What's not to like about a New Jersey born world traveling author who writes international crime novels? Donna Leon hits the spot again with her novel Blood from a Stone, a novel of murder, racism and mystery set in Venice, Italy.
Drawing comparisons to our own issues with immigrants, race and immigrant labor, Leon's infamous detective Guido Brunetti is on the case again. He must fight the racism and corruption that runs rampant in the police and judicial system in Venice as he solves the murder of a vu cumpra, or street vendor.
The vu cumpra are immigrants from Senegal (at least the most recent batch of them are, the countries change from year to year) who peddle knock-off coutre bags and clothes on towels and sheets laid out on the street. When one of their own is killed in the middle of a crowded shopping day in front of all of the rest of the vu cumpra and tourists, no one knows who did it.
When Brunetti arrives he has to deal with incompetent police officers who don't care what happens to the vu cumpra, tourists who are international citizens and are leaving for the next stop on the tour in a matter of days, judges who rent illegal apartments to hordes of immigrants for cash under the tables and the vu cumpra themselves, who go into hiding at the merest whiff of police officer.
Can he solve the case without endangering his family as he stirs up emotions and secrets people want to keep buried? With the help of his friend, detective Pucetti, a local diamond merchant and advice from his brilliant wife Paola he may be able to crack the case before Christmas.
Donna Leon has given us an intelligent mystery novel that offers us glimpses into another culture. We not only enjoy the story, we also see the ways in which human frailties and failings are universal.
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