Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to our Oct/Nov buddy read of Acqua Alta . The fifth book in the Commissario Brunetti Mysteries series was first published in 1996.

The Italian detective Commissario Brunetti takes on another intriguing, but personal case in Donna Leon's Acqua Alta, an atmospheric murder mystery filled with the sights and sounds of Venice.

Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice Questura is shocked to hear that his friend and art historian, Brett Lynch, has suffered a savage beating.

The attack, in the beautiful palazzo home of Flavia Petrelli, reigning diva of La Scala, had come with a message: 'Don't keep that appointment with Dottor Semenzato.'

Then, with the storm clouds gathering fast over the city, a man's body is found . . .

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

That opening scene, with the beating, was very hard to read, but very cinematic, how Brett stayed silent to protect Flavia, and the thugs didn’t realize she was “live” in the apartment, not a recording.

The closing scenes, with Brett and the psycho collector in his art room, and then when his scary thug son was discovered, dead,were also very cinematic and evocative. And always, the wind, rain, and cold…

The whole business about the psycho collector brings up the question of why someone wants to own an artwork or treasure that can't be seen by anyone else because of its provenance. Why the obsession to own what you can't share? I sort of get the idea of not wanting a piece in a museum, open to the masses, but the desire to kill anyone who gets in your way from adding to your personal collection?
I don't mean this as a criticism of Donna Leon's terrific ending, just a comment on real art collectors who have pieces that are either stolen or hidden, never seen.

Sarah wrote: "The whole business about the psycho collector brings up the question of why someone wants to own an artwork or treasure that can't be seen by anyone else because of its provenance. Why the obsessio..."

I agree, I just don’t get the obsession either

I did like this but do feel it was drawn out at times. I certainly learnt about the conditions of living in Venice. I had no knowledge of the yearly Acqua Alta, and now that explains why my son said that Venice stank.
The ending is pretty dramatic.
I missed the humour of Brunetti and Patta, his superior officer but enjoyed it with his wife at home.

This was a very atmospheric book, with the constant rain and the encroaching floods. The scene with Brett and the mad art collector was tense. I might give the art collector, murderous villain that he was, a very tiny bit of credit for mourning his son more than the pot.

Loved the scene with Brunelli relieving his daughter's pain and her gratitude after was wonderful. They have a splendid relationship.

Sandy wrote: "This was a very atmospheric book, with the constant rain and the encroaching floods. The scene with Brett and the mad art collector was tense. I might give the art collector, murderous villain that..."

They do - and when he found the syringe in his son’s drawer, his fear and pain! And then the relief when Paola explains about the kitchen table, any parent can relate!

I loved the way they could laugh after Paola explained

The relationship between Brunetti and his wife is one of the strongest and amusing features of Leon's series. I also love the jokes about Brunetti and Elettra, Vianello, and, as Jill noted above, Patta.
Part of the success with humour arises because of tension; sometimes Brunetti and Paola disagree about an issue, or Brunetti has to think twice about Elettra's "under the table" ways of acquiring information. I don't think this character development distracts from the mystery, only deepens it, as we understand the detectives and their lives more broadly.

Susan in NC wrote: "That opening scene, with the beating, was very hard to read, but very cinematic, how Brett stayed silent to protect Flavia, and the thugs didn’t realize she was “live” in the apartment..."

I remember that scene all too vividly from reading this book last year, and the sheer level of violence - as you say, hard to read but powerful and yes, definitely cinematic. I could almost see it.

I agree with Sarah that the arguments between Brunetti and Paola where they think differently about issues, such as politics, are an interesting aspect of this series. In real life, families are always arguing about things like this, but it doesn't happen nearly as much in books.

I couldn't quite work out why Flavia seemed so put out when she offered Brunetti tickets to a show and, when she asked who he would bring, he said his wife?

Susan wrote: "I couldn't quite work out why Flavia seemed so put out when she offered Brunetti tickets to a show and, when she asked who he would bring, he said his wife?"

No explanation from me; I thought it was a very strange reaction. Maybe Italian men should all have mistresses?

Susan wrote: "I couldn't quite work out why Flavia seemed so put out when she offered Brunetti tickets to a show and, when she asked who he would bring, he said his wife?"

That was odd. I find in this series there are elliptical comments, which I usually assume are aimed at corruption in general, or tourism, or the “gentlemen of the south”, or reactions like Flavia’s, that I simply don’t get. I just shrug and move on - luckily with each book, I get more into the characters and the unique qualities of life in Venice, and assume it’s just a reaction or POV i as an American would never “get”! All part of the charm and local color and Italian (and uniquely Venetian) character. Those moments are infrequent enough that they don’t ruin my enjoyment - it almost feels like when you were a kid and walked through a room where adults were talking in undertones about adult things - you knew it wasn’t your business, keep moving…;o)

Yes, I agree. There are often strange things that I don't quite 'get.' Flavia is an odd character - prickly, easy to take offence, who both dislikes and hides behind her fame. I like her in a novel, but think she would be tiring in real life.

Susan wrote: "Yes, I agree. There are often strange things that I don't quite 'get.' Flavia is an odd character - prickly, easy to take offence, who both dislikes and hides behind her fame. I like her in a novel..."

Yes, she is definitely a diva, by training AND personality!

As we are in the spoiler thread, I wonder whether Flavia and Brett will get back together. I haven't read much of the Brunetti series and I think, going forward, these will be new books to me. I am enjoying the series and the reading company!