A Noble Radiance

A Noble Radiance (1998) Donna Leon

A body is discovered in mountains–a body that had been hastily buried in a shallow grave some time before. The only immediately identifying feature is a signet ring–the ring of a family whose son had been kidnapped and held for random two years before.

This was an especially dark story, and I learned more about Italian kidnapping than I ever wanted to know, such as the fact that the Italian government seizes the assets of the victim’s family, so they can’t pay the ransom, so as not to encourage other kidnappings.

Pretty horrible, all around, that.

That’s not to say there aren’t amusing bits.

By bedtime, the skull had been variously reported to ave been shattered by a blow from an axe, or a bullet, and to display signs that an attempt had been made to dissolve it with acid. The police had determined, people were certain, that they were the bones of a pregnant woman, a young male, and the husband of Liugina Menegaz, gone off to Rome twelve years ago and never heard form since.

Ah, rumor.

We also get a quick glimpse at Brunetti’s father.

(World War II) made Brunetti’s father the captain of a regiment of infantry who had gone off to Russia in their paper-soled boots to fight against the enemies of Italy. Instead they fought a losing battle against the Russian winter, and those few who survived, Brunetti’s father among them. had then disappeared for years into Stalin’s gulags.

Not being a good student of history, I sometimes forget that Italy was part of the Axis in World War II. Probably because the actions of the Italians paled in comparison to the horrors perpetrated by Germany and Japan.

This is another book that was okay, but I can’t say it was one of my favorites.
Rating: 7/10

Published by Penguin

 
 

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