Doctored Evidence

Doctored Evidence (2004) Donna Leon

An elderly woman is discovered brutally murdered in her apartment. Suspicion immediately falls upon her maid, who has disappeared, and a man-hunt ensues.

The interesting thing about this story is the book pretty much opens with the shocking injustice, rather than ending with it, the way these books normally do.

It also takes a close look at Brunetti’s relationships with Scarpa, which is extremely negative. Brunetti doesn’t get along with Patta or Scarpa, but the relationship with Scarpa is far more negative and dangerous.

‘It’s because he hates you. I’m not important enough for him to hate. And he’s afraid of Elettra.’

Brunetti’s first impulse was to object to this interpretation, but he forced himself to think it through. He realized he found it unsatisfactory because it made Scarpa out to be less of a villain than he wanted him to be: guilty only of spite, not conspiracy.

And of course, events in at home make an appearance in the story.

I found this passage to particularly resonate.

…(B)y thinking eschatologically,’ he said: ‘Death. Judgement. Heaven. Hell.’

‘You don’t really believe in any of that, do you?’ asked an astonished Paola.

‘There are times when it would be nice,’ he said…

Yes, there are.
Rating: 7/10

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