NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER - BACKSTAGE: STORIES OF A WRITING LIFE BY DONNA LEON

''A perfect blend of characters, place, mystery and social issues. [Leon’s] sixteenth Brunetti novel is also one of her best.'' The Times

‘Leon builds her plot meticulously. [She] has her finger on the pulse.’ The Mirror

When Commissario Brunetti is summoned to the hospital to interview a senior paediatrician whose skull has been brutally fractured, he is confronted with more questions than answers. Three men burst into the doctor''s apartment in the middle of the night, attacked him and took his young son – but why?

As Brunetti investigates, he quickly discovers that the kidnapping was not a one-off, but part of a multi-city raid targeting numerous families. It seems that small-town malice seethes beneath the surface of the beautiful city of Venice, and Brunetti must work together with Ispettore Vianelli – himself investigating a money-making scam between pharmacists and doctors – to uncover the truth. . .

‘As ever, Leon writes with an insider''s knowledge of Venice, expertly navigating its complex geography.’ Sunday Times