Death at La Fenice

Donna Leon's first mystery novel takes place at the famous Venice opera house (La Fenice) as an acclaimed conductor is poisoned during intermission and the brilliant police detective Guido Brunetti is called in to investigate. The plot is ok — it holds together logically but moves quite slowly — however the unique setting (not just the opera house but the entire city of Venice) and colorful cast of suspects make for a solid procedural.