Give Unto Others (A Commissario Brunetti Mystery)

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Brunetti’s family and colleagues in the Questura — including Claudia Griffoni, Lorenzo Vianello, and the always stunning Elettra Zorzi, among Leon’s usual cast of characters — have all survived, but a pall of grief hangs over this book. Storefronts are empty, the scraps left inside shop windows faded. And while the city once again belongs to its residents, the economic toll of the tourism lost is clear. For Brunetti, a student of history (and amateur classicist), the future is inevitable. Despite legislation passed to prevent the kind of over-tourism that had made his city nearly unlivable, he knows that the cruise ships will return. People never learn. But otherwise this is both more of the same (the Falieris, as usual, know everyone) with Brunetti's little team of Elettra, Vianello and Claudia rallying round to do an off-the-books investigation, and not enough of the ingredients we have come to love. Sadly, Paola hardly appears and says very little and we don't even see Brunetti's family, usually a source of much warmth and light-heartedness. When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”( Leviticus 19:33-34 )

Strong's 488: To measure in return, give equivalent measure. From anti and metreo; to mete in return. Harry Bosch and the Lincoln Lawyer team up to exonerate a woman who’s already served five years for killing her ex-husband.

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It's potentially an interesting story based on not a legal crime, but a moral and ethical one. And one of the victims offers up a hard-hitting portrait of a family dealing with the consequences of dementia that is as emotionally powerful as Leon has ever been. The sophisticated but still moral Brunetti, with his love of food and his loving family, proves a worthy custodian of timeless values and verities.”— Wall Street Journal No author has delved into Venetian society quite like Leon, whose insider’s view shows how crime seeps throughout the city, touching all strata of society.”— Mystery Scene And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

and there is a certain Netflix conversation with a colleague that cleverly disguises the real subject of their discussion from unwanted listeners. Leon throws in distractions and red herrings and leads the reader not at all where they thought they were going. Bound to appeal to those who love Venice, this is intelligent crime fiction at its finest. This endlessly enjoyable series, with its deep thoughts about justice and vengeance and charming classical allusions, can’t help making you smile.”—Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review The confidence we have in knowing that God loves us delivers us from fear but not from responsible action. In fact, God's love for us and in us sets us free to love our brother and sister even as God loves them. To fail this test of love proves that one's claim to love God is a lie—just as the previous claims to have fellowship with God while walking in darkness ( 1:6), to know him while disobeying his commands ( 2:4), or to possess the Father while denying his Son were lies ( 2:22-23). John has a double sense in "liar." A liar does not speak the truth in that what he claims is false, and his actions show that he has divorced himself from the reality of God. People who have animals tend to be calmer, especially if they are dog people." Then, reflecting on this she added, "it's cat people who can be strange sometimes.""

Donna Leon

The most richly accomplished of the brothers’ pairings to date—and given Connelly’s high standards, that’s saying a lot. Donna Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti novels are an absolute treasure and perhaps my favorite mystery series. Her characters are extremely relatable, and each entry seems to deal with a different ethical or moral issue. In GIVE UNTO OTHERS, we have a number of them, varying from charity to loyalty to trust. In the end, all of these feelings will be tested, some in a very personal way for Brunetti. As Brunetti considers how information travels around Venice, he realizes that “long before computer chips could collect someone’s personal data, their neighbors did” (p. 52). How are the two “collections” different, in Brunetti’s opinion? Is one more intrusive than the other, and if so, why? Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete with it shall be measured to you again. Was Give Unto Others a bad book? Not at all, but when you’ve read the whole series, it’s just not on the same level as some of the early titles. Although not my favorite, I will definitely keep reading the series.

Compassionate yet incorruptible, Brunetti knows that true justice doesn’t always end in an arrest or a trial.” — Publishers Weekly In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said repeatedly “ You have heard that it was said…but I tell you.” Jesus wasn’t correcting the law; He was illuminating the Spirit of the law—the life and meaning behind it. Where does Brunetti first encounter Matteo Fullin, and what is his initial impression of him? How is Fullin treated by his friends and family? In what ways is he protected, and in what ways is he vulnerable? Even as an entry in such an idiosyncratic (and appealing) series, this case is one of the most personal our protagonist — a thoughtful, compassionate man — has faced.So overall this felt rather slight to me even though the 'crime' speaks volumes - and I found the plotting rather holey, not least the perpetrator and their actions. Still, it's always fun to be in Brunetti's company even if this isn't a showcase book in the series. Give and it will be given to you in good measure, pressed down and overflowing, they shall cast into your lap. For with what measure you measure it will be measured to you.”

A panoramic view of the Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Venice with the equestrian statue of mercenary Bartolomeo Colleoni on the extreme right. The history of the mercenary, the statue and the location are featured during "Give Unto Others." Image sourced from Wikipedia. Strong's 5240: To pour out so that it overflows. From huper and the alternate form of ekcheo; to pour out over, i.e. to overflow. Of course, Brunetti and his team will wrap up everything but not without some big surprises and revelations that were never meant to see the light of day. It also will make him question the very definition of loyalty. He sums it up best to Paola when he says, “I’m not sure I’m clever, my dear, but I am always faithful to the side I fight for.” While I can understand why Leon preferred to write about a mostly post pandemic time, I think she missed out on a golden opportunity. As I mentioned in my review of last year's book, I really wanted to know how these characters were managing during the pandemic, and a Brunetti book about 2020 in Venice could have been really fantastic. Leon has written a good deal in recent years about how Venice has been drowning literally and figuratively due to tourists and climate change, and seeing Venice during this period would have been a wonderful contrast.Things are slow at the Questura—perhaps there's less crime in Venice since the pandemic is keeping tourists away?—so Commissario Guido Brunetti has plenty of time to look into something that's been troubling an old neighbor. In this volume, as in all the other volumes in this excellent series, I learned something more about Venetian culture and what it is to live in Venice. When reading a Brunetti novel, you expect to get more than just the story with which to immerse yourself. There are the sights, sounds and foods of Venice and the surrounding area. There is also Brunetti’s family: his wife Paola, an academic, and their two college-age children. One night at dinner, Chiara asks for her father’s help with an assignment --- they are to choose their favorite Greek play and scene. For Brunetti, it’s “Oresteia” and Clytemnestra’s first speech. When she asks why, he says, “Because she is so much stronger than I am.”