A Refiner’s Fire by Donna Leon

When is a National Hero not a Hero? That is the question to be pondered in this, the 34th instalment in the Commissario Brunetti mystery series.

It is always a pleasure to hold the latest Donna Leon work in hand, to open to the first page and be instantly transported to modern day Venice. Whilst the devotee will be fully familiar with Guido Brunetti, his wife, his (growing up) children and his aristocratic in-laws, it does take some back pedalling to prior novels to work out where his fellow police officers are currently stationed (thus explaining their absences from this particular instalment) and prior histories of Brunetti’s extensive network of informants and experts.

As always, Ms Leon seamlessly weaves present day Venetian issues with an historic event, quite unexpectedly. The crush of day tripper tourists brought in by train, bus and cruise ships, the rise of pickpockets amongst said tourists, the Rialto and other bridges bottle necked with photo-taking visitors and impeding pedestrian access, all of these events are integrated into the main issue of a young boy running with a teenage gang. Brunetti ends up doing a favour for his boss by interviewing a man; his colleague Commissario Griffoni takes an interest in the young boy and his absent father. Both incidents lead to the uncovering of a truth thought hidden and buried during the Iraqi war.

Beautifully paced, the various sub-plots gain breathtaking meaning when joined together to form a whole. The ending is a complete surprise.

Reviewed by Belinda Coombs
Murder and Crime Reading Group