Welcome to Litsy!

My second weekend in a row at HPB ended in a massive book haul… so here goes:

This author was recommended by my father-in-law, a huge reader. It‘s first in a series of mysteries set in Venice. Since my visit there last year, I think I‘ll enjoy reading about Venice. There are a lot of books in this series so I‘m hoping I like it!

Happy to have such a long run of books to read.

Was craving a mystery, and this first book in Leon's Guido Brunetti series was available on Libby. It was quick and entertaining and the Venetian setting adds a lot. Scratched the itch!

A world famous conductor dies at La Fenice opera house in the interval between the 2nd and 3rd acts after drinking some poisoned coffee. Commissario Brunetti investigates.

A good first installment with interesting characters and location. I did get part of the solution right even if I didn't get the full context. I had my doubts about one aspect but Google tells me it's true.

#coffeeandabook

#WinterReadathonDailyChallenge #DonnaLeon

20 pts
Total pts - 425

Thank you to @Crazeedi for sending me these books!

Just finished rereading this one for an upcoming book discussion at the library. I appreciate the snarky humor interlaced with the slow build of the story. I‘m looking forward to reading this series with my library‘s book discussion group!

For the #AwesomeAugust #Readathon , I‘m aiming for my usual goal of 20 hours.

Sunday afternoon means time relaxing with cats. #Zeke #Xander #CatsOfLitsy

#19822022 #1992

First in series. Enjoyed it and look forward to reading more.
Used a free space for this book on #BookSpinBingo😊

#BookSpin #Bookspinbingo
@TheAromaofBooks

Tracking Ian Pear's Art History mysteries and the M. L. Longworth Provencal mysteries, I have fallen for their descriptions of the art, wine, and life in southern France and northern Italy. I found Death at La Fenice in the Odyssey bookstore in Ithaca as another in the series- but the breezy human side of Pears and Longworth is replace by Donna Leon with a darker, grittier human interactions. Love it, just not as much as Pears and Longworth.

Today‘s read.

#Top20Series #20Series20Days #Day9

I recently finished the eighth book in this series. I‘m trying to go in order, and I still have quite a few books to go. Commissario Guido Brunetti seems to get all the interesting cases in Venice. I love the characters, the setting, and the author‘s fixation on food.

Considering I have book 21 of this series on my bookshelf, I thought I‘d give this series a try by starting with book 1. 😬When world renowned conductor Helmut Wellauer is found dead in his dressing room, police commissario Guido Brunetti is called to investigate. An enjoyable read, with beautiful Venice serving as the perfect atmospheric setting. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #ReadingEurope2020 #Italy 🇮🇹 @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

Like with a lot of new series this took me a little while to get into but once I did this was a really enjoyable book, and definitely provided a glimpse into another world. I look forward to returning to Venice, and getting a further glimpse into Brunetti‘s world! A very satisfying end to the book with a bit of a twist. On to book 2.

I enjoyed this book from the long lamented #whodunitbymail experiment. Lots of opera and foggy Venice nights and wry observations from the author. If you like the city, you might also like the movie “Bread and Tulips” about a woman who gets separated from her family during vacation and decides to go to Venice for a while on her own. #orangecover #fallisbooked

Just finished this first book in the Commissario Brunetti series. It's been recommended to me because I like a lot Andrea Camilleri's Montalbano novels. I felt it started a bit too slow for my taste but the second half picked up and I ended up liking it a lot. Got some more books in the series coming my way from online trades, I'll start next one soon (after finishing my current Wallander read).

This was a very enjoyable read. I think this landed on my TBR thanks to you @Crazeedi ? I know you‘ve recommended it to others recently so it was probably one of your posts that did it! Commissario Brunetti is a great character, I like his gentle humour and long suffering patience - and his happy family life makes him so different to most of my detective reads! I like how his wife and kids have their opinions about his case too 😊👍

@Crazeedi did not steer me wrong. I really enjoyed this book, and feel I am already hooked on the series. The characters are so interesting, and the author does a masterful job of setting the scene. I feel as if I could find my way around Venice just from reading this. Picture is from the Italian Piemonte. Not my photo, but from the hotel where we stayed, and that was our view. No wonder I want to go back!

Picked this up on Kindle deals the other day, and decided to start it this afternoon. @Crazeedi is this the series you recommended?

My first dip intro Donna Leon‘s work, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Clever mystery, engaging characters, and she does a masterful job of making Venice a character in itself.

I am utterly surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Definitely going to read more of the series at some point.

The first in the Guido Brunetti mystery series, and it won‘t be the last one I read! I enjoyed this police procedural series set in Venice. Leon‘s writing style is superb, a mix of hefty topics and sarcastic humor. It was fun to read about Venice and to visit the canals vicariously. I can see why this series is popular among my staff at the library!

The best way to battle the extreme cold is a super hot bath and a new (to me) mystery series. #winterstormreadathon

See the tagged book. I have read this whole series and every one was excellent. I didn't feel like 'well this one wasn't great'. Highly recommend if you love Venice, Italian food and a good mystery.
@TheReadingMermaid thanks for the great prompt!

