A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery - A Noble Radiance

Donna Leon is an excellent story teller. You feel like you live there and actually know her characters. The pace of all her books makes for a very good read. This story is a dark story of where unrestrained human emotions can take a person. "Work so hard for one thing and accomplish another." So many bad decisions, so much heartache, so much loss

Another winner from Donna Leon . The setting - Venice - which I have visited and therefore know or can imagine the locations add extra interest . Her detective , Brunetti , and other characters are believable and the plots convoluted but possible .

Donna Leon's books are fantastic but whomever is preparing the kindle editions needs to start proof reading. You can't just rely on OCR scanning. There is at least one error on every other page or so. This is distracting.

I enjoyed this book tremendously and highly recommend it! It's an interesting mystery story, of course, with questions about deaths and murky business dealings forming the hanger on which to place Brunetti's moral questions, and those are what make this book special. Brunette ponders the nature of punishment, the reason he seeks truth and resolution, and what constitutes morality in an immoral society. This adds depth to the book. Leon writes beautifully, her use of interesting language and wry humor always enjoyable. Another subplot is that of the love between Paola, Brunetti's wife, and himself, shown with so many small gestures even as he ponders whether he's doing enough to make her happy. The warm family drama and the humor of daughter Chiara's cooking attempts, contrast this loving family with the relationships in the Lorenzoni family. "A Noble Radiance" is a thoughtful, well-written mystery and a lot more: it makes the reader think and smile. Brunettti is an amazing character creation.

First Sentence: There was nothing much to notice about the field, a hundred-metre square of dry grass below a small village in the foothills of the Dolomites.

On the recently purchased property of a doctor near the Italian Dolomites is found the much decomposed body of a young man. Near it is a ring bearing the crest of the Lorenzonis, one of Italy's most aristocratic families, whose son had been abducted two years ago. Comm. Guido Brunetti reviews the file and decides to unofficially re-investigate the case. The more he learns, the more he questions whether the kidnapping was as it appeared.

Leon writes some of my favorite characters. Guido Brunetti has a strong moral and ethical code as well as a need to seek out what is just. He has a strong marriage and a close relationship with his children, although these were relatively absent from this book, and is developing a closer relationship with his wife's parents. Then there is the remarkable Signorina Elettra, of whom each reader should have the pleasure of discovering on their own. I particularly like that, in this book, we learn more of Guido's own family and his past. I also appreciate that we see the principal characters grow and develop with each book in the series.

The book is so well written and I love her use of language. There is a classicism to it that reflects the characters and the author and makes her books such a pleasure to read.

Leon creates a very strong sense of place that takes the reader along with the characters. I've not visited Venice, but nearly forget that when I read her books. Her descriptions of food always leave me heading for the kitchen.

The plot was very well done. In essence, it is a story of families and the impact they can have upon us. It is also a story of greed; for money, prestige and false respect. I've always respected that we see the progress of the investigation as Brunetti does, rather than everything revealed at the end. Within the story are scenes that are touching, suspenseful and tragic.

This was a very good book. I am delighted to know I have many more books in the series ahead of me.

A NOBLE RADIANCE (Pol Proc-Comm. Guido Brunetti-No. Italy-Cont) - VG+
Leon, Donna - 7th in series
Penguin Books, 1998, US Paperback - ISBN: 0142003190

In "A Noble Radiance" (1998) Donna Leon's Commissario Guido Brunetti is investigating the murder of the only son of a rich and noble Venetian family, the Lorenzonis. Roberto in his early twenties had been kidnapped two years before, and his skeletal remains were found in a shallow grave along with the family's crest ring.
Not the brightest of boys, nor overly ambitious, he was a nosy lad. He served as a gopher for the family's huge consortium traveling all over the world entertaining clients, making document deliveries and picking up small shipments. Before the kidnapping Roberto was suffering from a strange debilitating illness. Robert was "a boy of whom little had been asked and less expected." He was eclipsed in the company by his slightly older cousin the hot-tempered Maurizio.
In this book as in others in the series the all-knowing office genius and computer whiz Elettra is a great help as is Guido's wealthy father-in-law. These helpers have become formulaic in Leon's books, and regular Leon readers will know what to expect when the predictable windfall of info flows. Both seem to have magical powers.
It's almost time for Brunetti to do a little more legwork and a little less sampling of that wonderful Venetian food. In this outing there's a lot about the loving relationship Guido has with his professor wife Paola who is a wonderful cook. His wife says, "Guido, you're obsessed with food. You do know that, don't you?"
Leon has a leisurely style with more rumination and moral questioning rather than a great deal of physical action. One of the charms of the series is Leon taking you through the streets, canals and campos of Venice as her sleuth continues his investigations. The character of Brunetti is always evolving as he learns and experiences through interaction with all of the characters. In this one he's dealing with nobility, but he has interacted with all classes.
Guido is bedeviled by his conniving boss Patta and Patta's spy Lieutenant Scarpa, and as a sub-plot there is always the corruption and veniality of much of Italian public life. Brunetti cannot expect government to exact justice, but he does want the truth to come out no matter the consequences. Guido says, "If divine justice won't take care of private crime any more, then it's imperative that it be seen to by someone."
The book ends in a torrent of grisly action.

