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Cover of Death at La Fenice

Mystery · 2012 · PG

Death at La Fenice

by Donna Leon

A famous conductor is found poisoned during intermission at the Venice opera house — and Commissario Brunetti finds many who wished him dead

A conductor succumbs to cyanide at the famed Venice opera house, in the first mystery in the New York Times–bestselling, award-winning series. During intermission at the famed La Fenice opera house in Venice, Italy, a notoriously difficult and widely disliked German conductor is poisoned—and suspects abound. Guido Brunetti, a native Venetian, sets out to unravel the mystery behind the high-profile murder. To do so, he calls on his knowledge of Venice, its culture, and its dirty politics. Along the way, he finds the crime may have roots going back decades—and that revenge, corruption, and even

For10+GenreMysteryLength245 pagesRead time~6.5 hoursCommunity ratings0

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What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.

Violence

Barely any

A poisoning murder; investigation involves no graphic violence

Language

Barely any

Mild language in the Venetian crime fiction register

Sexual Content

Barely any

Minimal sexual content; adult relationships in the investigation

Substance Use

Barely any

Social drinking and good food in the Italian setting

Emotional Intensity

Barely any

Low psychological intensity; Brunetti's intelligence and the pleasure of Venice are the primary registers

What this book is about

The first Commissario Brunetti novel introduces Guido Brunetti, a Venetian police detective, as he investigates the poisoning of world-renowned conductor Helmut Wellauer during a performance of La Traviata. Leon writes with the cool intelligence of the best European crime fiction; Venice is rendered with extraordinary specificity, and Brunetti's domestic life is as important as the investigation. The violence is minimal — this is a mystery of character rather than action. An excellent series opener.

Notes for sensitive readers

Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.

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