Donna Leon has written four previous Guido Brunetti novels, Death and Judgment, Dressed for Death, Death in a Strange Country, and Death at La Fenice, which won the Suntory Prize for the best suspense novel of 1991. She teaches English at the University of Maryland extension at a U.S. Air Force base near Venice Italy, where she has lived for over twenty years.

Day 26 - #vigilante #donnaleon #deathatlafenice
#quotsysept18

I took a break from cleaning, cleaning, cleaning to finish this mystery set in Venice. It was a perfect distraction, full of interesting characters, great descriptions, and an ok mystery. I figured out the whodunit early on but I didn‘t figure out the why until the end. #whodunitbymail

#dejavu my three reading partners this morning. And every morning. 😁
I‘m enjoying this light whodunit that takes place in Venice. So far there‘s not much action but it‘s a quick read and the descriptions of the setting make me feel like I‘m walking along the canals with the detective.
#septemberdanes

Enjoying a day at the lake and starting a new series

Undoubtedly well written this mystery embraced embedding Venice as a character more than its underlying mystery. I loved the main protagonist Brunetti as well as his family but was largely uninterested in the outcome (truth bomb. will read the rest of the series at some point as Brunetti was so appealing!) accompanied reading with a v east London take on Venetian risi e bisi. recipe summaries below for my 2 #backpackeurope points @JenP

So my #backpackeurope plan was not well thought through and I am back in Italy after a trip to Malta! No matter I had this sitting on my kindle waiting for a read and Italy is always beautiful. My appitiser this afternoon is as Italian as you get - beautiful fresh burratta drizzled with olive oil, prosciutto arrosto and two types of salami! Not a recipe per say but delicious! @JenP

Okay, #WhoDunItByMail Ladies. I must know who left these bookmarks in this book. I was trying to ignore my curiosity about them but it won out. Are they marking important passages? Things you wanted to remember when reviewing? Inquiring minds (well, mind) want to know!

#HumpDayPost @MinDea

1. We picked blueberries this past Saturday as a family. My bf and I picked over six gallons! All told I think the fam picked over 20 gallons of blueberries! I‘ve been eating and freezing them since...
2. Oatmeal with blueberries 😁
3. Murder. Mystery. Music.
4. Orange pen.
5. 5‘6”

#LunchTimeReading #BookandLunch

I‘m working on my #WhoDunItByMail selection for this round. I‘m having a bit of trouble getting into it so far...

I started this one tonight. I‘m hoping to get through it over the next few days and get it in the #whodunitbymail! Gotta get cracking to make the deadline! **won‘t let me post with picture!**

Had to lead our mystery book club meeting today at the library so this was a hurry up and get it read. The story was good but I could have used a bit more action. Overall everyone in the book club really enjoyed it and gave it a thumbs up. Me... 3.5 🌟

The latest #whodunitbymail was written by a native of nearby Montclair, NJ!

#themoreyouknow

#Paris75kgiveaway
@Librarybelle
Congrats on your milestone! I'd love to visit Venice! And I love this series too!

This series is new to me. Thumbs up so far!

The next #whodunitbymail book arrived from @Bklover today! I‘ll be reading it in May; my April is all booked with #freakyfriday reads!

A pretty notebook to go with, @kspenmoll !

I‘ve done a lot of car reading today! I was surprised how much I enjoyed this, and I don‘t know why I thought I wouldn‘t. I really liked Commissario Brunettti and his take on things. I‘d read another of these. #MountTBRChallenge #22

4.0/5.0
2018

Thanks @leslieseidel for the bookmail! It‘s always fun to see what the next #whodunitbymail selection is! Looking forward to another mystery!

Don‘t think I‘ve ever read a book by her. Got this from the free box before we left home. Found her writing very easy to read and great descriptions. I guessed the ending but that was okay. An enjoyable holiday read.
@MrsMalaprop

@Susanita Making me feel like a slacker! 😉 This is the one we have to have by Dec. 4, correct? Thank you for sending right away versus being like me and holding onto it until the day before it's due... 🤦🏼‍♀️
It looks good! I'm excited for your pick, @kspenmoll #WhoDunItByMail

I enjoyed this one! The mystery is engaging, the characters are well formed, and the setting is lovingly described. I‘m sending this one on a little early so I don‘t forget! Also, it takes place around this time of year, so that‘s a nice coincidence. #whodunitbymail

‘I feel myself reborn,‘ she cried, whereupon, this being opera, she promptly collapsed and died.

1. A walking trail near me that, according to Facebook, I first explored three years ago today. 2. I‘m usually working on several books at a time, but the tagged one has the most “traction” currently. 3. Any chocolate. 4. I‘m allergic to mussels. 5. A bag of honey lemon cough drops. #humpdaypost

Hooray for bookmail! #whodunitbymail

Got my next entry in #WhoDunItByMail from @MrsV ! Love Donna Leon and this is one I haven't read. Looking forward to diving in! @Tiffy_Reads

Finally getting to settle back down for a #litsypartofone. Hopefully I'll feel forget about those snacks in the background. #whodunitbymail.