A house and field in the Dolomites had eight heirs. Tilling the field yields a human skeleton. The skeleton is that of a young man. There is a ring with the Lorenzoni family crest near by. The Lorenzonis are Venetian.

Commissario Brunetti is aware that two years previously Roberto Lorenzoni was kidnapped. He did not handle that case. Dental evidence confirms the skeleton's identity. Guido consults his father-in-law, the Count, to ask about the Lorenzoni family.

The issue raised in the novel's narrative focuses on the length to which an individual, Guido Brunetti, will go to insure integrity in the discharge of police duties. Canals in Venice used to be cleaned often, but now, hardly ever.

It seems that Brunetti is willing to take things very far. He seeks information from the secretary of the Vice-Questore about the Lorenzoni family. She undertakes some research in police files and on her computer. Investigative leads develop through a review of the victim's passport.

There is more, much more, and it is colorful. The plot is exciting and the scene-making is superb.

You may wonder after you finish this novel, how Donna Leon feels about the contemporary Italian conscious. I wonder that considering her opinion of the average contemporary Italian, that she continues to live in Italy (but it may explain why her novels have never been translated into Italian). Of all the people we meet in her books, only the family, and a few friends of Guido and Paola Brunetti seem to be above the pettiness of life.

Paola is always complaining about the deterioration in the quality of her students, and the machiavellian professors she works for and with. While Guido is cursed with a boss who is more pompous than Mussolini and has the ability to grovel like the worst syncophant. Guido does have the luck to be blessed with two wonderful children (smart, etc), a loving wife, and collegues who would take a bullet for him (Vianello already has).

Is contemporary Italy really as corrupt as Donna Leon makes it out to be? Or is it just that the Italian system itself (which has had over 60 governments since WW2) that is so Byzantine, that it only works though bribery. Anyone who has ever had to deal with the Italian bureaucracy can tell you that unless you "grease the skids", it's like trying to drive a dog sled across a cobblestone plaza.

Back to the story, which is not that involving, but as good as your average "Ed McBain", though the ending is a little forced.

For Donna Leon's fans, Venice, the Most Serene Republic, is anything but serene! In yet another, the seventh
sure-winner in her Commissario Guido Brunetti series, Leon once again masterminds a plot, setting, and unforgettable characters in a must-read book.
In "A Noble Radiance," Leon shows what a master she is in establishing a grappling narrative hook, an absorbing
plot filled with dangerous curves, pitfalls, and landmines, and a theme that at once is contemporary and yet for all
time. The novel begins with the discovery of a badly decomposed body in a lonely farmfield in the north of Italy, and,
as her previous novels have it, Brunetti is given the case.
Just as he suspects, the body belongs to a kidnapped young man, the noble heir to a considerable estate. It is
Brunetti's responsibility to bring the news to the young man's family. Realist that he is, Brunetti is quick to find that,
indeed, something is rotten in the land of the nobili, and from this point on, the reader is led--even carried--to the
conclusion. The conclusion, however, appears a bit weak, albeit quite satisfying, I suppose, as Leon's endings usually
have a way of being far more thought- provoking.
Still, the book is well-worth the time spent--unfortunately, the time goes all too fast when reading Leon; one has the
tendency to wish they would keep on going, as they are, indeed, so mesmerizing. She has created such memorable
characters, most notably Brunetti, who has such a noble philosophy. It is almost as if he is a salmon without a stream,
as his ideals, his honesty, his concept of right and wrong seem at odds with today's sense of morality, whether it be
Italian politics or not. Leon's books are never ones to shy away from social issues and concerns and it is almost as if
she is Cassandra weeping outside the gates of Ilium, begging for anyone to believe her as she touches on responsible
concerns: the environment (especially), corruption (both political and social), and immorality in various forms. Unlike
Cassandra, Leon will be believed, one hopes.
London's "Sunday Telegraph" describes "A Noble Radiance" as a book "with a backdrop of the city so vivid you can almost
smell it." Indeed, and the smells are not always so desirable. Leon herself (always one with the apt literary allusion)
quotes Mozart at the beginning: "The nobility has honesty painted in its eyes." We find this quite appropriate for the
novel. She manages to evoke the landscape and atmosphere is a manner that lends strong support to her story line.
Her growing flock of readers have come to expect this in each succeeding book. So far, she has not let them down.
Like Caesar, her books have crossed the Rubicon with their social messages and readers should not let them go back! ([email protected])

A Nobel Radiance starts off with a great idea. What would happen if there had been a kidnapping of a young scion of a very wealthy family in Venice where the victim was never recovered? What would happen if years later his body was discovered by a farmer tilling a field far away from where the kidnapping took place? How would the mystery be solved?

