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Start with Death at La Fenice and continue through all 33 books in the listed reading order.

33 books
Published 1994 to 2024
Status: Possibly ongoing

About This Series

The Guido Brunetti series, penned by Donna Leon, is a captivating collection of crime novels set against the picturesque backdrop of Venice. This series follows the insightful and compassionate Commissario Guido Brunetti as he navigates the complexities of crime, morality, and human nature in a city rich with history and culture. With a blend of mystery, suspense, and cultural commentary, Leon's writing brings Venice to life, making the city a character in its own right.

What sets the Guido Brunetti series apart is its unique exploration of themes such as justice, ethics, and the intricacies of Italian society. Leon's characters are deeply developed, allowing readers to connect not just with Brunetti, but with the various individuals he encounters, each adding layers to the narrative. The series is ideal for those who enjoy thought-provoking mysteries that delve into social issues while also offering an engaging and atmospheric reading experience.

It's essential to start with Book 1, "Death at La Fenice," as it introduces Commissario Brunetti and sets the tone for the series. Each book builds upon the previous stories, creating a rich tapestry that is best appreciated in order. While there are no significant spin-offs, the depth of character development makes each installment feel like a continuation of a larger narrative.

Thought leaders like Jeff Atwood and Jocko Willink have recommended this series for its insightful observations on human behavior and justice. Their endorsements highlight the series' appeal not just to mystery lovers, but to anyone interested in the moral dilemmas that arise in everyday life. Whether you're a seasoned mystery reader or new to the genre, the Guido Brunetti series offers a compelling journey into the heart of Venice and the human experience.

Start Here

Death at La Fenice

Start with Death at La Fenice

Book 1 by Donna Leon

Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.

Complete List

Guido Brunetti reading order

Ends with A Refiner's Fire

  1. 1
    Death at La Fenice

    Book 1:Death at La Fenice

    Donna Leon

    Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.

  2. 2
    Death in a Strange Country

    Book 2:Death in a Strange Country

    Donna Leon

    Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.

  3. 3
    Dressed for Death

    Book 3:Dressed for Death

    Donna Leon • 1994

    A savagely beaten corpse in women’s clothing is found near an abattoir on Venice’s mainland. As Brunetti fights heat, prejudice and official pressure, the trail leads from street prostitution to bankers, moral crusade...

  4. 4
    Death and Judgment

    Book 4:Death and Judgment

    Donna Leon • 1995

    A truck crash in the Dolomites exposes a horrifying cargo, just as a prominent lawyer is found murdered on a train to Venice. Brunetti must connect two distant crimes and uncover who profits from trafficking hidden be...

  5. 5
    Acqua Alta

    Book 5:Acqua Alta

    Donna Leon

    Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.

  6. 6
    Quietly in Their Sleep

    Book 6:Quietly in Their Sleep

    Donna Leon • 1997

    A young nun leaves her convent after several elderly patients die unexpectedly, convinced something is wrong. When she asks Brunetti for help, his quiet inquiry into religious charities and nursing homes reveals a chi...

  7. 7
    A Noble Radiance

    Book 7:A Noble Radiance

    Donna Leon

    Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.

  8. 8
    Fatal Remedies

    Book 8:Fatal Remedies

    Donna Leon • 1999

    Brunetti’s wife Paola is arrested after hurling a rock through a travel agency’s window to protest sex tourism, costing him his job and reputation. Soon the agency’s owner is murdered, forcing Brunetti to investigate...

  9. 9
    Friends in High Places

    Book 9:Friends in High Places

    Donna Leon

    Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.

  10. 10
    A Sea of Troubles

    Book 10:A Sea of Troubles

    Donna Leon • 2001

    Two clam fishermen are murdered off the island of Pellestrina, a tight-knit community suspicious of outsiders. When Signorina Elettra volunteers to stay with relatives there, Brunetti must balance his duty to solve th...

  11. 11
    Willful Behavior

    Book 11:Willful Behavior

    Donna Leon • 2002

    One of Paola’s brightest students asks Brunetti to help her seek a pardon for a crime committed by her grandfather decades earlier. When the young woman is later found murdered, Brunetti must uncover what dangerous se...

  12. 12
    Uniform Justice

    Book 12:Uniform Justice

    Donna Leon • 2003

    A cadet at an elite Venetian military academy is discovered hanged, an apparent suicide. As Brunetti questions teachers, parents and officers, he runs into a wall of silence and class privilege that suggests the boy’s...

  13. 13
    Doctored Evidence

    Book 13:Doctored Evidence

    Donna Leon • 2004

    A wealthy, unpleasant widow is murdered, and her Romanian maid dies beneath a train while trying to flee with stolen money. Case closed—until a neighbor insists the maid was innocent. Off the books, Brunetti revisits...

  14. 14
    Blood from a Stone

    Book 14:Blood from a Stone

    Donna Leon • 2005

    A street vendor selling fake designer bags is gunned down in Venice’s Campo Santo Stefano, his life dismissed as unimportant. Brunetti’s quiet determination to identify the man and his killers exposes illegal traffick...

