A Sea of Troubles. [Import] [Hardcover]

Donna. LEON (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 247 pages
• Publisher: William Heinemann; First edition (2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0434009741
• ISBN-13: 978-0434009749
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,596,000 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

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brunetti Explores South of the Lido, December 28, 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: A Sea of Troubles. (Hardcover)

A Sea of Troubles is a pleasant change in the Guido Brunetti series. Although Venice is surrounded (and almost inundated by) the sea, there's often little sense of that element in the earlier stories except in recounting the need to take a boat or vaporetto to get somewhere. In this book, we learn about fishing and its challenges (for fisherman and those who eat their catch) as Donna Leon takes us southwest of Venice to the long, thin island of Pellestrina.

The opening of the book contains an excellent map of Venice and its lagoon that covers an area of about 40 by 25 kilometers. Stick a book mark into where that map is: You'll be referring to the map often.

A fire breaks out on a fishing boat docked on Pellestrina. Soon, the whole harbor is filled with fishermen seeking to save their boats. After things settle down, someone notices that two fishermen are missing.

Before long, the various police bureaucracies are vying to get rid of the case. Commissario Guido Brunetti is the lucky winner and finds himself up against a town that doesn't talk to outsiders . . . and certainly not to Venetian policemen.

While seeking to learn more about what happened, Signorina Elletra Zorzi decides she would like to play undercover detective by spending a few days with her cousin on Pellestrina. Who knows? Perhaps someone will tell her something.

Guido is very opposed but knows he cannot sway Signorina Elletra. However, he can try to protect her. Even Paolo begins to notice that Guido is obsessed. Could it be that his feelings for Signorina Elletra are more than what they seem?

As usual, back channels begin to provide the information that reveals who had the motive for crime. With that knowledge, Brunetti knows that he's got a dangerous task ahead.

I cannot remember reading another book by Donna Leon that is as well steeped in local geography and conditions as A Sea of Troubles is. It makes for a compelling story.

I also liked the way Ms. Leon changed the focus of an investigation to put Signorina Elletra into a role other than as computer hacker and lover of flowers and fine clothes.

The plot also successfully triangulates the themes of private and public corruption that abound in this series with family ties and personal friendships. In that context, Ms. Leon asks a very fundamental question that will intrigue you: How well do we know anyone else?

Have a great trip to Pellestrina!

And be careful where you get your clams.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New experience-books on tape, August 31, 2009

By 

Landry Bookworm (LA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Sea of Troubles (Audio Cassette)

I have never pruchased a book ontape before and really enjoyed listening. It gave a whole new outlook or interpertation of the book. Being able to hear the few phrases of Italian and the correct way to pronounce the towns and names correctly added to the mystery of the story.

I have fallen in love with Donna Leon's series of 18 Commissario Brunetti books and look foward to finishing all of them before the 19th is releasd in April 2010. They are written to be able to pick up any one even out of order and still understand the story line and the charaters relationships to each other.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Donna Leon, thoughtful writer, January 1, 2011

By 

Melissa Lyckberg "Book Afficionado" (CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sea of Troubles (Audio Cassette)

This series features an appealing set of characters, thoughtful on issues, interesting mystery and good writing. Set in Venice - what more can one want?