 in Venice could have been really fantastic。 Leon has written a good deal in recent years about how Venice has been drowning literally and figuratively due to tourists and climate change， and seeing Venice during this period would have been a wonderful contrast。 Instead she chose to write of a sort of post pandemic time。 Some people are still wearing masks， there is talk about the lack of tourists and closed businesses， people hesitate to touch other people the way they would in normal conversations， the hospitals have restrictions， but other things are business as usual。 Brunetti's family gets very little text time， as do most of the regular cast of characters。 On the bright side， Leon does give this one far more satisfying finish than some of the other books in the series。 Enjoyable， but still not as good as she can do。 。。。more

Chris Nolan ，

As reading about Venice is the closest most of us have been to La Serenissima in these Covid times， thank goodness for Donna Leon。 This series is never less than entertaining， even though the plots don't grip in the way of most contemporary crime fiction。 Nevertheless it is comforting that Guido Brunetti and his colleagues are reliably solid and Venezia is described in such wonderful detail。 As reading about Venice is the closest most of us have been to La Serenissima in these Covid times， thank goodness for Donna Leon。 This series is never less than entertaining， even though the plots don't grip in the way of most contemporary crime fiction。 Nevertheless it is comforting that Guido Brunetti and his colleagues are reliably solid and Venezia is described in such wonderful detail。 。。。more

Sue F ，

I’ve been a big fan of Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti series for years， ever since picking up some of the early series titles in paperback on a business trip to the UK - and then binge-reading three of them， one after the other， on the two airplane flights home。 And in the first couple of chapters of Give Unto Others， the thirty-first Brunetti book， Leon reminds me again of most of the reasons I love this series: Brunetti’s hard earned world-wisdom， which drifts into cynicism， but still retai I’ve been a big fan of Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti series for years， ever since picking up some of the early series titles in paperback on a business trip to the UK - and then binge-reading three of them， one after the other， on the two airplane flights home。 And in the first couple of chapters of Give Unto Others， the thirty-first Brunetti book， Leon reminds me again of most of the reasons I love this series: Brunetti’s hard earned world-wisdom， which drifts into cynicism， but still retains an element of hope; the way he understands and values his wife， Paola， who can be quite intense at times; the delicious moments of snarkiness that pop up unexpectedly from time-to-time， mostly from Paola， but also from Brunetti; his respect for his colleagues （at least， those who deserve it）; and of course， his love of his city of Venice。 And in the process of reminding me of these， Leon also sets the stage quite nicely for readers who may not be familiar with the series。 In Give Unto Others， Brunetti tackles a problem brought to him by Elisabetta Foscarini， whose mother had been kind to Brunetti’s mother long ago。 Foscarini says she is worried about her daughter after the daughter’s husband appears to have become mixed up in “something”， but it’s not clear if there is a crime or not。 As a result of the old relationship， Brunetti agrees to take an informal look， off the record， and persuades some of his colleagues to help as well。 Things may not be quite what they seem though， and the case blossoms into something much bigger before Brunetti and crew figure out what’s really going on。 One of the best things about a Brunetti book is that， in addition to the “main mystery”， Leon also tackles contemporary issues as well – usually compelling readers to think about them， without providing answers。 （Indeed， many of the issues have no answers…） And although Give Unto Others isn’t quite as raw as Leon’s previous excellent， but rather dark， Transient Desires， we still end up contemplating societal class， dementia， plain old greed， and of course， the pandemic。 All-in-all， Give Unto Others is a joy of a book on multiple levels， and it kept me reading and thinking far too late into the night。 It very much deserves the five stars I’m giving it。 And my thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the advance review copy。 。。。more

Sid Nuncius ，

I have enjoyed the Brunetti books I have read， but for me this one wasn’t all that good。Brunetti is approached by a woman who knew him and his family long ago， asking his “advice”; she is worried about her daughter because of the behaviour of the daughter’s husband。 Brunetti allows old loyalty to draw him into an “unofficial” investigation， which slowly - very slowly - begins to uncover possible malfeasance。Frankly， I found it something of a slog， certainly for the first two-thirds。 It seems to I have enjoyed the Brunetti books I have read， but for me this one wasn’t all that good。Brunetti is approached by a woman who knew him and his family long ago， asking his “advice”; she is worried about her daughter because of the behaviour of the daughter’s husband。 Brunetti allows old loyalty to draw him into an “unofficial” investigation， which slowly - very slowly - begins to uncover possible malfeasance。Frankly， I found it something of a slog， certainly for the first two-thirds。 It seems to take Brunetti an age to spot some pretty obvious pointers， there is almost no Brunetti family life and even Venice itself didn’t seem the essential character it usually is and I found the descriptions of it a bit laboured and familiar。 Donna Leon has always been good at character depiction and rounded description， but there’s a difference between that and a lot of superfluous verbiage; here there is far too much of the latter， I think。 There are some long， tortured metaphors， likening the case to a pinball machine and then to the pandemic， for example， which I found frankly absurd， and I think if I'd read just once more about Brunetti waiting for answer in silence with yet another laboured explanation of why he didn’t speak， I might have said some rude words。 Later， things picked up a little as Elettra， Vianello and Claudia become more involved in the off-the-books investigation， but in the end the denouement didn’t convince and relied on what I thought was some pretty thin psychology。I did finish the book， with a little skimming， but I found it a disappointent。 It’s not bad， but it’s not that great either， I’m afraid。（My thanks to Hutchinson Heinemann for an ARC via NetGalley。） 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Give Unto Others

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Give Unto Others&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Give Unto Others&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0