The Waters of Eternal Youth

The Waters of Eternal Youth (2016) Donna Leon

This is the 25th book in the Guido Brunetti series, which shouldn’t surprise me, yet somehow does.

Brunetti remains as astute as ever, with many sharp little comments on life.

Contessa Lando-Continui had always been polite to him, at times even warm, but he had always wondered if he were being treated as an appendage of his wife and mother-in-law. Did most wives feel this way? he wondered.

Not that he doesn’t have his blind spots.

When the maid came around again to offer a second helping, Paola caught her husband’s eye. He smiled back and shook his head at the maid’s offer as if he had meant to do it, failing to persuade Paola but managing to convince himself.

The mystery comes when a friend of his mother-in-law’s asks him to look into an incident that caused her granddaughter to be seriously harmed.

We see Rizzardi and of course Signorina Elettra, and Paola and the children.

Is there anyone in the Records Office who might be able to help?’

‘Are you talking about one of my patients, if I might call them that?’ the pathologist began. ‘Or one of the patients in the wards?’ If possible, Rizzardi’s voice had grown even more friendly, as if he were enjoying the exchange.

‘Someone who was taken to the hospital,’ Brunetti answered. ‘And who left.’

‘Why don’t you simply ask the Vice-Questore’s secretary to break into the system?’ Rizzardi asked affably. ‘Unless by now you’re able to do it yourself.’

‘Ettore,’ Brunetti said, ‘I think you’re not supposed to know about that. Or at least talk about it.’

Although there are many themes about Italy and Venice that have been repeated throughout the series, occasionally, something new is dropped in.

‘I remember the first time I went to dinner in London,’ she said. ‘Everyone at the table was English, except me, and after the first course I realized that only one person spoke at a time. When that person finished, someone else said something, and everyone waited until he or she was finished before commenting. Individually.’ She smiled, then laughed, at the memory.

Obviously English. Certainly not any Americans from MY family.

Is this one of the best Brunetti mysteries? No. But it was comforting and lovely to be in Venice with Brunetti and all the others.
Rating: 7/10

Published by Atlantic Monthly Press

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