In the twenty-seventh novel in Donna Leon's bestselling crime series, a suspicious accident leads Commissario Guido Brunetti to uncover a longstanding scam with disturbing unintended consequences. 'The Venetian settings are en-chanting and Commissario Guido Brunetti's investigative methods are drolly amusing. But it's the living, bleeding humanity of the characters that makes Donna Leon's police procedurals so engaging ... Tagging along after this sleuth is a wonderful way to see Venice like a native, especially since Leon takes care to give us precise directions for his routes.' New York Times Book Review Named a Best Crime Book of the Year by Marilyn Stasio for the New York Times Book Review __________________________________ Important information is leaking from inside the Venetian Questura, and Commissario Guido Brunetti is tasked with uncovering the culprit. But before Brunetti can begin his investigation, a friend of his wife's comes asking for his help, fearful that her son is using drugs. A few weeks later, the woman's husband is found unconscious at the foot of a bridge. Following various contradictory leads, Brunetti navigates his way through Venice's underworld in an attempt to understand who is responsible for the vicious attack. But as he gets closer to discovering what happened, Brunetti is faced with a difficult truth- sometimes, it's the best intentions that lead to the darkest of consequences . . .