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Donna Leon | The Girl of His Dreams | English Title: The Girl of His Dreams<br>Novel, 352 Pages

Novel, Hardcover
352 Pages
Published in June 2009

ISBN 978-3-257-06695-1

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Donna Leon
The Girl of His Dreams

Published by Diogenes as Das Mädchen seiner Träume

On a rainy morning not long after the funeral of his mother Commissario Brunetti and Ispettore Vianello respond to a 911 call reporting a body floating near the steps in one of Venice’s side canals. Reaching down to pull it out, Brunetti’s wrist is caught by the silkiness of golden hair, and he sees a small foot – together he and Vianello lift a dead girl from the water. But, inconceivably, no one has reported a missing child, nor the theft of the gold jewellery that she carries. So Brunetti is drawn into a search not only for the cause of her death but also for her identity, her family, and for the secrets that people will keep in order to protect their children. The investigation takes Brunetti from the canals and palazzos of Venice to a Gypsy encampment on the mainland to try to unravel the fate of the dead child.

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»›The Girl of His Dreams‹ marks an evolution, even a quiet revolution, in Leon’s story-telling. Emphasis falls much less on crime and detection than on atmosphere and sensibility. Brunetti is more Maigret than Holmes.«The Times Literary Supplement

»This series becomes less about crime and more about daily life with each new entry, and as it evolves, it becomes clear that Leon deserves her place not only with the finest international crime writers but also with literary novelists who explore the agonies of the everyday.«Booklist

»One of her finest; a cunning novel of great depth.«The Boston Globe

»›The Girl of His Dreams‹ helps me understand why Leon has such a fervent following ... Brunetti is a marvel: smart, cultured and dedicated to his work ... ›The Girl of His Dreams‹ is a showcase of nuanced characterization, acute observation and seamless plotting.«The Washington Post

»A showcase of nuanced characterization, acute observation and seamless plotting.«The Washington Post

»In ›The Girl of His Dreams‹ Donna Leon is writing at her fluent best. The themes ... are well integrated into the plot, and their treatment is subtle and allusive ... The fundamental humanity that infuses the Brunetti mysteries transcends the cruelty and criminality.«Independent

»Italy has long been an irresistible setting for crime writers, and Donna Leon’s novels set in venice are atmospheric and humane. ›The Girl of His Dreams‹ is a deceptive title for a dark tale involving some of the most despised immigrants to Italy, the Roma families who live a precarious existence in and around big cities. The girl who haunts the dreams of Commissario Brunetti is a Roma child whose body he pulls out of the Grand Canal one morning; nobody has reported her missing and the gold jewellery she is carrying does not belong to her. This tragic discovery allows Leon to explore the lives of families who make a living from petty crime and have little access to justice when they become victims themselves.«Sunday Times

»Gorgeously written ... the 17th book in this superlative series restates Leon’s theme with more intensity than usual.«The New York Times Book Review

»As much about family as about crime, Leon’s literate and humane novels are as moving as any in the genre. And ›The Girl of His Dreams‹ is a dream come true for those who love intelligent entertainment.«Richmond Times Dispatch

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