Review
Praise for The Waters of Eternal Youth:
A New York Times Bestseller
A National Indie Bestseller
Donna Leon’s Venetian mysteries never disappoint, calling up the romantic sights and sounds of La Serenissima even as they acquaint us with the practical matters that concern the city’s residents . . . The Waters of Eternal Youth . . . [is] a bittersweet story that makes us appreciate Brunetti’s philosophical take on the indignities, insanities, and cruelties of life.”Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review
Leon’s writing satisfies, much like the dishes that come out of Paola’s kitchen . . . Her characters are reassuringly familiar and likable . . . Like the great 20th-century crime writer Raymond Chandler . . . Leon treats murder as a simple (if evil) thing.”Philadelphia Inquirer
The Waters of Eternal Youth, the 25th Brunetti mystery, is every bit as smart and intriguing as the first book was a quarter-century ago . . . It’s no wonder this series is so popular with tourists that it’s inspired its own guided tours of [Venice].”Christian Science Monitor
Leon’s latest novel marks the 25th anniversary of her wonderfully atmospheric series . . . A sweet poignancy flows through Leon’s narrative like the faint smell of chrysanthemums bordering the ancient palazzos.”Star Tribune
“An atmospheric, suspenseful tale filled with Venetian contessas, immigrants and thieves . . . [Leon] elegantly conjures up the social cabals and daily life of this luminous sinking city . . . The solution’s a real surprise, but completely plausible and insidiously set up. Leon has done it again. And her Venice gleams and bristles with a new tale of lust, betrayal and revenge.”―Providence Journal
Donna Leon’s 25th Guido Brunetti mystery, The Waters of Eternal Youth, is cause for celebration and a great read, both for travelers and those staying at home. Leon brilliantly exposes the corrupt world of Venice and how its past and present are often linked . . . Leon knows Venice and consistently proves that life in La Serenissima is far more complex, troubled, and dangerous than tourists flocking to St. Mark’s Piazza can ever imagine.”Bay Area Reporter
The Waters of Eternal Youth . . . is not only Leon’s 25th installment in her long-running series and one of the best, but also potentially one of 2016’s standout novels . . . The Waters of Eternal Youth has the most satisfying ending of any book I’ve read in recent memory . . . you are going to have to read this amazing novel for yourself . . . you’ll be glad you did.”Bookreporter
A new Brunetti adventure is always worth celebrating . . . the subtlety and sensitivity with which he approaches his work and his life . . . are on full view here . . . In a marvelous and moving last scene, we glimpse a moment of almost transcendent beauty that makes us realize again how important this series is to our reading lives.”Booklist (starred review)
Bestseller Leon’s poignant 25th outing for the Venetian police inspector . . . Leon deftly builds her plot against the struggles of contemporary Venetians . . . She draws Manuela and the contessa with skill and nuance, and longtime readers will enjoy insights into the past of Commissario Claudia Griffoni, the inspector’s colleague. Fans new and old should appreciate this escape into Brunetti’s elegant, sophisticated, yet troubled Venice.”Publishers Weekly
Venice might be sinking into the sea, but as long as Commissario Guido Brunetti is around, there will be someone to make sure the city doesn’t become a total swamp of cynicism and corruption . . . The usual suspects are all here . . . [and] the pleasures of spending time with Brunetti and the gang have never been greater.”Kirkus Reviews
In Donna Leon’s elegant prose, the book is as engaging as its predecessors, but filled with much more than the usual pain.”Toronto Star
As Brunetti brings past secrets to light, readers can again let the usual pleasures of Leon’s seriesa classy old-school detective, the rhythms of contemporary Venetian life, a familiar supporting castwash over them.”Sydney Morning Herald
The latest entry in one of the best long-running series in mystery fiction is just as good as one expects . . . This series is . . . superb, with its wonderful evocation of Venice’s streets and piazzas, food, and the wonderful moods of an old, old world confronting a very new one.”Globe and Mail (Canada)
[Leon] demonstrateseven after such an astonishing number of novelsthat she’s still at the top of her game . . . If this series has somehow escaped your notice, definitely put it on your to-read list.”NJ.com
About the Author
Donna Leon, born in New Jersey in 1942, has worked as a travel guide in Rome and as a copywriter in London. She taught literature in universities in Iran, China, and Saudi Arabia. Commissario Brunetti made her books world-famous. Donna Leon lived in Italy for many years, and although she now lives in Switzerland, she often visits Venice.
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