The memorable characters and Venetian drama that have long captivated Donna Leon’s many readers are on full display in The Temptation of Forgiveness , the twenty-seventh novel in the bestselling mystery series. Surprised, if not dismayed, to discover from his superior that leaks are emanating from the Questura , Commissario Guido Brunetti is surprised more consequentially by the appearance of a friend of his wife’s, fearful that her son is using drugs and hopeful Brunetti can somehow intervene. When the woman’s husband is found unconscious with a serious brain injury at the foot of a bridge in Venice after midnight, Brunetti is drawn to pursue a possible connection to the boy’s behavior. But the truth, as Brunetti has experienced so often, is not so straightforward. Praise for The Temptation of Forgiveness : Named a Best Crime Book of the Year by Marilyn Stasio for the New York Times Book Review A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice Named a Financial Times Summer Book Pick Named a Most Anticipated Mystery of 2018 by Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine “The Venetian settings are enchanting and Commissario Guido Brunetti’s investigative methods are drolly amusing. But it’s the living, bleeding humanity of the characters that makes Donna Leon’s police procedurals so engaging . . . In his sensitive dealings with the victims of crime, Brunetti proves as much a psychologist and social worker as a cop . . . Tagging along after this sleuth is a wonderful way to see Venice like a native.” ―Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review “[A] droll and intelligent series . . . As Brunetti makes his tactful way through a Venetian maze of office politics, family connections and moral conundrums, his focus switches from school children procuring narcotics to old people victimized by greedy and unethical medical professionals.” ―Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal “[Commissario Guido Brunetti] is the perfect hero for Leon’s minimal, almost lyrical writing style . . . As usual in Leon’s novels, the frank depiction of the darker aspects of life in modern Venice sits right alongside some of the most enchanting descriptions of the city in contemporary fiction.” ―Steve Donoghue, Christian Science Monitor “Once again we’re in Donna Leon’s enticing, troubled and beautiful Venice with its bridges, canals, narrow lanes, tourists, fogs, pastries, wines―and crooks . . . Craftily, meticulously and ingeniously, Leon unfurls her plot . . . Leon’s prose is smooth and supple, and her latest mystery is one of her best.” ― Providence Journal “ The Temptation of Forgiveness . . . presents the understated yet razor-sharp investigator with what is possibly his most complex mystery to date, arising from what appears to be a somewhat simple crime that has a particularly tragic result . . . Once again, Leon gives us that rare novel that will satisfy fans of pure mysteries while entrancing those who are interested in personalities, cultures, and the complexities of life and living. Do not miss The Temptation of Forgiveness or, for that matter, any of the books that have come before.” ― Book Reporter “Perfect beach fare . . . These Venice-based novels are sumptuous: charming, clever, atmospheric and compelling. Leon blends politics, philosophy, history and gastronomy into her mix, and ties it up with a mystery solved by the lugubrious and companionable Brunetti. Wonderful.” ― Financial Times “As in all the Commissario Brunetti novels, Venice, brooding over the human comedy, Venice watchful of the sea is always a main character . . . Leon’s mysteries are always welcome companions because they offer the intellect, as well as the heart, the food they crave.” ― Reviewing the Evidence “Donna Leon has written almost three dozen novels in this series, combining vivid descriptions of Venice, Brunetti’s appetite, and a wide variety of social ills. In this installment, she combines the taking advantage of elderly people and of government programs such as medicine and drug insurance, exposing both while Brunetti goes about in his calm manner conducting his investigation.” ― Promoting Crime Fiction “After more than twenty-five books in the series, this breaks some new ground . . . It is good to see such an established author changing and growing . . . Not only is the solution both surprising and believable, but it requires Brunetti to make a moral decision.” ― Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine “Dip into any of [Leon’s] 27 novels and you’ll find delightful places and faces and real cafes, restaurants and piazzas far from the mobs of San Marco. Whether it’s the charm of La Serenissima herself or Leon’s ability to turn Italy’s wild-west politics into highly personal pltos, there’s not a bad book in this long-running series, and The Temptation of Forgiveness is no exception. Our favorite people and places are here, along with some new ones, and the plot―drugs, death, corruption―leads to a satisfactory, if slightly cynical, end. In sh