"When a body is found floating in a canal, strangely disfigured and with multiple stab wounds, Commissario Brunetti is called to investigate and is convinced he recognises the man from somewhere. However, with no identification except for the distinctive shoes the man was wearing, and no reports of people missing from the Venice area, the case cannot progress. Brunetti soon realises why he remembers the dead man, and asks Signorina Elettra if she can help him find footage of a farmers' protest the previous autumn. But what was his involvement with the protest, and what does it have to do with his murder? Acting on the fragile lead, Brunetti and Inspector Vianello set out to uncover the man's identity. Their investigation eventually takes them to a slaughterhouse on the mainland, where they discover the origin of the crime, and the world of blackmail and corruption that surrounds it. Both a gripping case and a harrowing exploration of the dark side of Italy's meat industry, Donna Leon's latest novel is a compelling addition to the Brunetti series."

When the body of man is found in a canal, damaged by the tides, carrying no wallet, and wearing only one shoe, Brunetti has little to work with. No local has filed a missing-person report, and no hotel guests have disappeared. Where was the crime scene? And how can Brunetti identify the man when he can't show pictures of his face? The autopsy shows a way forward: it turns out the man was suffering from a rare, disfiguring disease. With Inspector Vianello, Brunetti canvasses shoe stores, and winds up on the mainland in Mestre, outside of his usual sphere. From a shopkeeper, they learn that the man had a kindly way with animals.
At the same time, animal rights and meat consumption are quickly becoming preoccupying issues at the Venice Questura, and in Brunetti's home, where conversation at family meals offer a window into the joys and conflicts of Italian life. Perhaps with the help of Signorina Elettra, Brunetti and Vianello can identify the man and understand why someone wanted him dead. As subtle and engrossing as ever, Leon's "Beastly Things" is immensely enjoyable, intriguing, and ultimately moving.

"The book is written with that depth of thought about crime and humanity that characterises the best of Leon's work." -- Jane Jakeman Independent "[A] fine, atmospheric novel...Twenty-one books on, [Leon] has lost none of her delightful skill and wit." -- Mark Sanderson Evening Standard "Donna Leon's elegant and compelling crime novels enjoy great success throughout the world. On the surface, this is another entry in a reliable long-running series. But it's also an oblique addressing of some complex issues with typical intelligence and perception." -- Barry Forshaw The Good Book Guide "Beastly Things is a perfect accompaniment to a hot day and a cool glass of white wine. Superb." Crimesquad "[Leon's] books paint such an appealing portrait of modern Venetian life that they've sent droves of holidaymakers to the city." Press Association

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