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The Golden Egg cover art

The Golden Egg

By: Donna Leon
Narrated by: David Rintoul
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Summary

Twenty-one years ago, when a conductor was poisoned and the Questura sent a man to investigate, readers first met Commissario Guido Brunetti. Since 1992’s Death at La Fenice, Donna Leon and her shrewd, sophisticated, and compassionate investigator have been delighting readers around the world. For her millions of fans, Leon’s novels have opened a window into the private Venice of her citizens, a world of incomparable beauty, family intimacy, shocking crime, and insidious corruption.

This internationally acclaimed, bestselling series is widely considered one of the best ever written, and William Heinemann is thrilled to be publishing the twenty-second instalment, The Golden Egg, in April 2013.

When making routine enquiries into a possible bribery case that could embarrass the mayor – a humiliation Vice-Questore Patta is very keen to avoid – Commissario Brunetti receives a call from his wife, Paola, who is evidently very upset. The middle-aged deaf mute with the mental age of a child who helped out at the Brunetti’s dry cleaners has been found dead – an ‘accidental’ overdose of his mother’s sleeping pills – and for some reason Paola is distraught by the news. To the neighbourhood he was just the ‘boy’ who helped out, but nobody knew much about him – not even his name. That a soul could have lived such a joyless life is too much for Paola to bear, and she asks Guido if he can find out what happened. It is a surprise to Brunetti just how little was known about this man-child – there are no official records to show he even existed. The man’s mother is angry and contradictory when questioned about his death, and Brunetti senses that there much more to the story than she is willing to tell. With the help of Inspector Vianello and the ever-resourceful Signorina Elettra, perhaps Brunetti can get to the truth and find some measure of solace.

©2013 Donna Leon and Diogenes Verlag AG Zurich 2013 (P)2013 Random House AudioGo

Critic reviews

"Donna Leon is better than ever…Superb." ( WI Life)
"If there’s a writer for whom the law of diminishing returns has been revoked, it’s Donna Leon. The doyenne of Italian crime fiction, whose stamina in returning time and again to her Venetian beat is matched only by her curiosity, she has proved herself, in the space of 22 titles, not only an able detective novelist, but the author of something more substantial…It is one of the joys of Leon’s work that she can take readers into the sinister heart of Italy, and yet, in the person of Brunetti and his companions, convince us that not all is lost." (Rosemary Goring, The Herald)
"The introspective Brunetti, a man with a healthy sense of the absurd and a sharp eye for the fading grandeur of the city’s architecture, makes for good company as he negotiates the perilous labyrinth of Venetian police office politics. Deceptively languid in its pace and a masterclass in mood, The Golden Egg… is a meticulously crafted example of how even the most apparently innocuous of crimes can reveal a trove of history." (Declan Burke, Irish Times)
"this is a much darker version of Brunetti-land than the earlier novels…The character of the deaf mutes seems to serve as an allegory of the political landscape of Italy – the public silenced and ignored, whilst those in power continue the ancient Italian tradition of fiddle-playing." ( The Lady)
"Leon’s impeccably plotted, utterly involving Italian-set novels (featuring the food-loving Commissario Brunetti) have rarely been less than excellent. So it proves with the latest...The Golden Egg is Donna Leon on top form" (Barry Forshaw, The Good Book Guide)

What listeners say about The Golden Egg

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A pleasant meander in Venice

I enjoy these Brunetti books not because they are intense thrillers or clever investigations but for the characters who populate the pages as they seem like old friends whose foibles and day-to-day lives make pleasant listening. There is a crime to be detected in this book but it is incidental to the pleasure of hearing about Brunetti's famiiy, his colleagues, the lovely food he eats and the atmosphere of Venice that pervades these books. David Rintoul is a great narrator.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another great story by Donna Leon

What did you like most about The Golden Egg?

The story has a slow place but this is not to the detriment of the novel because all Donna Leon's stories use this pace although there are moments of 'action' towards the conclusion. The reader is treated to an absorbing tale steeped in Venetian atmosphere.

What did you like best about this story?

I've read many Brunetti novels and enjoy being transported into the detective's world and his analytical mind.

Have you listened to any of David Rintoul’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I've not listened to David Rintoul as a narrator before, and I was impressed - he brought the story to life with the speed and tone just right.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Leon's stories always make me wonder how much of Ventian life and its people is embellished - because in this case the storyline was quite shocking. The ending was as satisfying as it could be in terms of a plot resolution.

Any additional comments?

I read this book whilst in Venice - the perfect literary companion! Hurry up and publish another novel, Donna, in time for my next trip!

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Unusual and intriguing!

An unusual story with party expected and some quite unexpected twists. I enjoyed the questions it raised and the internal dialogue Guido has as he uncovers the facts about Ana and Davide.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Moving and absorbing tale

What a great character Brunnetti is - humane fearless an observer of human failing a seeker of truth- a great antidote to the times we live in

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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a very interesting story

Interesting story, well written, well narrated about a horrid but fascinating subject matter. I have never heard of anything like this before. How can you not talk to your child. I assume treat him as though he wasn't there. It is beyond belief that there are people that will do this to their child. I suppose thinking about this book it was also a harrowing read.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Lovely

Love the feel of Venice, the steady development of the plot and the excellent narration of David Rintoul.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Dul dull dull boring.

Yet again another boring unlistenable story available from Audible. Another wasted credit. Going by the reviews, sample and write up this looked good. It isn't. It drones on at a snails pace. You can leave the room for an hour and on return - and nothing of note has happened. Cannot finish this.
One plus - David Rintoul is flawless. His voice sends me to sleep!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent narration, I was absorbed from the start

I love the way Donna Leon writes and can't wait to download the next one, consequently I don't have time to write more.

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