Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti novels have a real charm for many readers. Set in Venice, the books really bring the city to life. It’s not just the setting; readers love Brunetti, and the way the stories look at Italian society and its problems.
If you want authors with a similar feel, perhaps with a focus on atmosphere and character, here are some writers you might like.
Andrea Camilleri was an Italian author best known for his popular Inspector Montalbano detective series. Set in the charming and vividly depicted Sicilian village of Vigàta, these mysteries offer intriguing characters, atmospheric descriptions, and subtle wit.
Readers who enjoy Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti novels set in Venice will immediately appreciate Camilleri’s “The Shape of Water.”
In this first Inspector Montalbano mystery, a prominent politician is found dead in a compromising position, and authorities are eager to declare it a natural death.
However, Inspector Montalbano senses something deeper behind the case, uncovering layers of corruption, politics, and human frailty beneath the quaint Sicilian town’s facade.
Fans of Donna Leon’s mixture of crime-solving and cultural insights will find much in Andrea Camilleri’s storytelling that resonates with them.
If you enjoy Donna Leon’s atmospheric Venetian mysteries, consider exploring Michael Dibdin. Dibdin penned the Aurelio Zen series, set in various parts of Italy and rich with local flavor and complex characters.
One standout book is “Ratking,” which introduces detective Aurelio Zen, a thoughtful and sharp-witted investigator assigned to solve the kidnapping of a powerful industrialist in Perugia.
Zen encounters political resistance, family tensions, and tangled alliances as he probes into Italy’s high society.
Dibdin’s books share a vivid Italian setting and careful character development characteristic of Leon’s work, making them appealing for readers seeking a fresh but familiar taste of suspense.
Louise Penny is a Canadian mystery author famous for her Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. Fans of Donna Leon will quickly feel at home in the detailed police investigations of Penny’s novels.
In “Still Life,” Penny introduces us to Chief Inspector Gamache, a thoughtful and intuitive detective assigned to investigate a suspicious death in the quiet, picturesque village of Three Pines.
Gamache navigates through complex relationships, hidden secrets, and intriguing characters to uncover the truth beneath the surface of a seemingly peaceful community.
Penny combines sharp observations of human nature with an atmosphere rich in small-town charm, making her stories captivating for anyone who appreciates Donna Leon’s thoughtful mysteries set in distinctive locales.
If you enjoy Donna Leon’s atmospheric mysteries set in Venice, you might appreciate Martin Walker’s novels set in the French countryside.
Walker, known for his delightful series featuring Bruno Courrèges, the chief of police in the small town of St. Denis, France, offers mysteries enriched by charming details of rural French life and cuisine.
In “Bruno, Chief of Police,” Bruno investigates the mysterious murder of an elderly Algerian war hero, a case that quietly shakes the peaceful village.
The book blends a classic murder mystery plot with rich glimpses into local traditions, memorable characters, and mouthwatering descriptions of French cooking.
Donna Andrews writes mysteries filled with wit, humor, and beautifully drawn small-town settings.
In her book “Murder with Peacocks,” you meet Meg Langslow, a blacksmith who somehow ends up planning three weddings at once—including those of her demanding mom and chaotic relatives.
Just when Meg thinks her summer couldn’t get more stressful, an unsettling murder disrupts the preparations. Andrews cleverly mixes humor and suspense with a quirky yet charming cast of characters.
Fans of Donna Leon who appreciate vivid characters and a dash of humor might thoroughly enjoy this mystery.
Readers who enjoy Donna Leon’s thoughtful approach to mystery fiction may also appreciate M.C. Beaton’s engaging style and memorable characters.
Beaton, best known for her “Agatha Raisin” and “Hamish Macbeth” series, offers a charming blend of humor, mystery, and appealing village settings.
In “Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death,” Agatha retires early to the picturesque Cotswolds village of Carsely, expecting a peaceful country life.
However, her quiet plans quickly unravel when her entry in a local baking contest becomes suspiciously connected to an unexpected death.
Determined to clear her reputation, Agatha’s awkward efforts at solving the mystery draw her deeper into village secrets and eccentricities, making her amateur investigations impossible to resist.
Ruth Rendell is an English author known for sharp psychological insight and intriguing detective fiction. If you enjoy Donna Leon’s thoughtful investigations and complex character studies, Rendell’s Inspector Wexford series might appeal to you.
“From Doon with Death,” the first book of the series, introduces Inspector Reg Wexford, who investigates the murder of a quiet housewife in a small English town. As Wexford searches for a motive among seemingly ordinary lives, unexpected secrets slowly surface.
Rendell creates suspense through detailed observation and believable characters, keeping readers guessing until the final pages.
Readers who enjoy Donna Leon might find Fred Vargas equally appealing. Vargas, a French author and archaeologist, crafts detective novels filled with quirky, vivid characters and thoughtful mysteries set in Paris.
