“One of the most attractive serial detectives of contemporary fiction. . . . The unravelling of this intricate plot is very satisfying, yet the real pleasure of this novel lies in its evocation of a city whose shimmering beauty is set against the encroaching predations of the Mafia; a city where proper jobs are so rare that most young adults live at home with their parents, studying or wasting time; a place where your only real safety comes from having, say, four Doges in your ancestry, or a father with such powerful influence that nobody dares cross him.” —Sue Gaisford, The Independent (UK)

“Through the 21 novels in her much-loved Guido Brunetti series, Leon has tackled various social issues, from human trafficking through immigration policy and sexual abuse, always with great sensitivity toward not only the criminal aspects of the issue but also the more ambiguous toll that societal malfunction takes on individual lives. So it is again in this wrenching tale of the murder of a quiet veterinarian, the victim of a tragedy of almost classical dimensions. . . . A seemingly straightforward mystery written with such delicacy and emotional force that we can’t help but be reminded of Greek tragedy.” —Bill Ott, Booklist (starred review)

“The latest Commissario Guido Brunetti Venetian police procedural is a super whodunit . . . Brunetti and Vianello are marvelous as they piece together clues mostly using old fashion shoe leather but also ably supported by the IT gurus Signorina Elettra and Pucetti.” —The Midwest Book Review

“Brunetti is, as always, a canny commentator on Italian culture . . . However, it is in the poignant closing scene . . . where Leon’s singular talents truly shine.” —Book Page

“[Brunetti] takes his pleasures where he can—at home with his family, in his favorite coffee bars and on long walks around Venice—but after this case, the city he loves will never be quite the same for him.” —New York Times Book Review

“Brunetti’s challenges make for scintillating reading.” —Randy Dotinga, The Christian Science Monitor

“One of the most attractive serial detectives of contemporary fiction. . . . The unravelling of this intricate plot is very satisfying, yet the real pleasure of this novel lies in its evocation of a city whose shimmering beauty is set against the encroaching predations of the Mafia; a city where proper jobs are so rare that most young adults live at home with their parents, studying or wasting time; a place where your only real safety comes from having, say, four Doges in your ancestry, or a father with such powerful influence that nobody dares cross him.” —Sue Gaisford, The Independent (UK)

“It is a pleasure for a reader to settle in to one of Donna Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti mysteries, once again to have one of those glorious Italian lunches with his wife, Paola, and their children, Raffi and Chiara, and to learn, as we do in Beastly Things, which part of the seamy underside of Venetian life Brunetti will now uncover. . . . This time, a body is found in one of the canals. It is eventually identified as a local veterinarian, Dottore Nava, well-loved by his patients and their owners. . . . The way Brunetti figures out what happened and who killed Nava is first-rate Donna Leon plotting.” —Valerie Ryan, Shelf Awareness

“Leon shows a flair for dialogue, observational wit, and behavioral nuances in the conversations between the two investigators and their interviewees. She also explores themes related to political and corporate corruption, and the ways they conflict with moral values. The fact that Leon does all this while steadily building suspense shows why she’s a master of the genre.” —Debbi Mack, Mystery Scene

“The last few pages are worth the price of admission all by themselves. But no peeking. Donna Leon is one of those very few authors whose work is popular not only among mystery aficionados but also with those who do not regularly read the genre . . . . If you have yet to experience Leon or Brunetti, there is no time like now to start, and no better place than Beastly Things.” —Joe Hartlaub, Bookreporter.com

“Written with that depth of thought about crime and humanity that characterizes the best of Leon’s work.” —Jane Jakeman, The Independent (UK)

“You have an author and a character you’ve fallen in love with. You grab the new book as soon as it hits the stores and devour it in a night, then count the weeks for the next one. It comes, you grab, you read and . . . ugh. Something’s wrong. The characters are dull, the plot rinky-dink, the ideas stretched. It’s that point where almost all series begin to fail, usually book 9 or 10. So when I tell you that Beastly Things, Donna Leon’s 21st novel featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice police, is one of her best, it’s telling you that this writer is one in 10,000, maybe a million. No Brunetti book has ever disappointed, and this one, which takes Brunetti out of his usual zone, is riveting.” —Margaret Cannon, The Globe and Mail

4. How does Brunetti finally procure a suitable image of the murdered man? Where and when was this image captured, and what was the man doing at the time?

5.  Brunetti knows there are many reasons why his family and friends have begun to avoid beef, including the destruction of rain forests to clear areas for cattle grazing and outbreaks of fatal diseases such as Mad Cow. Why is he most disturbed after reading an article that describes  “animals that were born sick, kept alive only by massive doses of hormones, and who died still sick” (p. 67)?

6. What does Brunetti discover about Andrea Nava when he visits his widow? Why did Nava take a second job? What was his role there, and why was he qualified to perform it?

7. Where had Andrea Nava been living at the time of his death? What surprises Brunetti and Vianello about the apartment? What do they learn about the murder victim?

8. What does Brunetti find odd about Signorina Borelli’s move from a job at a pharmaceutical company to a position at the slaughterhouse? Are the reasons Vianello gives for the job switch believable? Why is Brunetti still doubtful?

9. What kind of bedtime story did Andrea Nava tell his son three weeks before his death? Why does his wife recall it? Why does Brunetti think it’s a significant clue?

10. “The truth’s the last thing a man wants to know about the man his daughter is married to,” Patta tells Brunetti when they are discussing the possibility of Papetti’s involvement in a crime (p. 232). Is he right? Why or why not?

11. Papetti’s powerful father-in-law, Maurizio De Rivera, looms large over Brunetti’s investigation. How does the commissario use De Rivera’s relationship with his son-in-law to gain an advantage during the interrogation?

12. Who is in attendance at Andrea Nava’s funeral? What does the funeral suggest about Nava’s standing in the community?