I have read a few of the books that Donna Leon has written, but I have seen many of the television productions based upon her books. Fortunately for me, this book (unlike the television versions) is in English rather than German (it's funny that people who watch this show in Venice must have Italian subtitles. Apparently that was a requirement that Donna Leon insisted upon because of her fear of the Mafia).

The characters are, for the most part, familiar to anybody who has read her previous books. The lead is Commissario Guido Brunetti who along with his wife, Paola and two children, his in-laws, the denizens of the Viennese police and the food. I think that the food is really the star of her books. The food from the coffee shops, restaurants and take-out establishments are wonderful sounding, but the food at the Brunetti house and the home of the in-laws all distract from the mysteries because they all sound delicious. Of course, there is the mystery to concentrate on to divert you from the description of the food.

When you get this book, if the dust cover is still intact, you will have a hint of the plot from the illustration on the cover. To an opera affectionate, the second act of Tosca immediately comes to mind. You do not need to be familiar with Tosca to enjoy this book, but the murders and the suicide in the last two acts play an important role in the plot. Just who is attempting to temp the wonderful soprano in the title role of the opera in Venice with hundreds of yellow roses and very expensive jewelry and why?

The book conveniently has a map of the Venice area in which the action of the plot takes place on the inside back cover (I placed a book crossing label over that map on the inside front cover) to help the reader negotiate the streets and canals of Venice and follow the stalker and the prey.

I left this book on one of the chairs under the menu board to your left as you enter the restaurant.