In her book “The Chalk Circle Man,” readers meet Commissaire Adamsberg, a detective known for his unconventional style. The plot revolves around a strange series of chalk circles appearing overnight on the streets of Paris.
Each circle encloses random, ordinary objects—a lipstick, a shoe, some coins—harmless at first glance. The situation changes once a body turns up, lying inside one of the circles. Adamsberg must untangle this puzzling pattern to prevent further harm.
Vargas weaves an original mystery full of suspense and atmosphere, making her novels appealing to anyone who appreciates the complex characters and vibrant settings found in Donna Leon’s work.
Elizabeth George is a popular author known for her detailed mystery novels featuring Inspector Thomas Lynley. Her novel “A Great Deliverance” introduces readers to Lynley and his practical partner, Sergeant Barbara Havers, as they investigate a brutal murder in rural England.
George crafts intricate plots, vivid characters, and atmospheric settings that echo the carefully structured mysteries Donna Leon fans enjoy. She pays close attention to psychological depth, focusing on the minds of both the investigators and the suspects.
If you appreciate crime stories that highlight character interplay and investigative nuance similar to Leon’s Brunetti series, Elizabeth George’s novels offer a fulfilling reading experience.
Readers who enjoy Donna Leon’s mysteries set in Venice might also find Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse series appealing. Dexter’s novels are smart detective stories set in Oxford, England, and feature the clever yet moody Inspector Morse.
In “Last Bus to Woodstock,” two young women are seen hitching a ride to Woodstock, but only one arrives alive. Morse steps in with his sharp instincts and complex character to unravel the mystery.
Fans of Leon’s methodical detective Brunetti, who appreciate intellectual puzzles and vivid settings, will likely find Morse’s investigations absorbing and satisfying.
Readers who enjoy Donna Leon’s atmospheric detective novels set in Venice might appreciate Camilla Läckberg’s mysteries from the Swedish coastal town of Fjällbacka. Läckberg blends intriguing crime cases with intimate character portrayals in a small-town setting.
Her novel “The Ice Princess” introduces Erica Falck, a writer who returns home after her parents’ deaths only to get tangled in a local tragedy. Erica discovers her childhood friend, Alex, dead under mysterious circumstances.
Teaming up with detective Patrik Hedström, Erica soon realizes how little she really knew about Alex and how dark secrets can be hidden behind the surface of an idyllic place.
Läckberg skillfully uncovers family secrets and small-town tensions, offering engaging reads filled with suspense.
Readers who enjoy Donna Leon’s Venice-based mysteries may appreciate the novels of P.D. James. James is known for her elegant, well-crafted detection and insightful character portraits. Her novel “Cover Her Face” introduces detective Adam Dalgliesh.
The story revolves around the murder of a young servant named Sally Jupp. Set in an English manor house, the investigation peels back secrets hidden within family dynamics, motives, and complex relationships.
James’s thoughtful narrative and detailed characterization offer mystery fans a satisfying blend of classic detective storytelling and psychological depth.
Tana French is a talented Irish crime writer known for her atmospheric, tightly plotted novels. Readers who enjoy Donna Leon’s thoughtful storytelling and well-drawn characters may find a similar appeal in French’s books.
In her novel “In the Woods,” detective Rob Ryan investigates the chilling murder of a young girl found dead near a suburban Irish town.
The case takes a strange turn when Ryan realizes it may be connected to a haunting incident from his own childhood—an unsolved disappearance of his two best friends.
French skillfully builds suspense by layering psychological tension and mystery, creating a vivid story that’s hard to put down.
Ann Cleeves is a British author known for writing atmospheric detective novels set in small communities, rich in detail and character.
Readers who enjoy Donna Leon’s Venice mysteries will appreciate Cleeves’ talent for building suspense through carefully crafted plots and believable characters. Her novel “Raven Black” takes place on the remote Shetland Islands.
When the body of a teenage girl is discovered in the snow, suspicion falls on a local man who was implicated years before in another girl’s mysterious disappearance.
Detective Jimmy Perez carefully untangles secrets and hidden relationships, uncovering the deeper story behind the island’s peaceful surface.
Cleeves carefully draws readers into life on Shetland with vivid descriptions and an authentic feel for island customs and community tensions.
Jacqueline Winspear writes thoughtful and absorbing historical mysteries set in the years following World War I. Readers who enjoy Donna Leon’s well-crafted detective stories might find Winspear’s “Maisie Dobbs” particularly appealing.
This novel introduces Maisie, who begins as a servant in a London household before her intelligence attracts attention.
Soon she’s trained as a private investigator, and when she sets up her own detective agency after the Great War, her first big case opens the door to dark secrets left over from wartime.
Winspear skillfully evokes post-war London and portrays Maisie’s determined path toward justice. The story provides an insightful look into the lasting scars left by conflict, balanced perfectly with a mystery that keeps readers guessing until the end.