Reviews for Suffer the Little Children (Guido Brunetti Series #16)

The average rating for Suffer the Little Children (Guido Brunetti Series #16) based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-11-02 00:00:00 David Black Suffer the Little Children, the 16th book in the series and we are taken back to the sights, smells, sounds and the life warm-hearted, insightful, and honorable Commissario Brunetti's beautiful and secretive city, Venice. A story of the murky underworld of illegal adoption, where babies are bought for money by the rich and titled and the evil that permeates everyone involved. The opening scene in this story is unforgettable and the book ends with the most unexpected twist. A slow but compelling and rather sad story.

Review # 2 was written on 2011-06-26 00:00:00 Carl Baudoux It's been a very long time since I've read a novel by Donna Leon. For a while there I read every novel in the Brunetti series when it was released. At some stage I missed one, and suddenly Leon had written five more books without me noticing. So it was good to re-acquaint myself with the series and realise that Leon can still give me reading pleasure. Brunetti is a refreshingly uncomplicated detective. He's not a recovering alcoholic or drug addict, he doesn't suffer from the effects of psychological trauma and his personal relationships don't interfere with his ability to investigate crime. Instead, he's happily married to the lovely Paola, he has a generally good relationship with his children, he gets along well with his work colleagues and manages his stupid and unpleasant boss with aplomb. He's also interesting, well-read, and has a taste (which I share) for good food. Leon writes novels which are less standard police procedurals and more reflections on human nature, discussions of ethical dilemmas, commentaries on corruption and inefficiency in the Italian bureacracy and political system and love letters to Leon's adopted home, Venice. She writes lucid prose and creates interesting and memorable characters. As with all crime fiction, readers of her novels benefit from an ability to suspend disbelief and accept a certain level of implausibility in the narrative. In this novel Leon has Brunetti - and other characters for that matter - do things which are not very believable, but as a seasoned reader of crime fiction I could glide over that particular issue without too much difficulty. All in all, it was great to be back in Venice with Guido Brunetti, walking through the city with him and wishing I was sharing his delicious meals. Closer to 3-1/2 stars than 4 stars, but still a most enjoyable read.