Donna Leon, an American living in Venice, is the author of several popular crime novels with Commissario Guido Brunetti as the main hero.
The main characters of the series, mild-mannered and witty inspector Brunetti and his exemplary family, together with the depiction of the magical beauty of Venice, are an obvious and sharp contrast to the world of corruption and criminal energy residing behind the Venice's centuries-old walls. Leon describes the everyday infrastructure of the city that tourists don’t see. So pervasive is the hot and humid weather on the Venetian canals that it could be considered an independent character in the book as well.
A Question of Belief starts at the moment when the Commissario and his harmonious family (his exemplary wife and two children) are looking forward to a vacation in the cooler Alps. His family even makes it onto the train before the trip is canceled. Brunetti is called to return to the city to solve the murder of a city official involved in a complicated scam.
This fast-paced book is packed with wonderful characters, intricate plots and the infamous world of Italian politics. The intensity of the book increases as the plot progresses.
Leon has been residing in Venice since the 1960s and A Question of Belief is her 19th book in this bestselling series. Her books attract readers from around the world and have been translated into twenty languages. They were also made into a TV series in Germany and are available on DVD with English subtitles.