Uniform Justice: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery (originale 2003; edizione 2013)

A mystery with an incomplete solution. It is more about Brunetti's coming to terms with himself and about the impossibilities of true Justice. A finger is pointed at greed and dishonesty in the Italian government and military but that becomes a symbol of human limitations. ( )

When we return to the Venetian world of Commissario Guido Brunetti he has found himself mired in the apparent suicide of a military cadet found hanging in a dormitory shower. It should be an open and shut case, but there is something about the death that doesn't sit right with Brunetti. Moro's father resigned from Parliament after Mrs. Moro was shot in an apparent hunting accident. Now Mr. Noro's son is dead. Is this retribution for his meddling in a corrupt investigation? As usual, Brunetti"s boss, Vice-Questore Patta, is eager to move on. Looks like a suicide, smells like a suicide, so it is a suicide. Hog-tied by political play, Patta would rather Brunetti poke his nose elsewhere. Brunetti is forced to bend the rules in order to solve the mystery.
Aside from the intriguing character of Guido Brunetti, Leon always illustrates Venice in a way that is mouth-watering and fills this reader with the yearning to pack her bags. ( )

Uniform Justice (2003) (Comm. Brunetti #12) by Donna Leon. A young man is found hanging in the showers at a military academy in Venice. He is a cadet there, but strangely it seems no one knows much about him. The boys won’t talk and the faculty won’t talk, and even his parents won’t say much of anything about him. It is up to Commissario Brunetti of the Venetian police to uncover the truth behind the death. Was it a suicide or murder?
The usually put-upon Brunetti is once again caught between the truth and the orders given to him by his boss, Vice-Questore Patta. As usual, Patta is busy playing politics, not wanting to disturb the corrupt factions which run the city. He wants a quick decision of suicide and then move on to other business. But Brunetti has an ace us his sleeve. The young man’s father was a member of Parliment who caused trouble with a corruption investigation. He resigned his position after his wife was shot in an “accident”, and now, two years later, his son is dead.
All just chance coincidence?
Brunetti and Inspector Vianello do this usual diligent work in the investigation. The truth is uncovered but, in a nod to the truth of the world, the guilty walk free.
I found this novel to be different but the same as the others I have read in the series. It seems Brunetti and Vianello are always working against the system that applauds corruption at the highest levels, leaves power in the hands of those most likely to abuse it, and shows no regard for the people they are supposed to be looking out for.
Strikes close to home, doesn’t it?
It is a nice depiction of the wonders of Venice, especially if you follow, on line, the trail of Brunetti and company as they move about this marvelous old city. Take a virtual tour with them as guides and you will have a wonderful time. And while the reason for the story is different, it felt as if I’ve read this plot many times over. ( )

Brunetti's team investigates the apparent suicide of a teen at a military academy. Brunetti and Pucetti agree someone made it look like suicide. Their suspicions seem founded in light of the many things happening to the cadet's family over the last couple of years. The boy's father quickly resigned his legislative seat and separated from his wife following an "accident" in which his wife was shot. He investigated and presumably wrote a report divulging irregularities in military procurements. Italian corruption is a frequent theme in Leon's work, and this novel provides plenty to continue that theme. The title seems ironic in that justice is not served. I enjoyed the development of Pucetti's character in this installment. He proves himself a capable young officer. Audiobook listeners will rejoice the Colacci returned to providing the narration after the last installment's mispronunciations by an inferior reader. ( )

Venice’s Commissario Brunetti and his team are called to the scene of an apparent suicide at a military academy. Brunetti has enough doubts about the death that he is able to maneuver his boss, Vice-Questore Patta, into making sure that all the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed. It seems the young man’s father had been a rare honest politician who had made many enemies with an investigative report. Might his son have been killed to punish the father?

This book is one of my least favorite in the series thus far. There was little in this book to relieve the bleakness of a family’s grief over the death of a son and Brunetti’s quixotic effort to bring a murderer to justice. The return of the familiar voice of David Colacci was the only bright spot in my listening experience. ( )