Death of Faith [Paperback]

Donna Leon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 6, 1998

Maria Testa, better known to Brunetti as the nun who once cared for his mother, turns up at the Commissario's door. Maria has left her nursing convent after the suspicious deaths of five patients. Is she creating fears to justify abandoning her vocation, or is there a more sinister scenario?

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile

Donna Leon has an astute feel for Venice and all the passions and pride of Italian life. As her books are hard to find in America, audiobooks may lead listeners to a great new mystery series. Blackstone has published four of Leon's mysteries featuring police commisario Guido Brunetti and narrated by Anna Fields. While Fields is capable, she has the disadvantage of presenting a story with a male protagonist. Bill Wallis, narrating The Death of Faith, shows a thorough understanding of the rhythms and customs of Venice. He captures Brunetti's chauvinism and projects his delight in the food, architecture and people. He's deft at Brunetti's frustration with bureaucracy and, in this story, the Church. The stories are close to travelogues, with details that the casual or passionate visitor can revel in. R.F.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 310 pages
• Publisher: Pan Books (March 6, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 033034949X
• ISBN-13: 978-0330349499
• Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 1.1 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,692 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A New Yorker of Irish/Spanish descent, Donna Leon first went to Italy in 1965, returning regularly over the next decade or so while pursuing a career as an academic in the States and then later in Iran, China and finally Saudi Arabia. Leon has received both the CWA Macallon Silver Dagger for Fiction and the German Corrine Prize for her novels featuring Commisario Guido Brunetti. She lives in Venice.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 92 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Donna Leon fans should rush to amazon.co.uk!, July 3, 1999

By 

Susan K. Hughes "wordwright" (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Death of Faith (Audio Cassette)

"The Death of Faith" is another splendid, can't-put-it-down engagement with Guido Brunetti. I despaired of reading any more of Donna Leon's fine prose and carefully crafted plots when notified last year that publication had been cancelled of a forthcoming book. Led by a note in another review, I checked out Amazon.co.uk, where I found "Death of Faith," "A Noble Radiance," and the book I just finished, "Fatal Remedies." Each is as good or better than its predecessor. I remain a dedicated fan. (Be aware, "The Anonymous Venetian" was published in the US with the title "Dressed for Death.")

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding mystery tale, January 26, 2006

By 

Professor Joseph L. McCauley "Joseph L. McCauley" (Austria+Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Death of Faith (Paperback)

It's always interesting to travel with the Commissario on his cases, and pleasant to share fine Italian lunches with his family, his English professora wife and his two rebellious teenagers. Brunetti is the classics-lovin, uncorrupted anti-hero who struggles successfully with both the underworld and the legal powers that be, with the aid of his beautiful and thoughtful secretary, who's a whiz of a hacker. The description of place and people is so fine that one has the sense of being in Venessia. In her novels, Donna Leon has pulled no punches in advertising (in an entertaining way) the rottenness of elements of the ruling hierarchy in Italy, but this 'Brunnetti' is a special. Here, one is made aware of the fascist Catholic sect Opus Dei. This was interesting for me because I'd never heard of Opus Dei, and then read more about it on the web. I would rate "The Death of Faith" as one of the strongest of Leon's novels.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brunetti Follows a Tip, November 6, 2007

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 110,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Death of Faith (Paperback)

If you haven't read any other books in the Guido Brunetti series, don't start with this one. Go back and begin with Death at La Fenice.

The Death of Faith is one of Donna Leon's best stories in terms of making the mystery hard to understand until she chooses to let a key clue become available. The book also displays the problems that detectives have in solving crimes when doors are closed to them. As a result, this is a fine police procedural that you'll enjoy. Those who don't like the plodding steps involved in a detailed investigation may find this book to be a little slow for their taste.

If you dislike books that look at the potential for abuse in the Catholic Church, I recommend you skip this book: You won't be pleased.

Vice-Questore Patta is off on a second honeymoon, leaving Commissario Guido Brunetti in charge. He's at loose ends because crime has also taken a holiday when a vaguely familiar woman arrives to report her suspicions. Once Brunetti realizes that this is a person he has highly trusted in the past, he's inclined to take her report seriously. But scratching around doesn't yield any corroboration . . . until unknown agents seem to be determined to still the suspicions. This time the trail yields helpful clues.

Back in the family, Brunetti and his wife, Paola, discuss their differing views about religious instruction as their daughter, Chiara, becomes disillusioned with a class she's taking.

One of the pleasures of this story is to see a further development of Brunetti as a loyal person who wants to do the right thing.

One of the disappointing things about the book is that Ms. Leon seems to have an ax to grind that extends beyond her story.