Guido Brunetti is a thoughtful, compassionate, and even-tempered man, who is well-read and curious about human behavior. Even he might admit that his job as Commissario di Polizia in Venice is not particularly taxing. Brunetti relies heavily on the expertise of the incomparable Signora Elletra Zorzi, who apparently can hack into any database at will. When Brunetti needs medical, employment, or financial records, many of which are confidential, the commissario asks Signorina Elletra for help, and she is more than happy to comply. In Donna Leon's "The Temptation of Forgiveness," Brunetti investigates an assault on Tullio Gasparini, who is married to a colleague of Guido's wife. The author takes us on a tour of Venice's sights, including the city's fog-bound canals, picturesque cathedrals, and vaporettos or waterbuses. In addition, Leon describes in delectable detail the meals that Guido's wife, Paola, prepares for her husband and two children. On a more serious note, there is social commentary about corruption among government officials and the inducements that lead people to engage in illegal activities. To Leon's credit "The Temptation of Forgiveness" reveals Brunetti's flaws as well as his strengths. No one would accuse him of being a workaholic. He takes time from his workday to enjoy a stroll, read the local newspaper, eat a leisurely lunch, or gaze out the window. He also makes an uncharacteristic error in judgment that leads him to misread the evidence and jump to an erroneous conclusion. By far, the most compelling scenes of the novel take place during its final pages, when Guido confronts a felon for whom he feels a measure of sympathy. This latest installment in Leon's long-running series is not particularly compelling or fast-paced, but it is worth reading for its varied cast of characters, wry humor, atmospheric descriptive writing, and insight into the decisions we make for good or ill. (read less)

Guido Brunetti is a thoughtful, compassionate, and even-tempered man, who is well-read and curious about human behavior. Even he might admit that his job as Commissario di Polizia in Venice is not particularly taxing. Brunetti relies heavily on the expertise of the incomparable Signora Elletra Zorzi, who apparently can hack into any database at will. When Brunetti needs medical, employment, (read more)

Temptation of Forgiveness is Book #27 in Donna Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery series. In this title, as in all previous Brunetti books, Venice - its culture, its citizens, its (shall we say) criminality lies center stage. There were too many subplots and dead-end side issues that seemed very unnecessary to me. That aside, the title was amazing in that the main plot is exactly parallel to Guido’s reading of the Athenian tragedy Antigone by Sophocles. Not my favorite title, but good reading nevertheless. *** (read less)

Temptation of Forgiveness is Book #27 in Donna Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery series. In this title, as in all previous Brunetti books, Venice - its culture, its citizens, its (shall we say) criminality lies center stage. There were too many subplots and dead-end side issues that seemed very unnecessary to me. That aside, the title was amazing in that the main plot is exactly (read more)