Number 3 in the Commissario Brunnetti series. I really like Brunnetti and his wonderful wife Paola. To add to the enjoyment is Brunnetti’s odious boss, Giuseppe Patta, who adds a bit of humour to these books. The mysteries are always quite complex, and in this one Brunnetti is on the tail of a particularly ruthless killer when a mutilated body of a male is found. The man is dressed in women’s clothes and shoes. The trail leads to the underground world of Venice’s underworld of transvestites and prostitution. And it becomes apparent early in the investigation that some important Veniation citizens who do not want their secrets revealed. The book moved along quite quickly and the tension gradually increased. I was disappointed with the ending though as nothing seemed to be resolved—hence the three stars instead of the four I was planning to award. ( )

As ever, Donna Leon provides a gripping read, with all the extra benefits of coming to know Commissario Brunetti and his family a little better. This turns out to be an early book in the series, and I was afraid that therfore the characters would not be so well developed. Not so. We meet Signorina Elettra for the first time, and Paola, Brunetti's wife, already plays her characterful part in the story - though not the plot. I love these books, and always have to read them as soon as I lay my hands on one. ( )

It's an excellent police detective story, set in Venice, Italy. Along with the recurring characters from the first couple of books in the series, readers are introduced to Elettra Zorzi. In subsequent books, she is a strong ally of Commissario Brunetti in his investigations. ( )

I'm enjoying the unique Venitian outlook on life, love and death. And I love his family. It wasn't very LGBTQ friendly, this episode, but not because of our hero, but rather the attitudes of others, so that made that bearable. ( )

Dressed for Death is Book #3 in Donna Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery series.
“Commissario Guido Brunetti’s hopes for a refreshing family holiday in the mountains are dashed when a gruesome discovery is made in Marghera - a body so badly beaten that the face is completely unrecognizable. Brunetti searches Venice for someone who can ID the corpse but is met with a wall of silence.”
Tenacious, hard-working Commissario Brunetti is, of course, the star of this series. But the city of Venice is a major character in its own right.
A new character is introduced, Patta’s new secretary, Elettra Zorzio. She is a welcome addition.
The language, the culture, the endless food and drink, the glimpses of Italy, good mysteries - a series excellent for reading. **** ( )