It's a terrific premise for a novel. Unfortunately, Leon takes the book down the path to a resolution that stretches credulity, something very unusual for her. Additionally, there are a few 'tells' early which are out of place enough to really catch the reader's eye.

However, the book does have Venice, Guido Brunetti and his wonderful family, and the constant duality of Venice; beautiful on the surface (and thus the book's title) and corrupt to its core. Leon handles them with her usual aplomb.

So while this is a bit of a slip for her, it's still an enjoyable book.

Recommended.

This book is one of Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries, which are set in Venice. While ethical erosion in the Italian judicial system (for anyone needing to be reminded) and sensationalism in the news media, against both of which which Brunetti strives for truth, make an amusing background to her books, the foreground in this book was not all that interesting. Brunetti deserves wilier adversaries of more inherent interest and psychological complexity. A beach read.

Donna Leon is wonderful. A Noble Radiance is the first book of hers that I have read, and I just know that she is wonderful. There is something so pure about this book. That's the only word i can think of to describe it. It is pure crime fiction, crime fiction with its heart in the plot, its pace in the movement of it, and its pleasure in the unravelling of it. Instead of giving us a deep and fascinating character study, Leon manages still to create a brilliant main character. He is developed subtly, gradually and fully, but he never becomes more important than the mystery. That is something lacking from some crime fiction today. The actual mystery takes a back-seat to things like setting, character, atmosphere. Here, the plot takes the front seat, but Leon still is able to present a brilliant backdrop, a wonderful atmosphere steeped in culture, and very fine characters. She uses seemingly large brushstrokes to draw them, and then fills in the details with tiny ones, imperceptible ones. She lays the clues masterfully, moves her plot along with brilliant skill. I can't really describe what a sublime pleasure it was to read this, and what joy I feel at having several more to read!
A Noble Radiance is an absolutely lovely book. Venice is beautifully described, i want to visit the city. It is very rare to find a book so rich in culture. (Also, the idea that the police of Venice have enough money spare form their budget to buy new flowers for the offices every week is an exquisitely romantic one)
I would reccomend Donna Leon to everyone. I can't believe i've been missing out for so long.

Characters had a mix of "normal" activities, along with the "work effort"...that was good. Not having facility with Italian as a language was a minus and had to "adopt" a method of dealing with the insertions of such.

I came across this novel purely by accident, purchased it, and finished it within 4 hours. I could not put it down. This was a very well-written mystery and I am thrilled to know there are other books about Commissario Guido Brunetti. I obviously read this slightly out of order with her other Brunetti books, but this was written with no other knowledge of the Commissario needed. The book was self-contained and was a fine read. I have already ordered the rest of her books.

I love Leon's Commissario Brunetti series. They are packed with food, wine, murder and intrigue. Anchored by a cast of characters throughout the series that were introduced in the first Commissario book and set in Venice to boot.

A Noble Radiance is a slow cooker that really comes to a boil. The stew has all the ingredients Leon typically combines, each one flavored differently. This concoction tastes strongly of family and parental love. The title makes poetic sense once the mystery is solved by the persistent Commissario Brunetti.

Donna Leon's creation of Guido Brunetti detective of Venice is one of the great figures of the genre. His family and the city of Venice are equally realisic. "A Noble Radiance" is full of the corrupt and aristocratic background of that city. The interplay of characters in the story is first class.

This is another of Donna Leon's wonderful Comissario Guido Brunetti mysteries set in Venice. While some of them are slightly better than others, each is a solid, pleasurable, intelligent read. And Guido is a "best of breed" police inspector with humor, a conscience, and frustration with the corruption of the ruling powers in and around Venice.

This mystery is excellent. The writing style, concise but bright, complements the humanly valuable reflections of Commissario Brunetti and his colleagues about the envy in a Venetian family which causes their unspeakable crimes. The family members' ploys against each other as well as the detectives' perseverance in face of little evidence are artfully, suspensefully revealed to the reader.