About Face

Book condition was as described except for some significant edge yellowing. Would have been 5 stars except for flimsy packaging which allows the books to become damaged.

Buy it now...another Donna Leon is as good as adding gold coins to your pockets. You'll feel as if you've been on vacation to Venice. It's that good. Commissario Brunetti: we love you!

Initially I was glad I had borrowed this book from the library - her social/political 'theme' this time was garbage, and, despite the increased involvement of Guido's family and in-laws, I wasn't too engaged. But I persevered, and was glad I did. Donna's book often take unusual twists and turns, with interesting surprises, and this was no exception. Some new parts of town (casinos), some new dynamics in the station, and even gun fire. Sometimes her endings are downers - yes, the case was resolved, but it wasn't "justice". This ending was more affirming.

Leon's 18th Guido Brunetti novel may be freighted with the garbage and toxic waste that mires Italy, but an elegant dinner party at the home of the Commissario's wealthy in-laws, the Conte and Contessa Falier, sets the tone. Over the risotto ai funghi Brunetti discovers a kindred soul in the much younger wife of a business tycoon. Franca Marinello, her formerly beautiful face made mask like by excess plastic surgery, captivates Brunetti with her knowledge of the Classics. So much so that his charming, easy-going wife (her favorite author is Henry James) is a bit tart on their walk home. "'But she reads Cicero,'" Brunetti blurts out and Paola, after a beat, replies, "'You realize, I hope, that you are married to the only woman in this city who would find that an entirely satisfactory explanation?"' Later his father-in-law asks Brunetti to look into Franca's husband's business dealings. The man wants the Conte to invest with him in a Chinese deal. Brunetti sets his boss' assistant, Signorina Elettra, their resident computer genius (best not to inquire too closely into her methods) on that, then intervenes to spare his boss the details of a Carabinieri request for aid in a suspicious death case. The lucrative and illegal disposal of hazardous waste is at the root of the case and more will die before Brunetti finds himself in a place so overwhelmingly, revoltingly caustic, even the reader will hesitate to breathe. Leon, an American who has lived long in Venice, steeps her novels in the rhythm of the city, and the provincial insularity and quirks of Italians generally. The collision (or should it be collusion) of politics, waste disposal and organized crime drive Leon's plot(s), but no good Italian would allow disgust with the government to spoil his appetite and Brunetti is no exception. This character-driven series depends on dry wit and subtlety in Brunetti's rich family life and his relationships with the well known but never entirely predictable cast of regulars. The plot threads weave together neatly, rending credulity only slightly frayed. Fans will savor this outstanding entry, and newcomers will be captivated.

When Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice police is seated with a mysterious, scarred beauty at a dinner party, he thinks there is something unforgettable about her. He's right. In the days after the party, he's working on an official case involving the illegal disposal of garbage, and his father-in-law asks him to do an unofficial background check on a prospective business partner, who happens to be the husband of the lady in question. And in both cases, all roads--and bodies--seem to be leading Guido back to that strange, unforgettable face.... This is the 18th entry in Donna Leon's vivid mystery series featuring Guido Brunetti, and it's one of the best. The descriptions of Venice, the endearing cast of regulars, and the behind-the-scenes glimpses of the socio-political structure of contemporary Italy should make you a lifelong fan of the series. But this particular story stands out for another reason. ABOUT FACE is dominated by one of Leon's most unusual creations, a modern interpretation of the "femme fatale" so dear to the hearts of mystery lovers everywhere. Highly recommended.

Venice blanketed by snow, a mysterious and hideous "facelift," a murdered Carabiniere, wealthy Italians investing in China, the deadly involvement of the Neapolitan mafia--the Camorra--in the transport of toxic garbage: all these things merge in interesting and unexpected ways in Donna Leon's first-rate and highly recommended new addition to her Commisssario Brunetti series. More good news: For the first time since the introduction of Signorina Elettra in book #3, "Dressed for Death," a new, smart and interesting woman has joined the cast of characters at the Questura. Commissaria Claudia Griffoni is pretty much just stuck with sidekick duty in this one, but appears destined for bigger things. As always, I recommend starting most series at the beginning...but especially this series, as the evolution of the personal relationships is such a huge part of the warmth and wonderfulness of these novels that it's worth the effort to read them in as close to chronological order as you can manage. Here's the list as of March 2009: "Death at La Fenice," "Death in a Strange Country" "Dressed for Death," "Death and Judgment," "Acqua Alta," "Quietly in Their Sleep," "A Noble Radiance, " "Fatal Remedies," "Friends in High Places," "A Sea of Troubles," "Wilful Behavior," "Uniform Justice," "Doctored Evidence," "Blood from a Stone," "Through a Glass, Darkly" "Suffer the Little Children," "The Girl of His Dreams," and "About Face." (Please note: Should you ever come across "The Anonymous Venetian," "A Venetian Reckoning" or "The Death of Faith" know that these are not new Leons; they're just British versions of "Dressed for Death," "Death and Judgment" and "Quietly in Their Sleep.") PS: People keep remarking "Oddio!" so often in this book, I figured it probably translates as "Ohmygod." But I Googled it to be sure and the answer that came up said it means "Oh, my." ADDENDA: Since writing this review, I've been to a bookstore appearance by the author, who filled us in on the background of this book. She'd been involved in staging a concert that nearly had to be canceled because an incredible garbage pileup outside the church where it was to be held was blocking the doors. Some string-pulling got that situation resolved, but made Leon resolved to make Italy's garbage crisis her next topic. Then, two months into its writing, she took a break to attend a musical event in Germany where she saw a woman who'd had way too many facelifts. Back at her writing desk in Venice, she couldn't get that face...and trying to figure out what would cause someone to do that to herself...out of her mind and it disrupted her writing till she realized she'd have to trash the MS in progress and give "that face" the starring role instead. (She also told us she and her publisher are in talks with a well regarded British producer about the possibility of a Brunetti series for BBC). Next up for Leon: No. 19 in the series, "A Question of Belief," is due out 5/1/10