  15. 15
    Through a Glass, Darkly

    Book 15:Through a Glass, Darkly

    Donna Leon • 2006

    A night watchman is found dead beside a blazing furnace at a Murano glass factory, an annotated copy of Dante nearby. Brunetti’s investigation into the man’s life leads to family rivalries, industrial pollution and si...

  16. 16
    Suffer the Little Children

    Book 16:Suffer the Little Children

    Donna Leon • 2007

    Armed men claiming to be police burst into a pediatrician’s apartment, injuring him and traumatizing his young family. Brunetti’s search for their motives uncovers shady adoptions, medical corruption and the buying an...

  17. 17
    The Girl of His Dreams

    Book 17:The Girl of His Dreams

    Donna Leon • 2008

    During a rainy morning patrol, Brunetti and Vianello pull the body of a young girl from the Grand Canal. Identifying her brings them into contact with a marginalized Romani community and forces Brunetti to confront pr...

  18. 18
    About Face

    Book 18:About Face

    Donna Leon • 2 recommendations

    Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.

  19. 19
    A Question of Belief

    Book 19:A Question of Belief

    Donna Leon • 2010

    Venice swelters under an August heatwave as Brunetti leaves town on holiday, worried about Vianello’s aunt, who has fallen under an astrologer’s spell. When a trusted court usher is murdered amid suspicious case delay...

  20. 20
    Drawing Conclusions

    Book 20:Drawing Conclusions

    Donna Leon • 2011

    An elderly woman is found dead in her modest apartment, apparently of a heart attack. Small details bother Brunetti, and following them leads him through charities, shelters and a secret network devoted to protecting...

  21. 21
    Beastly Things

    Book 21:Beastly Things

    Donna Leon

    Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.

  22. 22
    The Golden Egg

    Book 22:The Golden Egg

    Donna Leon

    Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.

  23. 23
    By its Cover

    Book 23:By its Cover

    Donna Leon • 2014

    Rare books are vandalized in a private Venetian library, their pages neatly cut out and stolen. As Brunetti investigates the obvious suspect and an ex-priest who read there, he uncovers a tangle involving art forgery,...

  24. 24
    Falling in Love

    Book 24:Falling in Love

    Donna Leon • 2015

    Opera diva Flavia Petrelli returns to Venice to sing Tosca, trailed by extravagant bouquets and an anonymous admirer who seems to know her every move. When people around her are attacked, Brunetti must distinguish dev...

  25. 25
    The Waters of Eternal Youth

    Book 25:The Waters of Eternal Youth

    Donna Leon • 2016

    At a charity dinner, an old family friend begs Brunetti to revisit a decades-old accident that left her granddaughter permanently brain-damaged. Digging into a supposedly closed case, Brunetti confronts buried memorie...

  26. 26
    Earthly Remains

    Book 26:Earthly Remains

    Donna Leon • 2017

    After a confrontation at work sends his stress levels soaring, Brunetti retreats to a relative’s villa on the island of Sant’Erasmo. There he rows with the caretaker, an old friend of his father—until the man disappea...

  27. 27
    The Temptation of Forgiveness

    Book 27:The Temptation of Forgiveness

    Donna Leon • 2018

    A distraught woman asks Brunetti to look into her husband’s odd behavior. When the man, a school accountant, is found gravely injured, Brunetti uncovers drug use among students, official indifference and the quiet cou...

  28. 28
    Unto Us a Son Is Given

    Book 28:Unto Us a Son Is Given

    Donna Leon • 2019

    An elderly friend of Brunetti’s plans to adopt a much younger man as his son and heir, shocking Venetian society. When sudden death and contested wills follow, Brunetti must untangle motives of love, vanity and greed.

  29. 29
    Trace Elements

    Book 29:Trace Elements

    Donna Leon

    Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.

  30. 30
    Transient Desires

    Book 30:Transient Desires

    Donna Leon • 2021

    Two young American tourists are dumped, badly injured, outside a Venetian hospital dock in the middle of the night. Security footage shows two local men fleeing. Following their trail, Brunetti and Griffoni uncover sm...

  31. 31
    Give Unto Others

    Book 31:Give Unto Others

    Donna Leon

    Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.

  32. 32
    So Shall You Reap

    Book 32:So Shall You Reap

    Donna Leon • 2023

    After a Sri Lankan immigrant is pulled dead from a canal, Brunetti discovers the man had been living on the grounds of a professor’s palazzo and reading about radical politics. The case forces Brunetti to revisit Ital...

  33. 33
    A Refiner's Fire

    Book 33:A Refiner's Fire

    Donna Leon • 2024

    Clashes between Venice’s so-called “baby gangs” bring a frightened teenager into contact with Claudia Griffoni and Brunetti. As they probe threats against the boy and an attack on a police technician, the investigatio...

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Quick Answers

Guido Brunetti FAQ

What is the best order to read the Guido Brunetti series?

The recommended reading order is the numbered order shown on this page, starting with Death at La Fenice.

How many books are in the Guido Brunetti series?

There are 33 books currently listed in the Guido Brunetti series on GurusReads.

Where should I start with the Guido Brunetti series?

New readers should start with Death at La Fenice, the first book in the reading order.

Is the Guido Brunetti series complete?

Based on the publication years we have, the series appears possibly ongoing and spans releases from 1994 to 2024.