Give Unto Others is Donna Leon’s 31st ‘Commissario Guido Brunetti’ mystery. Elisabetta Foscarini arrives at the Questura di Venezia, the police headquarters of Venice, to remind Brunetti that they used to be neighbours and to ask a favour. Flora, her daughter, is worried that Enrico, Flora’s husband, has got himself into a spot of bother. Would Brunetti please find out whether Elisabetta and her daughter should be concerned? Against his better judgement, he agrees.

The Commissario requests his loyal colleagues for their help. Fans of Leon’s books will be pleased that the perceptive Commissario Claudia Griffoni, the resourceful Signorina Elettra Zorzi, the trusty Ispettore Lorenzo Vianello and the dependable Officer Pucetti will all be involved. As this is to be a private matter, it is necessary to make sure Vice-Questore Guisseppe Patta and sneaky Lieutenant Scarpa (Patta’s eyes and ears in the staff room) do not twig that an unauthorised investigation is in progress. Using logic, intelligence, intuition and the ABC of policing (accept nothing; believe no-one; and challenge everything) a result is arrived that makes Elisabetta Foscarini regret she asked for Brunetti’s help.

I thoroughly enjoyed the measured, thoughtful pace. Some of the developments are predictable to those of us who have read a few of Brunetti’s escapades. But as we’ve worked out by now, it’s the journey that’s important in a ‘Brunetti’ novel not the denouement. An endearing cast of regulars remain lovable to the end and Brunetti’s stable home life is a delight.

Reviewed by Clive Hodges