Give Unto Others

 

Give Unto Others by Donna Leon  295 pp.

This is the 31st book in the Guido Brunetti series. Guido is approached by a neighbor from his childhood, Elisabetta Foscarini, who is worried that her daughter is in danger from her son-in-law, Enrico's business activities. Commissario Brunetti begins to investigate the woman's claims unofficially. When the daughter's veterinary office is vandalized it seems Elisabetta's suspicions were correct. But the police blame the break-in on the roving young gangs in the city. Even though his is not a Questura sanctioned investigation, Brunetti enlists the assistance of a few trusted colleagues and the things they uncover lead to a shady international charity started by Elisabetta's husband and a retired Vice Admiral now suffering from dementia. Soon the investigation shifts to an official one looking into the charity and the possibility that the Vice Admiral was coerced into involvement while not understanding what was happening. Another major twist in the story leads to a resolution of the mysteries.