A Question of Belief by Donna Leon

In Summer, when all the world heads to the Venice, what do you think the Venetians do? They move to cooler mountains to beat the heat. Commissario Guido Brunetti of Venice is looking forward to his summer holiday to the cooler mountains with his family to escape the heatwave and tourist onslaught. He has even boarded the train and almost near his destination. Do you think crime is going to take a break too as Brunetti hopes? No such luck. Even before he reaches his destination, he is back investigating a murder.

A court clerk Fontana was found murdered. Brunetti hears rumours about delays in court cases which may have been due to Fontana. Was Fontana corrupt? Was he killed because of his dealings in the court? Or is there more to his murder?

Vianello, Brunetti's assistant, approaches Brunetti with his family trouble. Vianello's elderly aunt, the brains behind a successful business and a very level headed woman seems to have lost her rational behaviour. She is spending her hard earned money on a fortune teller. Can Brunetti and Vianello find out what is happening and stop this? What made the level headed rational woman part with her hard earned money?

The Fontana mystery is quite straightforward and one can guess what really has happened and Brunetti solves because he sees somebody in the funeral. But the case of the soothsayer is a surprise, I didn't guess it but the case solves itself. As usual I took a plunge into middle of a series. I do like putting up the bits like a jigsaw puzzle. This is the 19th book featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti published in 2010. An interesting mystery giving glimpses into corruption in most sacred places (read Justice) in Venice and how ingenious Con Artists have become.

Oh! I do understand that Summer may not be a good time to visit Venice.

I picked it from the library for the European Reading Challenge and this is my post for Crime Fiction Alphabet Q.

Q is for Question

Have you ever pondered about the meaning of life? Is there any meaning to life? How has the universe formed? Where did life come from? What is time? Has the future already happened? Can we travel back in time? Is what we think the beginning is actually the end? And does all this begin at the ending?

Are you ready to know the answers for the ultimate question? If not, stop now. Don't read any further!

If you are ready, the answer is ...

Read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

On a serious note, The Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking helps you ponder on these questions. The last two questions on beginning and end is inspired by T.S.Eliot.