Trace Elements

In Donna Leon's gripping 29th Brunetti novel, a woman's dying words at a Venetian hospice set Commissario Guido Brunetti on a chilling investigation. Benedetta Toso's cryptic claims about her late husband, Vittorio Fadalto—a worker involved in monitoring Venice's water contamination—lead Brunetti and his colleague, Claudia Griffoni, to uncover a wider threat to the region’s health. As they navigate the complexities of the case, they confront the elusive nature of justice, drawing inspiration from Aeschylus's classic play, The Eumenides. With her trademark storytelling, Leon explores the intricate distinctions between guilt and responsibility.