The Waters of Eternal Youth

Oct 31, 2024 7:29 AM

Author:Donna Leon,David Rintoul

In The Waters of Eternal Youth, the twenty-fifth instalment in the bestselling Brunetti series, our Commissario finds himself drawn into a case that may not be a crime at all.

Brunetti is investigating a cold case by request of the grand Contessa Lando-Continui, a friend of Brunetti’s mother-in-law. Fifteen years ago the Contessa’s teenage granddaughter, Manuela, was found drowning in a canal. She was rescued from the canal at the last moment, but in many ways it was too late; she suffered severe brain damage and her life was never the same again. Once a passionate horse rider, Manuela, now aged thirty, cannot remember the accident, or her beloved horse, and lives trapped in an eternal youth.

The Contessa, unconvinced that this was an accident, implores Brunetti to find the culprit she believes was responsible for ruining Manuela's life. Out of a mixture of curiosity, pity and a willingness to fulfil the wishes of a loving grandmother, Brunetti reopens the case. But once he starts to investigate, Brunetti finds a murky past and a dark story at its heart.

The Waters of Eternal Youth is awash in the rhythms and concerns of contemporary Venetian life, from historical preservation, to housing, to new waves of African migrants, all circling the haunting story of a woman trapped in a perpetual childhood.

Reviews

There is no one better than Donna Leon at showing the ripple effects of a single traumatic event . . . Throughout this astonishingly consistent series Leon has recast the city in her own venerable image: full of surprises and hidden beauty.

—— Evening Standard

All the things that are wrong with the city appear in these books: corruption, decay and overcrowding are part of the scenery and Leon pulls no punches describing them. But she still loves Venice and Brunetti and so do her readers.

—— Literary Review

Effortlessly entertaining.

—— Crime Time

A richly textured exploration of issues from corruption to art preservation to African migrants; add in the glorious eccentricities of Brunetti’s police colleagues and the touching snapshots of family life, and you have a sparkling summer read.

—— The Tablet, Summer Reading

Former police and military psychologist, Kavanagh gives an eye-opening insight into kidnap and ransom, woven into a gripping, unusual thriller, which is a worthy follow-up to last year’s brilliant Hidden. A great read with unexpected twists and turns.

—— Peterborough Evening Telegraph

Emma Kavanagh is a very gifted writer, her eye for detail and her impeccably created characters make The Missing Hoursan absolute joy to read…The Missing Hoursis exceptionally detailed, intriguing and unusual. I was hooked from the very first chapter. An outstanding story with superb characters and an exciting plot.

—— Random Things Through My Letterbox

I really enjoyed this book, and I mean really enjoyed it. I like my mysteries to be mysterious, my thrillers to be thrilling, and this was both of those things. The best stories are hard to guess but, once you know, make sense and that describes this one perfectly. While I didn't see it coming, a sense of understanding dawned on me when all became clear, so while it was unpredictable it was an ending that fitted perfectly with the story with hindsight. The writing is fluent and eloquent, and although I had a harder-to-tote hardback, I still stuck this one in my handbag as a chapter before bedtime was not going to be enough.

—— The Bookbag

Sensationally ensnares its readers.

—— Vogue

It is testament to Kavanagh’s skill as a writer that, aside from her ability to apply her inside knowledge of police and military operations so effectively, she is also able to create a compelling set of characters.

—— The Lady

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